HAITI ALTERNATIVE FUELS

Using vetiver biomass and other agricultural waste to reduce deforestation

The Haiti Alternative Fuels Project supports the development of an environmentally responsible fuel sector (sustainable biomass fuel) that creates jobs; increases and diversifies farmer incomes in rural areas; provides a clean fuel for cooking and heating, and assists in reversing the over 98% deforestation due to charcoal production from trees. The soil erosion control loss due to deforestation from charcoal production is of particular concern for Haiti because of the yearly flooding and rains that continually devastate parts of the country.  The development and growth of environmentally, socially, and financially sustainable sectors in Haiti is vital for the long-term stability and prosperity for the country.  

Sustainable fuel briquettes, made from agricultural waste and residues, have enormous potential to replace charcoal as the primary household and commercial fuel source in Haiti.  The Haiti Alternative Fuels Project brings together local community groups and organizations, farmers, the private sector, local and international financial institutions, international researchers and technical experts, and committed entrepreneurs, to rapidly grow the fuel briquette economic sector in Haiti. The project leverages existing private sector expertise, technical resources, and availability of raw material from the Vetiver oil distillation industry. 

Geographic Focus

The Haiti Alternative Fuels Project’s initial investment focuses on the use of Vetiver biomass to produce briquettes in the Cayes area in the south of Haiti.  The Cayes area of Haiti is the home of the Vetiver Oil industry; and therefore has a significant supply of Vetiver biomass waste (leaves and roots).

Significance of Vetiver as raw material

It will focus on two sources of Vetiver biomass: root waste from the Vetiver oil distillation process and Vetiver leaf waste from the plant harvesting process. Vetiver is an ideal plant requiring little care.  It is used all over the world for soil retention, control of soil erosion, and  increased access to water because of its extensive root system. That strengthens watershed systems. Vetiver Oil is one of Haiti’s  primary agricultural exports, providing jobs and income for thousands. Vetiver roots yield up to 2% oil. The waste Vetiver-roots biomass and the Vetiver grass are not currently used for secondary purposes.

Design

The Haiti Alternative Fuels Project involves the following steps from production to sale of fuel briquettes utilizing Vetiver biomass:

1. Farmers sell Vetiver leaf biomass to briquette production facility
2. Vetiver oil distilleries sell Vetiver root biomass waste to the briquette production facility
3. Briquette production facility sells fuel briquettes to Vetiver farmer groups
4. Farmer groups carbonize fuel briquettes
5. Farmer groups form Farmer Briquette Businesses and sell carbonized fuel briquettes to charcoal wholesalers and directly to the market
6. Households, small businesses, and the Les Cayes community at large purchase carbonized fuel briquettes

Partners

1. Briquette Factory – Private Sector entity: New entity to be established

• To be managed, under contract, by Unikode S.A. Haiti, as Unikode has the:
• Capacity to manage a commercial briquette production facility to create consistent quantity and supply to effectively penetrate the charcoal market
• Existing manufacturing expertise to allow for the quick scale up of a briquette production facility
• Existing linkages to Vetiver farmers and infrastructure to collect and purchase Vetiver leaves  (a primary input material for briquette production)

2. UNIKODE S.A, Haiti – Private sector partner:  Vetiver distillers based in Les Cayes, Haiti

      Incentive to be involved:

• Will achieve cost-savings from replacing heavy fuel to run distillery with biomass fuel.  (The more Vetiver oil the distillery sells, the more biomass waste sold to Briquette Factory and increased economies of scale in production.)  
• Have existing supply of Vetiver root waste, with no current market value
• Have incentive to provide subsidized fuel to co-ops on a continued basis to ensure feasibility of project as can benefit from media and marketing advantage of positioning themselves as environmentally and socially responsible

3. Farmer Briquette Businesses - Current suppliers of Vetiver root to the Unikode Vetiver Oil Distillery

•  informal local farmer groups exist

4. Traditional Charcoal Sellers Incentive to be involved:

• Gain access to new, lower cost product to sell into the household and commercial markets

5. Technical training and assistance providers – existing NGOs and training providers

6. EcoVentures International, Washington, D.C. - Management NGO; (501(C) 3 Non-profit organization)

Expansion Opportunity: The project budget includes working with only approximately 30% of the available Vetiver root waste in the Cayes area.  The above impacts can therefore multiply with additional investment into the sector.  New partnership can be established with other Vetiver oil distillers and their Vetiver root farmer suppliers.

LONG TERM SUSTAINABILITY AND REPLICATION

Financing and implementation of the Haiti Alternative Fuels Project lays the groundwork for sustainability and replication throughout the Vetiver essential oils sector and beyond to other sectors in Haiti.