Saving energy

Earthscan's 'Technical Report' series provides an authoritative and in-depth analysis of specific energy topics. The reports go beyond the normal discussion of technical options, placing energy alternatives in the Third World within a broader and more realistic framework. The authors of these reports include Gerald Foley, Geoffrey Barnard, Patricia Moss and Lars Kristofersen. The series, which is sold separately or is available as a package, includes five main titles: Biomass Gasification in Developing Countries, Improved Cooking Stoves in Developing Countries, Farm and Community Forestry, Agricultural Residues as Fuel in the Third World, and Charcoal Making in Developing Countries. N° 1 'Biomass Gasification in Developing Countries Biomass gasification is a technique by which wood, charcoal and other 'biomass' is heated to produce a flammable gas. It offers the possibility of using wood and charcoal to replace petroleum products in a variety of important applications, including internal combustion engines in vehicles and farm machinery. During World War 11, almost a million gasifier-powered vehicles were in use. This report is a detailed appraisal of the current status of this 'born again' technology and its potential for countries which do not produce oil. It presents a comprehensive economic analysis, together with a discussion of possible applications and the practical problems involved. N° 2 'Improved Cooking Stoves in Developing Countries Improved cooking stoves are being widely promoted in the developing world as one of the solutions to the joint problems of deforestation and fuelwood scarcities. Both technical ana social aspects are discussed, and a detailed account of the experience and results of stove programmes is presented. The report includes chapters on the open fire. traditional stoves and patterns of fuel use in developing countries. Over the past decade, the need to involve local people in tree growing has been widely recognized, and projects to encourage farm and community forestry have been launched in more than 50 developing countries. Based on a study commissioned by FAO, this report describes the approaches that have been taken, examining their scope and limitations. It discusses why people plant trees and the constraints they face. Supply and demand systems for wood are analysed, along with the underlying causes of tree depletion. Key aspects of programme design and implementation are covered and the experience to date in countries throughout the Third World is reviewed. No 4 Agricultural Residues as Fuel in the Third World Produced in collaboration with the Beijer Institute of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, this report is the first detailed documentation of the use of agricultural residues as a domestic fuel in the Third World. It also analyses the possible negative impacts on soils as farmers switch from recycling these residues to burnina them for fuel. Numerous efforts have been made to introduce improved charcoal-making techniques throuahout the developing world; this report provides a detailed examination of programmes to date and the prospects for future action. 'Technical Report' series: Edited by Earthscan, 3 Endsleigh Street, London WC1 ODD, United Kingdom. Published by Earthscan, International Institute for Environment and Development.Earthscan's 'Technical Report' series The series, which is sold separately or is available as a package, includes five main titles: Biomass Gasification in Developing Countries, Improved Cooking Stoves in Developing Countries, Farm and Community Fores