Case Study 4: Peruvian Rice Husk Alternative Energy Project

This project involves the use of Rice Husks to replace wood used to meet the energy needs of local brickmakers. It is located in the north western area of the country where there are a large number of small scale brick makers.

These brick makers have traditionally used wood from Algarrobo. This is a highly utilised tree not only because of its good quality as a fuel source but also because it produces highly nutritional products used for the regional market and for the people. The government of Peru had issued a law which bans the use of Algarrobo, as a fuel, however most brick markers have continued to use it illegally.

The project involved the development of a technology that would enable rice husks to be used as an alternative fuel and introduction of this new technology in 27 small bricking small enterprises. It was awarded a prize as the best project co-funded by USAID in 2001.

The project creates emission savings that go beyond what would have been created in a business-as-usual scenario as it is financed primarily by development funds and charitable donations. The income derived from the sale of the offsets created by this project will be used by our project partner, Practical Action, to finance other activities that improve the standard of living of the World's poor.