UB unveils experimental Biodiesel Vehicle

The University of Botswana took its research programme to loftier heights when it launched an experimental vehicle that uses biodiesel fuel on November 14, 2016. The vehicle uses blended fuel (B10) which is 90 per cent petroleum diesel (50PPM) and 10 per cent biodiesel produced by University of Botswana researchers. The launch was a sequel to a feasibility study on the production and use of biofuels in Botswana carried out in 2007. According to Professor Baleseng Moseki of the Faculty of Science, the aim of the research project was in part to produce biodiesel fuel from Jatropha. The study indicated potential in producing and using biodiesel in the country and further highlighted Jatropha as the most promising feedstock for biodiesel. Consequently, in 2010, the Ministry of Mineral Resources, Green Technology and Energy Security carried out a social impact study to investigate the possible effects of Jatropha farming on local farmers. Thereafter, the ministry through the UB Office of Research and Development and Department of Agricultural Research of the Ministry of Agriculture, set in motion a five-year research project in 2012 for future extension of knowledge and establishment of a nationwide biofuels industry in the country, especially biodiesel production from Jatropha. The research project, entitled Research on the Information Based Optimization of Jatropha Biomass Energy Production in the Frost and Drought Prone Regions of Botswana, is expected to come out with ways of establishing technology for Jatropha cultivation, variety selection and biofuel production. It is co-funded by the Government of Botswana and the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA). Launching the experimental vehicle, Deputy Vice Chancellor Academic and Student Affairs, Professor Martin Mokgwathi, said the vehicle was one of the key milestones of the research project. Professor Mokgwathi said it was also testimony that UB was Botswana’s premier research institution especially that its research projects were bearing fruit and beginning to benefit society. Dr Clever Ketlogetswe from UB’s Department of Mechanical Engineering observed that research on biofuel was aimed at demonstrating a positive development towards cleaner fuel. Thus the experimental vehicle produces relatively low pollutants, particularly carbon dioxide which contributes to global warming. Therefore, if blended fuel was used on a large scale in the transport sector it would result in huge reduction in Botswana’s carbon print, said Dr Ketlogetswe. “We have performed several laboratory tests to assess the quality of the biodiesel produced by the UB research team. All the tests were performed according to international standards, and we are satisfied with our results. We then took a decision to perform road tests,’’ said Dr Ketlogetswe. Dr Ketlogetswe noted that they decided to use a Toyota vehicle because of its relatively huge market share, and that on road tests it would achieve their expectations with the results expected to stimulate development of appropriate policy and guidelines on the use of blended fuel in the country. Should the findings not reveal any defects, the research team will increase the percentage of biofuel from 10 to 15 per cent while continuing with investigations. He also stated that the research team was expanding investigations to include other biodiesel feedstock, including the use of beef tallow to produce biodiesel. “We believe that the use of beef tallow could stimulate rapid development of biodiesel fuel in Botswana and it has relatively high yield as compared to plant oil. The yield is approximately 93 per cent compared to between 40 to 60 per cent of Jatropha oil plant,” said Dr Ketlogetswe. Meanwhile, Dr ketlogetswe said production of biodiesel fuel on a larger scale in Botswana could have a direct bearing on employment creation and poverty reduction, particularly in rural communities where small scale farmers could benefit from cultivating and selling of Jatropha seeds for biodiesel production. The Department of Energy chief energy officer, Mr Kentsenao Molosiwa, acknowledged that the 2007 feasibility study to assess the potential for production and use of liquid biofuels in the transport sector indicated the possibility of producing feedstock for biodiesel and sorghum for ethanol production. Mr Molosiwa further stated that a 2010 social impact study to investigate the possible effects of Jatropha farming on local farmers also indicated that Batswana were knowledgeable in the cultivation and use of Jatropha for biodiesel production. Hence, the Jatropha research project’s five outputs are cultivation, breeding, post-harvest processing, non-oil biomass utilization and environmental, social and economic evaluation,’’ said Mr Molosiwa.