Rwanda develops biofuel production
The African nation of Rwanda is moving forward with plans to boost biodiesel production.
Landlocked Rwanda considers biofuel production from locally grown feedstocks an important part of national security.
Since 2007, the Rwandan Institute of Scientific and Technological Research (ISTR) has experimented with a number of feedstocks including palm, jatropha, moringa, castor and soy oils, in a 2,000 litre per day pilot facility at Kigali, Rwanda’s capital city.
With the successful completion of that research, the government of Rwanda has announced plans to build a 300,000 litre per day facility in a public-private partnership.
The ISTR suggests several possibilities for biodiesel feedstocks in Rwanda. New varieties of oil palm developed for high-altitude and low-temperature production offer high-yield potential for cultivation in Rwanda. Jatropha is also being planted in several regions where the land is more suited to the drought resistant plant.
The ISTR is also exploring intermediate crops to use as feedstocks while the oil-bearing trees mature, including castor bean and avocado. While avocado is widely cultivated in Rwanda, the oil-bearing seeds are not currently utilised.
Landlocked Rwanda considers biofuel production from locally grown feedstocks an important part of national security.
Since 2007, the Rwandan Institute of Scientific and Technological Research (ISTR) has experimented with a number of feedstocks including palm, jatropha, moringa, castor and soy oils, in a 2,000 litre per day pilot facility at Kigali, Rwanda’s capital city.
With the successful completion of that research, the government of Rwanda has announced plans to build a 300,000 litre per day facility in a public-private partnership.
The ISTR suggests several possibilities for biodiesel feedstocks in Rwanda. New varieties of oil palm developed for high-altitude and low-temperature production offer high-yield potential for cultivation in Rwanda. Jatropha is also being planted in several regions where the land is more suited to the drought resistant plant.
The ISTR is also exploring intermediate crops to use as feedstocks while the oil-bearing trees mature, including castor bean and avocado. While avocado is widely cultivated in Rwanda, the oil-bearing seeds are not currently utilised.
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