UGM students have developed an innovative briquette product called “WastBriq,” made from agro-industrial waste, such as coffee grounds, coconut husks, and rice husks, as a sustainable and affordable alternative to charcoal.
WastBriq briquettes are a product that could replace charcoal while offering various advantages. These benefits include a long-lasting flame, low emissions, energy efficiency, complete combustion, and affordability.
“These briquettes are formulated with the best composition to meet market demands through a series of product tests, resulting in compliance with the Indonesian National Standard (SNI) 01-6235-2000 for Wood Charcoal Briquettes,” said team leader Lovarensa on Saturday (October 14) at UGM.
Another team member, Naufal, explained that WastBriq has already been marketed in over 15 restaurants in the vicinity of the Special Region of Yogyakarta.
Additionally, WastBriq is sold retail to street vendors still using traditional charcoal. The product’s introduction has received positive responses from the vendors due to its innovative advantages.
Furthermore, the price is affordable, thus reducing operational costs, translating to consumer benefits at Rp 7,500/kg.
“From there, we hope our product can reach the local market, especially in the Special Region of Yogyakarta, so that our target of 800 kg can be distributed to consumers in need of charcoal who want to transition to eco-friendly WastBriq, thereby supporting the zero-waste movement,” Naufal added.
Sarah explained that WastBriq is equipped with a QR code for its social media info and ordering contacts, which facilitates call-to-order and significantly supports the marketing process of the distributed product.
Dr. J.P. Gentur Sutapa, who assisted the WastBriq team, stated that in the long term, the product is expected to replace coal energy with renewable biomass energy, which is environmentally friendly and in line with the issues of climate change and global warming in Indonesia.
Author: The UGM WastBriq Team
Editor: Ika
Photo: The UGM WastBriq Team