[Stoves] How big is "a tree"

[Bakary Jatta]

To George Riegg Gambia icecool at qanet.gm, list members.

I am a bit puzzled about the question, as your project does not seem to be 
strongly related to trees. Also there is quite a difference between the 
amount of sawdust from local species and the giant redwoods in California.

It appears your question relates more to possible carbon credits. There was 
a meeting about the subject last week in Yundum about the subject. It 
covered Jatropha Curcass for Biofuel, fuelsaving stoves, woodlots and other 
issues. If you contact 'Concern Universal' you may get a report of the 
meeting and further details.

Note also that in Sintet. Foni Jarrol, there is an ongoing project where two 
technicians from Nepal are introducing not only cowdung based biogas 
digesters but also briquet making using the legacy foundation press. The 
materials used are leaves, paper, groundnut shells and almost anything that 
burns. However, the stove introduced to burn the briquettes requires a solar 
panel and/or battery to run the fan.

If a there is a suitable stove design that can use those briquettes and 
yours, I would be interested to collaborate with you on promoting the 
concept. The carbon credit issue is not at a functional stage, and the plan 
does not include up front finances for starting a scheme. From my 
understanding the qualifications for receiving credits are also still under 
consideration.

It may be best to contact Concern Universal at their Fajara office. There 
may be a possibility for colaborating with their present or future projects.

Kind regards,

Bakary Jatta

Bwiam village
Foni Kansala, WR

bakaryj at gamtel.gm or bjatta at gmail.gm  Phone 9953900

> Message: 1
> Date: Thu, 28 Feb 2008 07:32:03 -0800 (PST)
> From: Charlie Sellers <csellers42 at yahoo.com>
> Subject: Re: [Stoves] How big is "a tree"
> To: George Riegg Gambia <icecool at qanet.gm>, Discussion of biomass
> cooking stoves <stoves at listserv.repp.org>
> Message-ID: <262366.13189.qm at web52003.mail.re2.yahoo.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1
>
> It may be that this is still being figured out - this article questions 
> everything (such as which tree species, how big the tree is, where it 
> grows), suggesting that there may presently be no standard.  Stuart Conway 
> (at Trees, Water, People) would be a stover who might know since he deals 
> with credits.
>
> http://www.savetheplanet.co.nz/carbon-wave-power-whatis.html
>
> One definition in Australia is that 5 generic trees planted and left 
> growing for 100 years generates "on average" one carbon credit (one ton of 
> carbon saved).  Assuming that "trees saved" is similar to "new trees 
> planted" you would calculated your processes carbon savings (say in 
> tons/year) and then convert this to this new unit of "trees saved".
>
> In your proposal it is likely that if you explain your reasoning, paying 
> attention to your local situation (amount of carbon abated by using waste 
> wood chips instead of cutting down local trees for firewood) then that 
> will be sufficient - I can find out nothing internationally definitive 
> because of all the variables.
>
> Charlie
>
>
>
> George Riegg Gambia <icecool at qanet.gm> wrote: Someone??
>
> We are at the moment developing a project in The Gambia involving 
> compressed paper/sawdust bricks.
> I have a "practical" engineering mind so alot of the scientific details go 
> over my head - I do understand principles, what works and how but the 
> academic education is just not there.
> We will be putting together a funding proposal and at present it seems to 
> be very important internationally to know "how many trees do you safe?"
> I know how much wood i will be "saving" by burning our compressed bricks - 
> i.e wood that does not have to be harvested from still living trees.
> But:
> Does anybody know if there is an international "standard tree"?? Just in 
> simple terms of kg or tons.
>
> Any input would be greatly appreciated.
> Thanks
> George Riegg
> Paper Recycling Skills Project
> The Gambia
> +220 770 7090
>