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From Banana Waste to Clean Energy: Pakistan’s Innovative Approach to Rural Electrification

Off-grid communities in parts of rural Pakistan could soon have access to a reliable source of electricity for the first time thanks to a new project which aims to convert waste from the banana-growing industry into energy.
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In a groundbreaking initiative that could transform rural Pakistan’s energy landscape, scientists and researchers are turning to an unlikely source: banana waste. This innovative project, spearheaded by Northumbria University in collaboration with UK and Pakistani partners, aims to convert agricultural waste into both textile fibers and clean energy, potentially illuminating off-grid communities across the country.

RELEVANT SUSTAINABLE GOALS 

From Waste to Power

Pakistan’s banana industry generates a staggering 80 million tonnes of waste annually, a figure that has long posed environmental challenges. Now, this very waste could be the key to addressing two pressing issues: sustainable textile production and rural electrification.
 
The project, dubbed “Improving access to sustainable energy in rural Pakistan using food and fibre agro-waste as a renewable fuel” (SAFER), has received a £300,000 grant from Innovate UK’s Energy Catalyst scheme. It proposes a two-part system: first, converting banana waste into textile fibers, and then using the residual waste to produce renewable energy.
Dr. Jibran Khaliq of Northumbria University’s Department of Mechanical and Construction Engineering explains, “Over the next year we will be working to develop a new waste-to-energy technology which will convert agro-waste into clean and affordable energy.”

Potential Impact

The potential impact is significant. Scientists estimate that Pakistan’s banana waste could yield 57,488 million cubic meters of syngas, a greener energy source created through chemical processes, and 30 million tonnes of nitrogen-enriched biofertilizers. This dual approach not only addresses waste management but also promises to reduce the environmental footprint of Pakistan’s textile industry while providing clean electricity to rural areas currently dependent on fossil fuels.
Dr. Muhammad Saghir, Director at Eco Research Ltd, one of the project partners, emphasizes the broader implications: “This innovative approach will not only transform agricultural by-products into sustainable textiles but also exemplifies a remarkable synergy between eco-conscious practices and technological advancements leading to local job creation and achieving UK’s net zero agenda.”

Pakistan's textile sector is responsible for significant environmental impacts, including greenhouse gas emissions, water pollution, and microplastics. “Our partners at the National Textile University in Faisalabad have developed a technology to convert banana agro waste into textile fibres, but the lack of electricity in rural Sindh, where the majority of the bananas are grown, has prevented this innovation from being scaled-up until now. “Over the next year we will be working to develop a new waste-to-energy technology which will convert agro-waste into clean and affordable energy. “This solution will benefit the textile industry, and local communities, as well as improving soil fertility and food production through the generation of biofertilizers.

Dr Jibran Khaliq, of Northumbria University’s Department of Mechanical and Construction Engineering
The project’s scope extends beyond Pakistan’s borders. The research team suggests that this process could be applied to various forms of agricultural waste, opening possibilities for global application. This could be particularly impactful in regions of Sub-Saharan Africa and South or Southeast Asia, where energy access remains a critical challenge.
The project is funded for one year, but with plans to further develop the partnership and project in the future.

Lead image courtesy of Northumbria University.

Sonali Shah

Sonali Shah

Sonali Shah presently serves as the Science & Technology writer at Forest Digest. She obtained her Master’s degree in Science Journalism from City University London in 2014. Before joining Forest Digest, Sonali was a Science & Technology freelance writer at The Mirror, where she honed her expertise in the field.