CCTU launches Briquette plant to enhance environmental sanitation

The Mechanical Department of the Cape Coast Technical University (CCTU) has unveiled a state-of-the-art briquette making machine that recycles agro-waste into environmentally friendly charcoal.

Briquettes are machine-made charcoal from straw, sawdust, wood shavings, rice husk, corncobs, twigs, bagasse, coffee husks and various kinds of combustible plant materials.

Significantly, the over GHC50,000.00 innovative plant is capable of processing 100 bags of agro-waste per hour into charcoal which absorbs heat energy, easy to burn, smokeless and takes a longer time to burn.

The facility, built within three months, is the first of its kind in the Central Region.

It sought to complement efforts towards reducing carbon emissions, waste of wood resources while promoting environmental excellence to reduce the dire effects of climate change.

It comes with a carbonisation chamber for pyrolyzing waste, hammer mill for pulverising the char, char mixer and blender with a briquette making machine.

Addressing a short ceremony to outdoor the plant, Dr Kwame Anane-Fenin, Head of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, praised the staff and students, university authorities and Furnart-Ghana for their kind support.

He said the technological move was hinged on the University's unrivalled commitment to lead innovation and entrepreneurial drive with high-quality education, research and clean energy technologies.

That determination birthed the Department's commitment to promoting creativity in science and technology to build mechanical systems that had business value, foster problem-solving, project-based learning and knowledge transfer.

Elated at the future of the Department's inventions and innovations, Dr Anane-Fenin announced other innovative products, including a gari processing plant, fishing net pulling machine, and solar energy, among others.

Right Reverend Professor Joshua Danso Owusu-Sekyere, Vice-Chancellor of CCTU, was delighted by the timely completion of the plant and expressed gratitude to Furnart-Ghana for believing in and supporting the University.

He hailed the array of mechanical geniuses at the Department for the several innovations, saying "There's nothing we cannot build if we put our shoulders to the wheel. All we need is support from the government, corporate Ghana and individuals."

"It is time we all realised that the brain of the white person is not different from ours but our problem is that we have not challenged ourselves enough," the Vice-Chancellor added.

Madam Opeibea Omaboe, Managing Director of Furnart Ghana Limited, pledged her commitment to empowering Ghanaian entities and creativity for mutual gain.