BAZ urges speedy legislation on biofuel production

BAZ urges speedy legislation on biofuel production
Written by Fridah Zinyama
Wednesday, February 25, 2009 3:25:55 AM

ZAMBIA will lose out on benefits of cleaner fuels if it does not speed
up legislation on biofuel production, the Biofuel Association of Zambia has said.

In an interview, BAZ chairperson Professor Thompson Sinkala said stakeholders in the sector were meeting the Energy Regulation Board to deal with issues concerning production of biofuels.

“Things are looking up but we feel that more could be done to hasten the process,” he said.

Prof Sinkala said the perception of renewable fuels on the international scene had greatly changed for the better and measures were being put in place to ensure increased production.

“For example, one of the campaign issues in the [United] States was how to improve and increase bio-fuels production,” he said. “From the wide acceptance of renewable fuels, there is a general view that biofuel consumption will increase over the years than fossil oils due to the green issues which are being pushed forward worldwide. Most countries have already started biofuel production but we are still looking at regulation.”

Prof Sinkala was however optimistic that once regulation issues were resolved, Zambia would begin production of biofuels as well.