Assessment of Bioenergy Potential from Biomass Waste to Improve Access to Clean Energy for Cooking in Mali

A lack of access to clean cooking fuels and technologies in Mali is causing negative health and welfare impacts on the population. There is a need to transition to cleaner cooking systems, and the production of biofuels is one promising solution. In order to successfully use biofuels in Malian households, it is necessary to calculate the sustainable bioenergy potential of the country. The aim of this study, therefore, was to assess this potential to determine if it can meet the cooking energy demand. Statistical data were used to estimate the bioenergy potential from three different biomass resources: crop residues, livestock waste, and municipal solid waste (MSW). Surveys in urban and rural areas in Mali were performed to assess cooking fuel consumption in the residential sector. Bioenergy potential and cooking energy demand were compared regionally to find out if biomass is a feasible substitute for traditional cooking fuels in Mali. It was shown that while there is high biogas potential in most of the regions, urban Bamako has a lack of biomass resources to cover the demand. Therefore, other clean alternatives like electric cooking should be considered for urban areas.