A possible alternative as the country continue to face the energy crisis.
According to the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), it has seen potential in the use of locally sourced and natural materials as biomass fuel, noting that local innovations that could help ease the country’s reliance on imported fuels—with supply being volatile amid geopolitical tensions.
DOST Secretary Renato U. Solidum Jr. noted, “The recent declaration of a state of national energy emergency shows our country’s vulnerability to disruptions in fuel supply.“
Seen as possible materials for usage as biomass fuels are the bamboo pellets and charcoal briquettes, which were developed by the DOST- Forest Products Research and Development Institute (DOST-FPRDI).
These are cleaner, locally sourced, and energy-efficient biomass fuels that are sustainable and support community-based energy production.
“By converting abundant biomass materials into efficient fuels, we offer a renewable, locally sourced substitute that can help with our country’s needs,” added Solidum.
BAMBOO PELLETS
The bamboo pellets are a densified form of bamboo designed for optimum combustion and even have higher energy density than other biomass materials, such as wood chips and agricultural residues.
Materials with high energy density contain and give off more energy, explained the Science and Technology department.
Bamboo pellets are also lightweight and easy to transport as they are typically cylindrical in shape, with a diameter of about 8-12mm and a length of 20-30mm only.
“One cubic meter of these pellets can generate as much as 12.15 gigajoules (GJ). One GJ is approximately 277 kilowatt hours (kWh),” explained DOST-FPRDI researcher Dr. Anniver Ryan Lapuz.
He continued, “In coal-fired power plants, bamboo pellets can be used as a co-firing fuel. For biomass-based industries, they can serve as a supplementary fuel source to conventional materials such as bagasse and rice hull.“
Lapuz also said that at the household level, these pellets could be used for cooking just like regular charcoal. However, it is denser and gives higher heating value than the ordinary ‘uling’.
Studies also showed that co-firing bamboo pellets with coal can significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, making these pellets a promising option in the country’s efforts to mitigate climate change.
DOST-FPRDI Director Rico Cabangon explained, “bamboo is an ideal and reliable biomass energy source because it is abundant and fast-growing.”
According to him, some species of bamboo can grow more than 1 meter per day or about 4 cm per hour and can also thrive almost anywhere—even poor soil conditions, grasslands, denuded lands and watersheds, and in both tropical and temperate regions.
“By turning a fast-growing local resource like bamboo into a fuel alternative, we are helping build a future that is less dependent on finite resources and more grounded in sustainable materials,” he added.
CHARCOAL BRIQUETTE
Another innovatio is the charcoal briquette, which is a compacted mass of fuel material made from a mix of charcoal fines and binder, and molded under pressure.
Compared to ordinary charcoal, these briquettes are less messy and easier to handle because they are compact and uniform in size.
They also burn slowly, give more intense heat per unit volume, and are almost smokeless when burning, with the DOST-FPRDI already having a manual and hydraulic charcoal briquetting technologies ready for adoption.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR MSMEs
Aside from alternative fuels, these technologies also open opportunities for small businesses and rural communities to engage in biomass fuel production, noted the DOST.
“Promoting biomass-based energy technologies can stimulate rural livelihoods while addressing crucial energy concerns,” said Cabangon. “With the right support, communities can establish small-scale pelletizing or briquetting operations to generate income as they participate directly in building a more resilient and localized energy system.”
With continued research, technology transfer, and industry partnerships, DOST-FPRDI said that it hopes these technologies will contribute to a more sustainable, affordable, and secure energy future for the Philippines.
