Kenya to recommence blending sugarcane ethanol with gasoline; outlines jatropha-based biodiesel strategy

Kenya will recommence blending sugar cane ethanol with gasoline in an effort to combat high oil prices. The country had stopped a similar program that ran from 1983 and 1993 because of the high cost of ethanol at the time. The permanent secretary for energy said that the ministry had developed a jatropha-based biodiesel strategy that would provide increased income for farmers, as well as 500 gallons per acre planted, producing more income than for coffee cultivation.

Jatropha developments continue to abound. Recent announcements include:

• In California, Allegro Biodiesel has commenced processing of jatropha oil into biodiesel on a test basis.

• China’s largest state oil company, Sinopec, said it will invest $5 billion in jatropha and palm plantations in Indonesia.

• In the United Arab Emirates, the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi announced an $15 billion investment project in renewables, managed by Masdar. Masdar’s major initiative in bio-fuels is focused on jatropha and other arid climate crops.

• D1 Oils is planting 50,000 hectares of jatropha, in a joint venture with BP, in Africa, India and Southeast Asia. D1’s CEO said that the company can produce jatropha biodiesel profitably as long as the price of oil exceeds $65 per barrel, and will have developed more than 32 Mgy in jatropha capacity by 2012.

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