adminIvan Zhakata Herald Correspondent
GOVERNMENT has engaged research institutions to identify other sources of oil seed that can be used to revive the jatropha biodiesel plant in Mt Hampden, Energy and Power Development Minister Fortune Chasi has said.
He said the biodiesel plant that was built uses oil that has already been squeezed from cereals such as soya beans.
He said the reason why the project had been put on hold was that there were not enough oil seed to be converted into biodiesel.
“Going forward, Government, working with research institutions, will identify other sources of oil seed that can be utilised at Mt Hampden plant,” Minister Chasi said.
“We will work with Ministry of Higher Education, Finealt Engineering, SIRDC and the academia to breathe life into the project.
“Finealt Engineering is a special purpose vehicle formulated by Government in 2005 to specifically do research and development on production of biodiesel from jatropha, not cereals.
“The company was given a sizeable piece of land in Mutoko for the project. Since then, Finealt has successfully completed the research and development of suitable jatropha varieties, designed and built a working biodiesel pilot plant and refined techniques for producing biodiesel from jatropha seeds.
“The company is producing limited amounts of biodiesel, albeit under constrained funding from the fiscus.”
Minister Chasi said the Finealt Engineering biodiesel project was poised for full commercialisation once the required quantum of investment has been mobilised.
“We have engaged the Ministry of Finance on this matter,” he said.
“On a positive note, Finealt was given an additional 6 000 hectares at Nyakadecha and Mudzi to develop their own estate that will complement inputs from outgrowers in Mudzi and Mutoko.
“Furthermore, we have received positive signals from international organisations such GCF, IRENA and others to provide climate change funding for this project.
“It is important to note that the two projects are different in terms of origin and the organic oil used to make biodiesel.
“Ministry of Energy and Power Development is convening all stakeholders in the biofuels sector, including Finealt, to map the way forward on utilising the Mt Hampden plant.”
Minister Chasi said Finealt will be capacitated to produce more biodiesel from jatropha in Mutoko and Mudzi and their technical expertise will also be used to resuscitate the Mt Hampden project.
Online Reporter