Energy Efficiency-Renewable Energy in Food Drying
Summary	Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy for Food Drying Processing in Rural Agricultural Cooperatives of Eritrea and Burkina Faso
Author Address	Mr. Bernd Sitzmann Oekozentrum Langenbruck Schwengistrasse 12 Langenbruck 4438 Switzerland
Affiliation	Institute
Status	[Ongoing Implementation]
Category	Solar Drying, Other
	Energy Efficiency-RE
Implementation Date	3/2006
Detailed Description
The consumption of dried fruits in the organic food sector is rising. Dried fruits of high quality offer a good alternative to sugared sweeties. According to FAO the total exported dried tropical fruits from Africa amount to 4 519 tons (world wide: 131 753 tons) in the year 2003. The energy source for drying of fruits for export is predominated by fossil fuel. Market opportunities for small cooperative in rural areas of developing countries are decreasing in the global competition. High-technological fruit processing (vacuum drying, micro wave drying) are rapidly increasing the food quality and the energy costs for fossil fuel are rising. Existing patents from European supplier on drying technology are further decreasing market opportunities for these small cooperatives. On the other hand no realistic technology, with solar energy or additional renewable energy sources is available on the market to provide a day and night processing. Especially not for sufficient quality and quantity supplies necessary for export to the international market.  This project aims on a drying method with the following goals:  - suitability for small and rural cooperatives - highest energy efficiency - highest rate of renewable energy use as replacement to fossil fuel sources - 24 hour processing as harvest will be finished in late afternoons. - highest fruit quality as well as sufficient quantity for the export. The direct project partners are the Swiss fruit trader gabana ag and its local small agricultural cooperative in Burkina Faso and with the local NGO Centre Ecologique Albert Schweitzer (CEAS). Further direct project partners will be located in Eritrea: the local manufacturing company Tesinma Sh. with the local farmers and the University of Asmara. The organisation “myclimate” will accompany the project on the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) with CO2 compensation on air traffic. In Burkina Faso 60 gas powered dryers with a total dried fruit capacity of 130 tons per year will be replaced. This new dryer will be produced locally and run by renewable energy. In Eritrea the implementation of the new drying process for tomatoes and bananas and the preparation of export sale is already in full progress now. Climatic conditions in Eritrea allow a drying process mainly based on solar energy. In Burkina Faso with subtropical climate and harvesting season during the rain session a combination of different renewable energy sources will be applied. The biomass from the peel waste in combination with solar energy will give a poly-energy solution. Experience from the two countries of Burkina Faso (French) and Eritrea (English) with different climatic conditions and different types of fruit processing will give great opportunities for know how transfer to other regions and continents.