BIODIESEL FROM PALM OIL
Accra 2008-02-18
Farmers in Ghana are producing biodiesel from palm kernel oil, to power their farm vehicles and generators. In an initiative launched by local producers association Dumpong Pineapple Growers cooperative with the help of the US Ghana NGO Dumpong Biofuels farmers have learned how to assemble simple processor. It uses a process called transesterification to convert palm kernel oil into an environmentally-friendly energy sources.
The biodiesel processor was built on the farm of Frank Aidoo president of the Cooperative located in Ghana’s Eastern Region. It took the team just two days to build using 200-I steel drums welded together and an electric heating element. During the following three days, the device produced 550 I of biodiesel. As well as fueling the farm’s vehicle, the biodiversity is used to pump clean drinking into storage tank for a small water packaging business. The total cost of equipment needed is around 280 euro’s.
The palm kernel oil was sourced from a neighboring village. Said Dumpong Biofuels spokesman Jerry Robock, THis model directly targets farmers. We trained them and they are operating the processor and benefiting from it. There are plans to replicate the technique, which is suitable for community-scale use, in other African countries, using locally available vegetable oils. The processor is simple as is the process. Any oilseed crop that is economically viable can be used. It may be palm kernel oil, jatropha, sunflower or others. Aside from its environmental benefits, the biodiesel processor offers savings of 25% of the cost of imported petroleum diesel.
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