Kenyan cotton ginner reboots futures thanks to biodiesel

In Kenya, a third-generation cotton ginner has managed to use biodiesel produced from cottonseed to not only ensure the viability of his business but also to support his local community. He began experimenting with biodiesel in 2008 and then later scaled up to 5,000 liters of production per day. When cotton yields plummeted to a quarter of their previous levels due to climate change-induced weather pattern changes that significantly reduced rainfall, he worked with local farmers and Powering Africa to set up water pumps for irrigation fueled by the cottonseed biodiesel. He has even gone on to supply the fuel to other local industries from salons to welding shops.