Experimental Assessment of Energy Potentials from Tea Wastes as a Source of Energy: A Case of Itona Tea Factory in Tanzania

Abstract

Tea processing is an energy-intensive process. However, high agricultural productivity and subsequently the growth of the green revolution have been made possible only by a large amount of energy inputs, especially those from fossil fuels, wood fuels, and electricity. With recent price rise and scarcity of these fuels there has been a trend towards use of alternative energy sources such as waste (agricultural waste) to energy that could solve both energy and environment issues. Moreover, these energy resources have not been able to provide an economically viable solution for agricultural applications so long as they seem to contain amount of energy which can be source of energy to be used in various factories in rural areas through gasification process. A gasifier is normally fuel specific system and it is tailored around a fuel rather than the other way round. Hence, this paper presents an experimental assessment of energy potentials from tea wastes available at Itonaa Tea Factory for tea drying processes as important data for agricultural wastes. The experimental measurement of energy potential from tea wastes was done using bomb calorimeter, muffle furnace and energy balances to determine calorific value moisture content and energy potentials of tea waste respectively. The findings indicate that the combined energy potential of factory and garden tea waste was found to be 2.78x10<sup>8</sup>kWh, and corresponding electrical energy was estimated to be 2.78x10<sup>7</sup>kWh which is enough for tea drying process in tea manufacturing plant. The total energy used in the production of tea was discovered to be equal 3.5 - 7.5 kWh/kg of made tea. Thus, total energy consumption (4.5 kWh/kg of made tea) for processing of 9.6 x 10<sup>6</sup> kg of tea from 4.5 x 10<sup>3</sup> hectares of tea plantation in Mufindi for the period of 2021-2022 was 4.32x10<sup>7</sup> kWh. Thus, with the proper utilization of energy conversion technology of tea waste, part of the energy requirement in processing of tea could be met reducing environmental challenges associated with both wood fuel burning and tea waste disposal.