Rice Straw (RS) derived fuel-cookstove systems in the Mekong Region

The research team on “Rice Straw (RS) co-benefits” focused on surveys and experiments to assess technology options for Rice Straw (RS) derived fuel-cookstove systems in Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam. 

By Prof. Kim Oanh

The surveys and experiements were part of the research project on “Rice Straw (RS) co-benefits” initiated by AIT (Thailand) together with RUPP (Cambodia), HU (Vietnam), and KMUTT (Thailand) in SUMERNET Phase 3 as of July 2015.

AIT together with the research partners has developed a survey questionnaire that is also translated into the local languages. HU, RUPP and KMUTT have conducted a pre-test survey in the selected agricultural areas in Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand to evaluate the questionnaire to further refine and finalize the questionnaire. HU completed their main survey in May 2015 and is now processing the data. KMUTT and RUPP will conduct the main survey during August 2015 during the harvesting period of the local farmers in the target areas.

A number of project activities were conducted that include: 

• Investigating the emission and thermal efficiency of simple RS derived fuel (loose and roped RS with double density) used in traditional and improved cook-stoves.
• Develop the lab scale RS cold densification system (briquettes)
• Assess the performance characteristics of prepared briquettes with  and without binding material (sawdust).

The project has been in close communication with the local farmers in the selected districts in Hue (Vietnam), Ayuthaya (Thailand), and Prey Veng (Cambodia).

The HU team leader, Dr. Pham Khac Lieu, was contacted by Tuoi Tre Newspaper as a resource person to explain the possible causes of localised smoke that occurred in Hue City in May 2015.

The RS co-benefits project carried out by HU was reported in the following online news: http://tuoitre.vn/tin/chinh-tri-xa-hoi/20150505/khoi-dot-dong-phu-mo-thanh-phohue/742412.html.

Other outreach efforts of the project included communication about project activity to international boundary partners such as the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC). Moreover, Prof. Svante Bodin, European Director of ICCI and Prof. William Schillinger, Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, Washington State University visited AIT on April 21, 2015 at AIT to discuss possible cooperation to connect the RS co-benefit project with the current CCAC initiative in biomass open burning mitigation.