FOCUS : RENEWABLE ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES

Project:  Introduction of the improved jaggery making stove to the jaggery making clusters in North Karnataka 

Funded By:  Deshpande Foundation

Duration: 1 year

Jaggery making is a major rural industry in three districts of north Karnataka – Belgaum, Bagalkot and parts of Bijapur. It is estimated that the present process of jaggery making consumes 500 kgs of bagasse per ton of jaggery made. Conventional jaggery making is energy intensive and often the bagasse obtained after crushing sugarcane is inadequate for making jaggery. The gap in energy need is made up by burning other biomass fuels, often automobile tyres which is damaging to the environment and the health of the workers in jaggery making units.

This project aims to introduce improved jaggery making stoves in the jaggery making clusters of North Karnataka and also capacity building of entrepreneurs in the delivery of fuel efficient stoves. This would conserve about 100 –140 kgs of bagasse per day (valued at Re 0.75 – Re 1 / kg) and improve the working environment. The jaggery making season lasts for about 150 days in a year and field data has shown that it is possible to save 15 –20 tons of bagasse valued at Rs 15,000 –20,000 per season. The pay back period for the investment if a monetary value to bagasse is attributed is therefore 1-2 years.

The project team visited the various jaggery making clusters to meet the owners of jaggery units and to understand their problems and needs. The owners were informed of the availability of a better technology that saves more fuel. The interest levels of the owners were assessed to decide on the locations for the demo units.

Awareness among the jaggery unit owners towards the improved two-pan stoves is low and is slowly increasing. Efforts are on to increase the promotion of the stove. With the setting up of the information centre, the promotional activity has increased for the stove. Also awareness meetings at Gokak, Rayabag and Mugalkod evinced a lot of interest among the jaggery unit owners and brought out issues of concern, which will help us in marketing the stove.

Pictures October 2006: