Bô Energy Project

The project Bô Energia intends to empower and educate the local population for the use of renewable energy resouces. With that aim we will focus on testing the viability of the production of Sawdust Briquettes as an alternative fuel for cooking.

Bô energia is a project created within the Spirit’16 formation and promoted by the NGO WACT- We are Changing Together.

In São Tomé firewood and charcoal are estimated to represent 66% of the energy used in the kitchens by most of the population, mainly in rural communities. This contributes for high CO₂ emissions, accompanied by desertification and degradation of the soils.

At the same time, sawdust was identified as one of the major wastes in the island totalizing 6,5%, thus it may be possible to produce and consume sawdust briquettes as substitute of current non-renewable energy sources.

Our main goal is to expose to the people of  São Tomé the benefits of renewable sources of energy and observe a reduction in the production and consumption of Charcoal.

About the author

Bô Energia’s field team is composed by 3 Changemakers:

• Gisela Silva, work in the Environmental Health’s área, who will put effort on the identification and prevention of environmental dangers and risks always focusing Health issues;
• Hugo Mota, Masters in Management student, who will help in the whole logistics and management of the project, and plan a potential entry of a new product to the market;
• Mariana Valério, Masters in Biochemestry student, who will study and evaluate the quality of briquettes’ composition.

Equipa Bô Energia

Sharing the concern for the environment, individually we assure the resolution of complementary and necessary tasks based on our formation and knowledge in order to achieve the success of our project.

Budget and due dates

• 6 briquette presses (250€)
• 2 Scales (2 x 10€ = 20€)        
• Garbage bags (5€)
• Sandpaper (2,5€)
• PVC Pipes (10 x 2€ = 20€)
• Transportation in São Tomé (50 x 2€ = 100€)
• Mixture contentors (8 x 3 € = 24 €)
• Matches (5 x 1 € = 5 €)
• Máquina trituradora (2 X 20 € = 40 €)
• PPL’s 5 % commission  + IVA  (30 €)

This amount must be gathered until 26/09/2016.

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