Brasilia, (Brazil) Oct 20 (BDNEWS) – Bangladesh can produce and market 'biobricket' in place of kerosene like Indonesia to combat fuel crisis in the country.
Hellienti Hillaman, executive director of UBEL, an Indonesian NGO on fuel, said this while talking with BDNEWS on Wednesday.
'Biobricket' is an environment friendly fuel, produced by mixing biomass with coal.
He said that Bangladesh has sufficient coal and it won't be difficult for her to get biomass.
The UBEL executive director said his organisation is ready to provide Bangladesh all types of technical assistance to produce 'biobricret'.
He said Indonesia is going to market 'biobricket' in place of kerosene from the first half of the next year as the country has suffered terribly providing subsidy in fuel sector. But it is being done through the coordination of NGOs and private sector, not by the government.
Hellienti Hillaman told BDNEWS 'biobricket' would play a key role in reopening the small and medium industries that failed to purchase fuel at a high price.
'Biobricket' is produced by mixing biomass with 60 to 70 percent coal. It has been freed from sulphur pollution through different technical processes.
Though 'biobricket' pollutes 16 percent less than kerosene, kerosene has more caloric power than 'biobricket' to produce heat.
The caloric value of kerosene is 8000-9000 while it exists between 5000 and 8000 in 'biobricket'. But it depends on what type of coal is used.
Though the Indonesian government increased the price of fuel by 250 percent a month back, it still provides subsidy in kerosene.
Now Indonesia will be able to save US$ 1.25 billion from fuel subsidy every year, which is 25 percent of its yearly budget.
Now the price of per litre kerosene is US$ 20 cents in Indonesia while the price of per Kg 'biobricket' will be 7 cents.
It will require an investment of US$ 3 lakh 30 thousand to set up an industry with a production capacity of 5 to 10 metric ton per hour.
UBEL, along with other 15 private investors have taken initiatives to set up 15 such industries. It is hoped that the industries will start producing 'biobricket' in the first half of next year.
BDNEWS/2002 hrs
