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Community based Biodiesel production
begins in Ghana
Accra, July 9, GNA - The Dumpong Pineapple Growers
Cooperatives, in the Eastern Region, in collaboration with
its United States partners, Dumpong Biofuels, has started
the production of biodiesel in Ghana from palm kernel oil.
According to the producers, the product had a better
performance quality compared to petroleum diesel as they had
started using the biodiesel to power a generator and to fuel
their official vehicles and it worked efficiently just like
the petroleum diesel.
Mr. Jerry Robock, Head of the US Dumpong Biofuels Team told
the Ghana News Agency in an interview on Monday that a
simple processor to convert locally produced palm kernel oil
into biodiesel was assembled and a process known as "transesterification"
which removes the glycerine molecule from the oil was used
to extract the fuel.
He said the processor comprising two 55-gallon steel drums
welded together with an electric heating element screwed
through one opening. A piping and a small electric pump were
added to pump palm kernel oil and a solution of methanol
with potassium hydroxide into the processor. The circulating
mixture finally pumped the biodiesel into a washing tank.
Mr. Robock said biodiesel was more environmentally friendly
than petroleum diesel and significantly reduced exhaust
emissions and could be a major substitute for imported
petroleum diesel fuel.
Mr Robock explained that the project, which cost between 60
to 1000 dollars and currently on a pilot basis, could be
adopted in other communities to help cut down cost of fuel.
He said Ghana was privileged to have palm kernel in
abundance and by working with community based palm oil
processors and with the use of local labour, the cost of
production was reduced to approximately 25 percent less than
the current market price for diesel fuel and it also created
job opportunities and brought additional income to the
people in the community.
Mr Robock said Dumpong Biofuel had strategised to take
advantage of locally available oilseed crops to include
atrophy and sunflower seed as well, to convert into
environmentally renewable and sustainable fuel to be used
locally to replace imported diesel fuel.
According to Mr. Frank Aidoo, President of the local group,
members of the Cooperative were currently using the product
for free, awaiting a decision for how much it would be sold,
saying it would not cost more than three dollars per gallon.
He explained that the Cooperative decided to tap into the
expertise of its counterparts in the US, who were already
into Biofuel production and therefore invited them to Ghana
to help establish the plant.
Mr Aidoo called for support from stakeholders to make the
project sustainable.
GNA
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