Research done by geologist Grain Malunga has shown that enhanced domestic household use of coal can help to reduce the rate of deforastation in the country.
The geologist conducted an experiment at Kasikizi Coal Mine in Mwankenja Basinn, Karonga by using coal in a domestic stove the same way charcoal is used. It was found hat using a start-up coal to charcoal mixture of threee to one , it took about five minutes to light the coal while using cardboard paper/ordinary paper or ordinary wood, it took about 15 to 20 minutes.
Reads the research in part: “In other words to light one kilogramme of coal, one requires about 300 grammes of charcoal. “This is enough to cook up to 1.5 hours. Cooking using coal saves a lot of charcoal and by extension minimises deforestation.”
The researc found that to produce 1 tonne of coal requires nine tonnes of wood and that one tone of coal saves 27 tonnes of wood. “High ash content slows down combustion. It is recommended that direct use of mineral coal should be with the one that contains less than 20 percent ash content,” reads the research.
The research recommends the use of Philips fan stove compared to the traditional cook stove. It said Philips fan stove performed better than the traditional cook stove because of its use of fan ventilation.
“There was more heat loss in the traditional stove that the fan stove. In terms of affordability, the traditional stove is far much cheaper and less energy efficient,” reads the research.
In an interview, Malunga cautioned that domestic use of coal should be guided by ventilation, stove design, fuel quality ans stove mainteinance and operation.
“It (coal) has potential to introduce carcinogenic emissions and toxic elements such as flourine, arsenic, lead, selenium and mercury, which affect environmental health,” he said.
Malunga said exposure to these lements can be reduced by processing the coal and developing cautious behaviour of avoiding inhalations and encouraging outdoor use.
“It is important to note that indoor emissions from household combustion of coal are carcinogenic to humans and can cause liver cancer,” he said
Last wek president Lazarus Chakwera said his administration will scale up use of alternative renewable energy sources.
“We will be promoting the development and adoption of alternative cooking energies such us briquettes, biogas and liquid petroleum gas as well as the growing of bamboos and fast-growing trees for sustainable charcoal production,” he said.
Electricity, for primary cooking, has a national penetration rate of two percent due to low household income and vailability while the current national electricity access rate is 11 percent with urban areas having 42 percent and rural four percent.
Source: The Nation_October 28, 2020_Joseph Mwale-Mzuzu Bureau Supervisor