Maravi

Bio-fuel body urges safer energy sources

Bio-fuel body urges safer energy sources
By Fridah Zinyama
Wed 13 Jan. 2010, 04:00 CAT

THE Bio-fuels Association of Zambia (BAZ) has said there is need to come up with good alternatives for renewable energy sources which are environmentally safe in Zambia.

Different stakeholders in the country are currently using jatropha, soya beans, sorghum and sugar cane to produce ethanol and bio-diesel which the country intends to blend with petrol and diesel. According to BAZ director Tyson Chisambo, another good alternative for producing bio-fuels was wood as a raw material for making methanol, ethanol and diesel fuel.

“Currently Shell and Choren Industries have finished building a manufacturing plant for biomass-to-liquid (BTL),” he said. “Such innovations should be encouraged as they are environmentally friendly and Zambian companies should emulate such developments.”

Chisambo said wood fuel had proven to be beneficial because it was inexpensive, cheaper than domestic gas, oil and electricity.

“Wood fuel would prove to be beneficial if it came from sustainable woodlands,” he said. “It is also carbon neutral (90 per cent less than when burning fossils).”
Chisambo further explained that using alternatives like wood fuel would reduce dependence on fuel imports and price uncertainty.

“The bio-fuels industry in Zambia supports these renewable initiatives because the country will greatly benefit from these efforts and we encourage the planting of Jatropha trees in Zambia,” he said.

Chisambo said wood burning was not harmful to the environment as it releases less carbon dioxide than when it biodegrades.

“If bio-fuel from wood was mass produced, companies would have to be aware that they should cut down trees sustainably,” he said. “If not, a problem might arise because if all trees were felled, it would lead to deforestation and habitat destruction.”

Chisambo said as a result of that possibility, there should be a conservation plan in all companies that allowed cutting down some trees to produce biofuels.
“...But then, there should be re-forestation of the area and taking care of the animal and plant species that live there,” said Chisambo.

Labels: BIOFUELS

posted by MrK @ 6:56 AM