Brazil accounts for approximately one third of the world's charcoal production, and around ninety percent of that is destined to the Brazilian production of pig-iron, alloys iron, pure silicon, among others. Almost 75% of the charcoal is still produced through the traditional handcraft method, and almost half of firewood still derives from native forests. The pressure for ecologically-right, socially fair and economically feasible production has driven the search for cleaner and more efficient technologies. Researching a metallic vertical cylinder at an industrial charcoal production unit and a traditional handcraft unit, both located on the State of Parana, this paper intends to show that the industrial production process can replace the traditional one. According to the sustainability pillars, this industrial process may enable the saving of 25% of firewood, pointing to economical feasibility and an ecologically-right and socially fair process under the Brazilian labor legislation.
Charcoal production; Charcoal; Renewable energy
