Brazilian experts to help Kenya boost biofuel output

The government has moved to boost energy supply by promoting commercial production of biofuel despite rising concern over its impact on food security.

It will work with Brazilian experts to help local sugar firms raise ethanol production and in setting up large biofuel manufacturing units in various parts of the country in a campaign aimed at reducing over reliance on expensive fossil fuel imports.

“These joint consultations and efforts will enable Kenya to tap our 85 years of experience and expertise to discover her potential in biofuel production,” a Brazilian foreign affairs ministry official, Mr Luciano Sousa, said in Nairobi after a meeting with Kenyan experts on Monday.

Fresh race

This follows a recent agreement signed between President Kibaki and his Brazilian counterpart Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva that has started off a fresh race towards commercial production of biofuel in Kenya.

The pact, signed on July 6, provides for co-operation between the two countries in development and promotion of bioethanol and biodiesel in the domestic, industrial and transport sectors.

It also supports exchange of expertise and training.

“Through these frequent meetings, we hope to influence our benefactor to extend the terms of reference to include transfer of technology and expertise,” Energy assistant minister Mohamed Muhamad said .

Brazil is a world leading producer of ethanol, mainly from sugarcane.

Commercial biofuel production in that country has elevated its supply to 46 per cent of the national energy generation mix.

Mr Daniel Machado da Fonseca, a Brazilian biofuel expert, said the Brazilian experience can be replicated in 100 other countries in the world which have the potential to produce bioenergy.

“One of the highlights of this pact is to assist countries map out the bio -fuel zones to ensure that its commercial production does not pose a threat to food security,” said Mr Machado.

Under an agreement backed by the US and EU, Brazil is also extending similar support to Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia, the Sudan and Mozambique.

Other African beneficiaries are Guinea Bissau and Senegal.

“Boosting production of biofuel in all these countries will ensure that global energy supply is not concentrated on few oil exporting nations,” said Mr Machado .

Kenya is a net importer of petroleum products, spending a significant amount of foreign exchange to meet the national energy requirement.

For instance, the country consumed about 3.8 million tonnes of imported petroleum fuel in 2009 which was brought in at a cost of Sh162 billion ($2 billion), gobbling up 47 per cent of the foreign exchange earnings from the country’s principal exports .

Mr Muhamad said the partnership with Brazil seeks economically viable alternatives for motor fuels and industrial process energy.

Power generation

Kenya’s bioethanol industry produces industrial alcohol, with sugar factories in Western Kenya currently producing 40 million litres of ethanol.

This translates to power generation level of 38MW against the government-assessed potential of 300MW.

The rush to start commercial production of biofuel comes weeks to September 1 — the date by which the legislation allowing the blending of 10 per cent ethanol with 90 per cent gasoline comes into effect.

The ministry of energy said it would promote commercial cultivation of croton, cotton, coconut, caster, jatropha and sunflower for production of biofuel.

“It is important for the government to recognise that even in Brazil which has several years of experience in handling energy crop production, food experts and environmentalists are still against the zoning of the country,” says Mr Paul Matiku, an executive director at nature Kenya.