An Alternative Fuel Source: Dried Banana Leaves as Charcoal

Briquettes

A Quantitative Research Report

Presented to College of Education and Liberal Arts

PHINMA-Araullo University Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija

In partial fulfillment of The Requirements for

APP 006 “Practical Research 2”

By:

STEM12-SJ3
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August 2023

Chapter I

THE PROBLEM AND REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

Introduction

In recent years, there has been a growing concern about the

environmental impact of traditional energy sources and the

pressing need for sustainable alternatives. Charcoal,

derived mainly from wood, is a widely used energy source,

especially in developing countries and areas, wherein it

serves as a primary cooking fuel for millions of households.

In spite of that, the indiscriminate harvesting of wood for

charcoal production has led to deforestation, biodiversity

loss, increased carbon emission, and habitat degradation,

exacerbating the global climate crisis.

Deforestation is both legal and illegal. Timber extraction

for the production of wood products, furniture, and paper

has led to the loss of massive forested areas globally.

Illegal logging, driven by lucrative markets and weak law

enforcement, particularly contributes to deforestation in

some regions. Deforestation leads to habitat destruction and

fragmentation, resulting in the loss of biodiversity.

Deforestation is caused by agricultural expansion, wood

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extraction (wood harvest for domestic fuel or charcoal), and

infrastructure expansion such as road building and

urbanization. Rarely is there a single direct cause for

deforestation. Fuelwood and Charcoal production: In many

developing countries, forests are cleared for the collection

of wood for cooking, heating, and charcoal production, as

these remain primary sources of energy for millions of

people. Developing Alternative charcoal from dried leaves

can help raise awareness about the damaging effects of

deforestation since traditional ones comes from wood. By

educating consumers about the benefits and sustainability of

alternative options, it encourages them to switch from

traditional charcoal to eco-friendly alternatives, reducing

the demand for charcoal made from trees. Considering these

challenges, there is a growing need to explore alternative

and renewable sources of charcoal that are both

environmentally friendly and economically viable.

As the researchers and scientists have been scrutinizing

various eco-friendly alternatives and renewable to

traditional charcoal, among them, the dried banana leaves

have made an appearance as a promising candidate for

replacing or alternating the traditional charcoal.

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Dried Banana Leaves is renewable and sustainable Banana

plants have a short cultivation cycle and can be grown in

abundance, making banana leaves a renewable and sustainable

resource. Unlike traditional charcoal, which requires

cutting down trees, using dried banana leaves helps preserve

forests and reduces deforestation. It can also Improve air

quality because Dried banana leaves charcoal produces less

smoke, particulate matter, and harmful pollutants compared

to traditional charcoal. This cleaner burning characteristic

contributes to better indoor and outdoor air quality,

reducing health risks associated with smoke inhalation and

air pollution. The use of dried banana leaves as an

alternative to traditional charcoal shows promise in terms

of sustainability, availability, and reduced environmental

impact, making it an interesting candidate for replacing or

alternating traditional charcoal.

This research aims to investigate the feasibility,

efficiency and environmental benefits of using dried banana

leaves as a charcoal substitute, examining their energy

content, combustion characteristics, and potential

environmental benefits. By evaluating the properties of

banana leaf charcoal and comparing it to traditional wood-

based charcoal, this study seeks to shed light on the

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viability of integrating banana leaves into the charcoal

production industry.

Review of Related Literature

This section provides research studies and concepts from

well-known educators and scholars that served as sources of

clarification and support for the possibility of using dried

banana leaves as a sustainable alternative to traditional

charcoal. This is to address the high demand of charcoal

that has led to deforestation and environmental harm. Thus,

this literature review focuses on the feasibility,

effectiveness, and environmental impact of employing dried

banana leaves as a substitute for conventional charcoal, as

well as the comparative analysis of it to the traditional

charcoal.

Traditional Charcoal Production and Environmental Impact:

A number of studies have defined charcoal differently. For

example, a study by Abdollahi & Hosseni (2014), stated that

charcoal is an odorless, tasteless, fine black powder, or

black porous solid consisting of carbon, and any remaining

ash, obtained by removing water and other volatile

constituents from animal and vegetation substances. Charcoal

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has been used since the earliest times for a range of

purposes, including art, medicine, and fuel. Around the

world, charcoal has persisted as an energy resource and

retained unequivocal dominance in the energy consumption mix

of some nations many years on since modern alternatives were

invented. Furthermore, it has secured unyielding

significance as a commodity on local and international

markets and remained an aggressive competitor to electricity

and gas for cooking (Nabukalu, C., & Gieré, R., 2019).

Charcoal is the residue of solid non-agglomerating organic

matter of vegetable or animal origin that results from

carbonization by heat in the absence of air at a temperature

above 300 degrees Celsius (Emrich, 2013). It is commonly

produced from natural forests, where the heavy reliance on

natural forests for charcoal production raises concerns

about sustainability (WEC, 2004).

However, unsustainable gathering of biomass for charcoal

production leads to a net release of carbon dioxide into the

atmosphere, exacerbating climate change (Kammen & Lew,

2005). Furthermore, study by Toan et. al. (2023) indicates

that the traditional charcoal-making process also emits

pollutants with negative impacts on human health and the

environment. This highlights the need for alternative

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strategies to address the environmental challenges

associated with traditional charcoal production.

A similar study by Ghazoul & Evans (2004) revealed that

Fuelwood accounts for over 50% of global wood use and for

some 80% of all wood use in developing countries. Dependence

on fuelwood is expected to decrease gradually with the

introduction of electricity, kerosene, and propane, but

heavy dependence on fuelwood by the rural poor is expected

to continue well into the twenty-first century. Fuelwood

collection as an agent of deforestation is particularly

marked around urban centers and villages where continuous

collection results in the gradual degradation and eventual

deforestation of accessible areas.

Toan et al., (2023) stated that airborne emissions from the

traditional charcoal-making process affect both human health

and the ambient environment. Their study revealed that the

traditional charcoal-making method causes a substantial loss

of carbon from fuelwood materials and emits the products of

incomplete combustion. These contaminants negatively impact

human well-being and the environment. Carbon dioxide and

incomplete combustion substances emitted from the charcoal-

making kiln are potential causes of the global warming

phenomenon.
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Dried Banana Leaves Charcoal and Energy Conversion

Efficiency:

Studies by de Oliveira Maiaa et al. (2014) demonstrate the

potential of banana leaves as a viable biomass fuel option

for energy generation. Banana leaves briquettes exhibit

promising thermal behavior, physical, and chemical

characteristics similar to other biomass materials commonly

used for energy generation. The compaction of dried banana

leaves to form briquettes significantly increases their

energy density, making them a more efficient fuel source.

Additionally, banana leaves, as agro-residues, rich in

lignocellulosic biomass, offer a sustainable solution to

meet the country's increasing energy demands (Balogun et

al., 2018). Similarly, B.G.O Maia de et. Al (2014) indicates

that briquettes made from lignocellulosic waste are a cost-

effective and environmentally friendly source of energy,

presenting significant advantages over conventional fossil

fuels.

Another study found that the effective use of natural

resources generates eco-friendly and biodegradable materials

for the future sustainability of society. In the quest for

proper waste management, the present study proposes a dried

banana leaf-based composite single-layer microwave absorber

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at a very low thickness of 1.50 mm in the frequency range of

1–20 GHz. The lossy character, as well as the dielectric

constant and conductivity of dried banana leaves, is found

to increase with the increase in charcoal content and

subsequently improve the absorption performance of the

absorber (Pattanayak, S. S., Laskar, S. H., & Sahoo, S.,

2022).

Economic Feasibility:

Bogale (2009) highlights the economic feasibility and

environmental advantages of using charcoal briquettes made

from agricultural wastes, such as dried banana leaves, over

traditional wood charcoal. These briquettes are more

economical, environmentally friendly, and produce no smoke

during combustion, leading to improved air quality.

Moreover, their production helps reduce the negative impact

of deforestation, making them a sustainable and viable

alternative to traditional wood charcoal. Likewise, a study

by B.G.O. Maia de et. al (2014) has proven that the use of

agricultural and agro-industrial waste as biomass fuel, such

as briquettes, offers a viable solution to the challenges

associated with waste disposal.

Dried Banana Leaves Briquettes Production:

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The use of agricultural and agro-industrial wastes as

biomass is being increasingly studied and could be an

alternative solution to the problems related to them

(Fernandes et al., 2013 in B.G.O. Maia de et. al., 2014). On

a large scale, from agro-industrial waste to production of

briquettes has been studied in the USA, Europe and Southeast

Asian countries. Banana peel was studied by Wilaipon et al.

(2006) and Wilaipon, (2009). A study conducted by B.G.O.

Maia de et. al (2014) showed that the substantial waste

generated from banana cultivation can be effectively

utilized by converting semi-dried banana leaves into small

particles and producing briquettes through a simple and low-

cost process.

The produced banana leaf briquettes in this exhibit

favorable characteristics, including a moisture content,

high carbon content, and volatile matter, as well as low

levels of sulfur and nitrogen. The high heating value (HHV)

and energy density make them an efficient fuel option.

Furthermore, the thermal properties and physicochemical

characteristics of the banana leaf briquettes demonstrate

their potential as a viable biomass fuel for power

generation.
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In conclusion, the reviewed literature provides valuable

insights into the potential of dried banana leaves as a

charcoal substitute. These studies have generally showed

that utilizing banana waste to produce briquettes can

contribute to reducing waste disposal issues while offering

an environmentally sound and economically advantageous

alternative to traditional fossil fuels.

Conceptual Framework of the Study

The input of this study consists of dried banana leaves, a

metal cauldron, matches (lighter), a weighing scale, the

market price of traditional charcoal, and the cost of

production materials. These are the raw materials and data

that are needed to produce and compare the charcoal

substitute.

The process of this study involves carbonization of the

dried banana leaves in the metal cauldron, measuring the

weight of the charcoal substitute, comparing it with the

traditional charcoal, calculating the cost production,

identifying potential sources of raw materials, and

identifying potential barriers to production and use. These

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are the steps that are taken to transform the input into the

output.

The output of this study includes the charcoal substitute

weight, duration of combustion, time taken for ignition, raw

material availability, and challenges and solutions. These

are the results that are generated by the process and answer

the research questions.

Paradigm

INPUT PROCESS OUTPUT

-Carbonization
of banana
leaves in
cauldron
-Dried banana
-Measure weight -Charcoal
leaves
of charcoal substitute
-Metal cauldron substitute weight

-Matches or -Compare with -Duration of

Lighter traditional combustion
charcoal -Time taken
-Weighing scale
-Calculate cost for ignition
-Market price
in production -Raw material
of traditional
charcoal -Identify availability
potential -Challenges
-Cost of
sources of raw and solutions
production
materials
materials
-Identify
potential
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Definition of Terms

Term 1: ALTERNATIVE

CONCEPTUAL DEFININITION: a proposition or situation offering

a choice between two or more things only one of which may be

chosen.

OPERATIONAL DEFINITION: Charcoal has been created by

processing dried banana leaves.

Term 2: BRIQUETTES

CONCEPTUAL DEFINITION: a (French: [bʁikɛt]; also spelled

briquet) is a compressed block of coal dust or other

combustible biomass material (e.g., charcoal, sawdust, wood

chips, peat, or paper) used for fuel and kindling to start a

fire.

OPERATIONAL DEFINITION: the charcoal is compacted and shaped

through the utilization of PVC shaping.

Term 3: CHARCOAL
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CONCEPTUAL DEFINITION: a black amorphous form of carbon made

by heating wood or other organic matter in the absence of

air: used as a fuel, in smelting metal ores, in explosives,

and as an absorbent: See activated carbon. a stick or pencil

of this for drawing.

OPERATIONAL DEFINITION: the alternative fuel source made

from dried banana leaves.

Term 4: DRIED

CONCEPTUAL DEFINITION: free from liquid or moisture; lacking

natural or normal moisture or depleted of water; or no

longer wet.

OPERATIONAL DEFINITION: This is the technique employed by

researchers to eliminate excessive moisture from leaves.

Term 5: FUEL

CONCEPTUAL DEFINITION: any substance burned as a source of

heat or power, such as coal or petrol. the material,

containing a fissile substance, such as uranium-235, that

produces energy in a nuclear reactor.

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OPERATIONAL DEFINITION: It supplies the energy to warm the

leaves, resulting in their finer texture.

Term 6: LEAVES

CONCEPTUAL DEFINITION: A leaf is an above-ground plant organ

and it is green. Its main functions are photosynthesis and

gas exchange. A leaf is often flat, so it absorbs the most

light, and thin, so that the sunlight can get to the

chloroplasts in the cells. Most leaves have stomata, which

open and close.

OPERATIONAL DEFINITION: the natural product that the

researchers used to produce charcoal briquettes.

Statement of the Problem

This study aims to identify the possibility of dried banana

leaves into charcoal briquettes as an alternative fuel

source. To obtain all the essential knowledge, data, and

information, the research sought to answer the crucial

questions as follows:

1.This study will determine the difference between the dried

banana leaves charcoal compared to the traditional charcoal

in terms of:
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a. Burning Time

b. Ash Production

c. Ignition time

2. The study will analyze the cost-effectiveness of

utilizing dried banana leaf briquettes as an alternative

fuel source, considering factors such as raw material

availability and production costs.

3. The research aims to identify the major challenges

involved in producing and using dried banana leaf briquettes

as an alternative fuel source.

Hypotheses

Based on the given statement of the problems, the hypothesis

for the research on "An Alternative Fuel Source: Dried

Banana Leaves as Charcoal Briquettes" is as follows:

Null Hypothesis (Ho):

1. There are no significant differences in burning time,

ash production, and ignition time between dried banana

charcoal and traditional charcoal.

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2. There is no significant difference in cost-

effectiveness between the production and utilization of

dried banana leaf briquettes and traditional charcoal,

considering raw material availability and production costs.

3. There are no major challenges associated with the

production and utilization of dried banana leaf briquettes

as an alternative fuel source.

Alternative Hypothesis (Ha):

1. There is a significant difference in the burning time,

ash production, and ignition time between dried banana

charcoal and traditional charcoal.

2. There is a significant difference in the cost-

effectiveness of producing and utilizing dried banana leaf

briquettes compared to traditional charcoal, considering raw

material availability and production costs.

3. There are major challenges in the production and

utilization of dried banana leaf briquettes as an

alternative fuel source.

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The research seeks to experimentally test and confirm these

hypotheses by conducting analyses and evaluations on

multiple factors such as burning time, ash production,

ignition time, cost-effectiveness, and potential challenges

of employing dried banana leaves as charcoal briquettes. The

results will offer valuable insights into the practicability

and sustainability of dried banana leaves as an alternative

and eco-friendly fuel option.

Significance of the Study

This study will benefit the following sectors:

Environment and Sustainability- Our study will benefit the

environment and sustainability because one of the primary

benefits of using dried banana leaves as an alternative fuel

source is its positive impact on the environment.

Traditional charcoal production often involves cutting down

trees, leading to deforestation and increased carbon dioxide

emissions. By using banana leaves, which are a renewable and

abundant resource, we can reduce the pressure on forests and

promote sustainable practices.

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Communities- community is one of our benefactors in our

study because in tropical locales, particularly those where

bananas are grown, banana leaves are frequently accessible.

It can help local people economically by promoting the usage

of dried banana leaves as charcoal briquettes. They can

gather and market the leaves or even participate in their

manufacture and distribution, which would generate cash and

possibly lead to the development of jobs.

Agricultural Sector: This study will benefit the

Agricultural Sector because Banana leaves are considered

agricultural waste in many banana-producing regions.

Utilizing them as charcoal briquettes can turn this waste

into a valuable resource, improving the overall efficiency

and sustainability of banana cultivation.

Industries and Businesses-Industries involved in the

production and distribution of these dried banana leaf

briquettes can benefit economically. This includes companies

that produce and sell the briquettes as well as those

involved in manufacturing the necessary equipment and

technology.

To the future researchers- For the researchers who would

like to dwell more in this study, this can serve as the

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basis of their research and could be a further resource that

they can use as a source of information and proof.

Scope and Limitations

The scope of this study aims to explore the feasibility and

effectiveness of using dried banana leaves as an alternative

fuel source to produce charcoal briquettes. The research

will focus on the process of converting dried banana leaves

into charcoal briquettes, evaluating their burning time,

ignition time, and its ash production. The study will also

investigate the availability and sustainability of banana

leaves as a renewable biomass resource for charcoal

production.

The study will be conducted on the researcher’s house in

#782 Zone 2-A Brgy. Malasin San Jose City Nueva Ecija. Due

to the unavailability of exact respondents, the research

might be limited to a small-scale experiment, potentially

affecting the generalizability of the results. The study

will take place from July 6th to October 20th. The study's

scope will depend on the availability of dried banana leaves

and the necessary equipment for the production of charcoal

briquettes, which might limit the extent of experimentation.

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It is essential to acknowledge these delimitations to ensure

the research's findings are properly interpreted and to

understand that further studies with larger samples and more

diverse settings would be needed to validate the broader

applicability of using dried banana leaves as an alternative

fuel source.

Chapter II

METHODOLOGY

Research design

In the research project titled " An Alternative Fuel Source:

Dried Banana Leaves as Charcoal Briquettes," the chosen

research methodology is a quantitative-experimental research

design. The researchers will meticulously explore the

feasibility and potential of dried banana leaves as an

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alternative for traditional charcoal within this framework.

This method entails conducting controlled tests in order to

objectively examine multiple aspects of using dried banana

leaves as an alternative fuel source in the form of a

charcoal substitute. The aim of this research is to provide

empirical data through meticulously designed processes

leading to exact measurements, comparisons, and statistical

analysis. The researchers intend to use this approach to

thoroughly examine the practicality, efficiency, and

potential advantages of dried banana leaves in reaching

energy needs as an acceptable substitute to traditional

charcoal.

This experimental research falls under the category of

"Quasi-Experimental Design." It involves manipulating an

independent variable (type of briquettes) to observe its

effects on dependent variables (burning time, ash production

and ignition time) while controlling potential confounding

factors. The objective of this study is to identify

connections between variables and generate relevant

conclusions about the potential of dried banana leaves as

charcoal briquettes through the use of control and

experimental settings, rigorous measurement, and analysis.

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The specific type of quasi-experimental design used in this

study is a pretest-posttest nonequivalent groups design to

ensure the comparability of the groups and minimize

selection bias, the researchers matched samples based on

their size, mass, and shape. They conducted a pretest to

measure the baseline characteristics of each sample in terms

of burning time, ash production and ignition time (dependent

variables). This allowed them to check for any initial

differences between the groups and adjust for them in the

analysis. The researchers then applied the experimental

manipulation by burning the samples under controlled

conditions. They conducted a posttest to measure the

outcomes of each sample in terms of the dependent variables

after burning. This allowed them to compare the changes in

the dependent variables between the groups and test for any

significant effects of the independent variable.

The reason for choosing a pretest-posttest nonequivalent

design over other possible designs was that it enabled the

researchers to control for potential confounding factors and

increase the internal validity of the study.

Participants
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In this research there is no human participants, the

participants of this study will be the non-human subject,

and that is the charcoal briquettes made by banana leaves.

In the process of making this dried banana leaves charcoal,

Foremost, researchers collect an adequate number of dry

banana leaves. Remove any huge stems or hard areas before

manufacturing briquettes since they might not burn

efficiently. And then dried banana leaves will be

carbonized, to make the leaf shavings cling together and

produce sturdy briquettes, a binding agent should be added.

When the leaves are ready, thoroughly combine them with the

binding agent to create a uniform consistency.

Create tightly packed briquettes from the mixture. In

additional, allow the briquettes to dry. This can take a few

days, depending on the weather conditions. Proper drying

ensures that the briquettes will burn efficiently and

produce less smoke.

Research Site

This study was conducted within the premises of PHINMA

Araullo University San Jose City Campus. The university is

located at 112 Rizal St., San Jose City, Nueva Ecija (Figure
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1 & 2). However, the researchers decided to have a separate

place for conducting the experiment. Furthermore, the

experiment was conducted at 782 Zone 2-A Brgy. Malasin, San

Jose City, Nueva Ecija (Figure 3 & 4.)

Figure 1. Research Site (Phinma Araullo University San Jose

City Campus)
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Figure 2. Research Site Map

Figure 3. Research/Experimental Site (782 Zone 2-A Brgy.

Malasin, San Jose City, Nueva Ecija)

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Figure 4. Research Site Map

Materials and Instruments

The research experiment will use various materials and tools

to prepare and test the briquettes made from dried banana

leaves. The materials for preparing the briquettes include

dried banana leaves as the primary biomass source, corn

starch as a binder to improve briquette integrity, water for

mixing charcoal fines or increasing energy content, mixing

containers for preparing the mixture, a briquette mold or

press for shaping the briquettes, and a weighing scale for

exact measurements. The tools for testing the briquettes

include a stove to create a controlled setting for

combustion, a cauldron to serve as a testing vessel for

combustion qualities, a stopwatch to measure the burning

time and ignition time of the briquettes, and gloves and

apron to ensure safety while handling materials and

briquettes. The purpose of these resources and tools is to

conduct a thorough analysis of whether using dried banana

leaves as charcoal briquettes is feasible, looking at

aspects such as energy potential, combustion qualities,

structural integrity, and emissions.

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