Fuel Alternatives for Developing Countries

Currently, around 2.6 billion people rely on traditional biomass (fuelwood, charcoal, dung, and agricultural residues) for heating and cooking. With current and future pressures on remaining forests and landscapes, it is imperative to find alternative fuels as well as improved and more efficient equipment for heating and cooking. Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 7 seeks to increase the contribution of renewable energy and to double the rate of improvement in energy efficiency. With the lack of rainwater in many geographical regions of the world, biomass growth is significantly reduced, but this can be mitigated by recycling partially treated wastewater, which still contains valuable nutrients, into tree stands and agroforestry. This chapter presents the problems and possible alternatives to current methods for heating and cooking as well as fuel options in developing countries. Agroforestry systems (AFS) can offer goods, benefits, and services simultaneously, providing food and energy while conserving biodiversity and contributing to carbon sequestration and storage. Fuelwood produced in plantations and AFS can be a viable energy source, as tree plantation productivity is often higher than that of natural forests. Energy yield, climate, local soil and hydrologic conditions, product marketing, farmers’ needs, species management, and potential for use in AFS are important considerations in selecting species for use as fuel. There are many health, economic, and environmental benefits associated with the use of improved cooking stoves, which burn less fuel, are easier to ignite, and hold heat more efficiently. Wood-burning stoves can reduce the amount of wood used relative to open fires while improving household air quality and health. In addition, biofuels have been pursued recently to reduce overdependence on fossil fuels. Biofuels can alleviate fuel needs at the small scale when using agricultural residues or animal wastes, generating employment opportunities at the local level without upsetting traditional agricultural livelihoods. Efforts to curb and modify fuelwood use would be a major factor in protecting rural livelihoods and sustainability in developing countries.