Biodiesel: realistic for Rwanda?
After three years in the making Rwanda’s first biodiesel bus has set out on a trip from the country’s capital Kigali to the town of Akanyuru.
It is hoped that the Rwanda Biodiesel Express, which is powered only by oil plants, animals fats and used cooking oil, will play a key part in reducing the nation’s reliance on fossil fuels.
Jean Baptiste Nduwayezu, head of the Institute of Scientific and Technological Research (IRST) said: ‘Using 100% biodiesel reduced carbon monoxide emissions by 48%.’
However researchers believe that 225,000 hectares of land would be needed in order to grow the energy plants required to produce biodiesel for the nation of Rwanda. This is approximately 8.5% of the country’s total area and has fuelled some concerns as to whether biodiesel is a realistic substitute to fossil fuels.
Christopher Bazivamo, Rwanda’s minster of forestry and mines, disagreed with these doubts and said: ‘We could plant moringa trees along all the roads. That way there would be no land shortage problem.’
It is hoped that the Rwanda Biodiesel Express, which is powered only by oil plants, animals fats and used cooking oil, will play a key part in reducing the nation’s reliance on fossil fuels.
Jean Baptiste Nduwayezu, head of the Institute of Scientific and Technological Research (IRST) said: ‘Using 100% biodiesel reduced carbon monoxide emissions by 48%.’
However researchers believe that 225,000 hectares of land would be needed in order to grow the energy plants required to produce biodiesel for the nation of Rwanda. This is approximately 8.5% of the country’s total area and has fuelled some concerns as to whether biodiesel is a realistic substitute to fossil fuels.
Christopher Bazivamo, Rwanda’s minster of forestry and mines, disagreed with these doubts and said: ‘We could plant moringa trees along all the roads. That way there would be no land shortage problem.’
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