Calorific value and fuel wood consumption patterns of a forest plantation made by villagers at Kahinure (Distt Mau), Uttar Pradesh, India

In the present study, calorific value of different fuel wood biomass and its consumption patterns of the plantation forest in rural area of Kahinure (Distt Mau) Uttar Pradesh, India had been evaluated. A questionnaire survey of random sampling method was employed for 180 households to understand socio-economic conditions and energy use pattern for cooking purposes in the study area. The study reveals that fuel wood was largely utilised as noncommercial and cheap source of energy, followed by dung cake and agriculture residue. The highest calorific value was estimated by Prosopis juliflora (22.56 MJ/kg) followed in Terminalia arjuna (21.63 MJ/kg) and Pithecellobium dulce (20.67 MJ/kg), whereas the lowest value was found in Streblus asper (17.32 MJ/kg). About 65% of household energy consumption was in form of wood biomass fuel derived from the plantation forest. The cow dung was used by 22% households and agriculture residue by 12%. About 1.3% people used kerosene for cooking. Average cooking time was estimated at 4.46 h/day/family, and average value of fuel wood consumption was estimated at 4.5 t/family/year, whereas average market value of annual consumption of fuel wood had been calculated as Rs 8,700.00 per households. Due to poor socio-economic situations in the village, a significant amount of fixed carbon of plantation forest was used for cooking of food which could be saved by providing them renewable source of energy for cooking or cooking gas cylinders.