Currently, much of agricultural waste in the form of rice husks is illegally disposed of or burned in Myanmar. By converting waste husks into effective and usable briquettes, there is potential to provide a sustainable, competitive and locally appropriate energy source.

This charcoal alternative is expected to reduce wood harvesting and make solid fuel more affordable for households that cannot afford cooking on electricity or propane.

The partners are developing a pilot plant and undertaking all other necessary development activities to reach financial close for the Project.

InfraCo Asia, through its contracted developer team ICM, and Good Neighbours Global Partnership Center are jointly developing a portfolio of 6 rice husk briquetting factories in Myanmar, with the aim of demonstrating the techno-commercial viability of converting waste husk feedstock into a biomass fuel.

The Project aims to establish at least 6 rice husk briquetting (RHB) plants across Ayeyarwady Region, representing a combined production scale of 120 tonnes or more per day, which can capture roughly 25% of the Yangon charcoal market share by 2025.

The RHB plants comprise small manufacturing sites where risk husk feedstock will be processed into rice husk briquettes using a torrefaction process. This introduces a financially viable solution to reducing charcoal consumption across Myanmar, while providing affordable energy products to lower-income consumers.

The product will repurpose waste husk, lessen deforestation and reduce air pollution from the burning of charcoal or asphaltene-based briquettes.

Through the Project, it is estimated that 53,678 people will have improved access to waste husks as an affordable energy source. The project is expected to create 50 short-term jobs during construction and 15 long-term jobs during operation.