The rate at which forest is being deleted in Nigeria may soon be a thing of the past as Golden Seed Fats & Oil has launched a biomass charcoal briquette called Maxiburn a substitute for wood charcoal.
The main business of Golden Seed is the processing of nuts to oil palm and palm cake but has shifted to the conversion of palm kernel to biomass briquette used for grilling, industrial application, and cooking as an alternative to wood charcoal leading to deforestation and destruction of the environment.
The executive press officer and co-founder of Golden Seed, Lanre Sam Akinkumi stated during a press briefing that “We are launching our biomass briquette derived from agricultural waste to the market.”
He stated further that “it is a direct alternative for wood charcoal also known as charcoal. People who require industrial heating, restaurants, boiler application, hotel, furnaces, and homes can make use of our biomass charcoal briquette.”
“The product is in high demand and has a great impact on our biodiversity as we have lost more than 20 percent of our forest cover due to deforestation caused by the high demand for wood charcoal.”
He explained that the biomass briquettes are smokeless fuel that does not have any impact on the environment. Currently, he stated that the company produces 400 metric tons of biomass charcoal briquette monthly, from palm kernel shell which is sourced from small-scale palm oil growers.
He stated further that Maxiburn charcoal briquettes burn three times faster than wooden charcoal. It can burn for four hours consistently while the wood charcoal burns for only 45 minutes.
He added that his company is working to collaborate with relevant government agencies like the Nigerian Export Promotion Council and the Ministry of Environment to make sure the government lifts the ban on the export of charcoal to allow Golden Seed ta earn substantial forex for the country through biomass charcoal briquette export.
“Nigerian charcoal market is huge, however, is currently facing big clampdown due to illegal felling of trees which forced the government to ban the export of charcoal.”
“This is because there is no other source of getting charcoal and that is the reason we developed an alternative without the need to cut down a tree by producing it from palm kernel shell.”
We hope to work with the FG to lift the ban on the exportation of charcoal in the country. He advised the government to introduce charcoal classification by sources to allow the country ta opportunities in the midst of FX shortages in the country. We can start the classification of charcoal-based on its sources.
He said that everything used in biomass briquette making is gotten from oil palm and the only thing added is molasses which is starch for binding. Golden Seed is already in talks with countries in Europe, and Asia for export as soon as the ban is lifted.
He added that briquette is available in different sizes and cheaper than wood charcoal and is affordable for everybody in the country.
