<![CDATA[This study examines how wood waste is valorised as a thermal energy source by traditional dodol micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Padang Lawas Regency and what the practice implies for production-cost efficiency. Energy spending of dodol producers rose by 60.5% in 2021–2025, while some producers had informally switched to sawmill residues. Using a qualitative phenomenological design, data were collected through in-depth interviews with 14 dodol entrepreneurs and five triangulation informants, participant observation, documentation and a focus group discussion, and were analysed with the Miles, Huberman and Saldaña interactive model. Valorisation operates through informal social networks that connect producers with sawmills: 42.9% of informants were full adopters, 14.3% partial adopters and 42.9% non-adopters, and 87.5% of adopters obtained residues without payment. Full adopters cut energy costs by 52–58% (roughly IDR 3.4–4.1 million per month) and channelled the savings into working capital, household needs and children's education. Access to residues and human-resource capacity drove adoption, whereas the absence of local government programmes held it back. The study recommends formal MSME–sawmill partnerships, kiln-management training, simple equipment support, integration into a district circular-economy action plan and energy-cost monitoring.]]>
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