Sawdust from coconut trees provides electricity
– We’re doing research that will have a good effect on both people and the environment, says Patrik Klintenberg, researcher at Mälardalen University (MDU).
Providing the population of Mozambique with electricity is a big challenge. Therefore there is a need to educate more people who can develop a sustainable energy system in the country. Through the Breemres research programme, MDU is helping to strengthen academic education and research in renewable energy and energy systems.
– In Breemres we have a greater ambition than what we usually have in our doctoral studies projects. We want to exchange knowledge by building up a programme at the Master’s and doctoral student level and create a test centre together with our fellow researchers in Mozambique, says Patrik Klintenberg.
Electrifying Rural Mozambique
– There is a need to identify sustainable energy systems that deliver sufficient energy to the users without damaging the natural resources used for energy conversion. We want to investigate the possibility of using local biomass for energy conversion instead of imported fossil fuels. This could be more sustainable from both an environmental, social and economic point of view, says Patrik Klintenberg.
One of the PhD students on the programme is Fastudo Mabecua from Moçambique.
– As an expansion of the national electricity grid is unlikely for many rural communities, local off-grid energy systems form an essential part in electrifying these communities. I am investigating the possibility of producing biogas from local bio-mass such as cassava peel and sawdust from coconut trees for small-scale industries and single households, says Fastudo Mabecua.
Linking Research and Education
At MDU we have internationally recognised researchers who are investigating some of the big environmental challenges facing the world. Our new Master’s programme in Environmental Engineering for Sustainable Development is strongly linked to this research. This enables you as a student to get an insight into both the present situation and future technology. You will for example learn about bio-based energy sources on the course.
BREEMRES – Building a Research and Education Environment for Modern Renewable Energy Systems
BREEMRES is a research training programme that will contribute to this important task by strengthening the academic education and research within the field of renewable energy and energy systems.