Sustainability and fuel consumption patterns in traditional firewood kilns: Implications for the pottery industry in Ghana

Abstract

Traditional firewood kilns remain central to artisanal pottery across sub-Saharan Africa, yet their energy inefficiencies and emissions remain largely unquantified. This study integrates thermodynamic and systems theory approaches to assess the sustainability performance of 19 firewood kilns at the Mfensi Pottery Centre in Ghana. Field measurements and user interviews revealed that kiln thermal efficiency ranged between 12.4% and 21.6%, with mean firewood consumption of 0.82 kg kg?¹ of fired clay. High heat losses through uninsulated walls and uncontrolled airflow contributed to excess CO? emissions of 2.3-3.1 kg kg?¹ output, underscoring both technological and behavioural inefficiencies. Applying systems feedback analysis, the study highlights how socio-economic constraints reinforce technological stagnation and unsustainable biomass dependence. It recommends locally adaptable insulation retrofits and standardized kiln designs that could enhance efficiency by over 35%, supporting Ghana’s transition toward low-carbon artisanal industries and the broader Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 7, 12, and 13).