The study deals with the possibility of waste utilization by using briquetting technology (production of solid fuels) and the potential of the manual low-pressure briquetting press in rural and peri-urban areas of East Java, where firewood is still commonly used as a source of energy for heating and cooking (besides LPG). The research compares households from the Donowarih village (Malang regency) and from the Maron peri-urban area (Blitar regency). Through quantitative and qualitative

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... we document the potential of briquette production from household waste and agriculture production. The population from the peri-urban area is interested and willing to invest more in the technology, even though a higher biomass production has been found in the rural area. Financial possibilities were similar in both areas (p = 0.8986). A positive correlation (R = 0.5146) was found between the level of education and level of potential investments. Thus, higher education level meant higher interest in technology and the willingness to invest in it. In both areas there is a potential for briquette production and demand for its usage. Nevertheless, further research is recommended to find the suitable composition of bio-briquettes after the installation of wooden manual low-pressure briquetting press.