KTDA-managed factories are exploring the use of briquettes together with firewood (co-ring) in their boilers as they look to tap into alternative energy sources and reduce energy costs. Industrial briquettes are made of biomass waste like sugar bagasse and sawdust which are highly compressed to a solid unit that can then be red in boilers.

Tea factory boilers are large equipment used to produce steam used for various factory functions like withering and drying tea. Several factories are already utilizing briquettes in their boilers to supplement rewood. This is part of a larger strategy to use more renewable energy in our factories.

Many factories have already ventured into hydropower generation for their electricity requirement. Kenya Tea Development Agency Holdings Ltd www.ktdateas.com @ktdatea Factories exploring briquette use in boilers. With the high green leaf production over the last several months due to high rainfall, factories’ demand for energy has risen with briquettes providing a welcome addition to

their rewood stocks. Firewood constitutes a major cost item for factories with KTDA actively looking at ways to reduce this cost including the use of alternative energy sources. Factories have also been improving their machinery to ensure they work at peak efciency and curb energy leaks. KTDA-managed factories have undertaken an accelerated wood fuel programme that has seen them acquire over 20,000 acres of land with 14,000 already planted with trees. This is a medium-term plan to ensure the factories

are self-sufcient in wood fuel and improve forest cover in Kenya.