Value-Adding Techniques for Water Hyacinth into Biomass Briquette Fuel Products for Community Use: A Case Study of the Charcoal-Producing Group in Thung Satok Subdistrict, San Pa Tong District, Chiang Mai Province

Abstract

This research addresses the need for local product development using abundant natural resources to enhance community quality of life, focusing specifically on adding value to water hyacinth. The study aimed to investigate value-adding techniques for transforming water hyacinth into compressed biomass briquette products for community consumption, with a case study of the charcoal producer group in Thung Satok Subdistrict, San Pa Tong District, Chiang Mai Province. Data were collected through interviews, observations, and focus group discussions involving 19 stakeholders engaged in the product development process.

            The findings demonstrate that the community group successfully developed              a prototype biomass briquette product that effectively manages the regional water hyacinth problem. This process converts the otherwise valueless water hyacinth into a useful product with properties and usage patterns that meet consumer demands. The production cost was calculated at 454.29 THB per 40-kilogram batch, equivalent to 11.35 THB per kilogram. Projection analysis suggests that promoting this production model for household use across 50 households could reduce the volume of fresh water hyacinth in the area by 157.00 kilograms per day (or 4,710.00 kilograms per month). Furthermore, with dedicated implementation, this approach has the potential to mitigate the water hyacinth management problem by reducing the accumulated material by over 15,000 kilograms within a four-month period.