Malawi government says jatropha biodiesel production will commence in 2009

In Malawi, the government said that the country is on track to commence biodiesel production in 2009 from several jatropha projects underway throughout the country. The government also said that the Department of Science and Technology and Lilongwe Technical College are developing engine modifications that will allow conversion of cars to E100 sugarcane ethanol, with initial tests scheduled to be complete by mid-2009.

Malawi background

Malawi has begun increasing its biofuels-related activity. D1 Oils has 338,000 acres under jatropha production with plans to plant more than 80,000 acres in Swaziland, Zambia, Madagascar, Mali and Malawi.

In related news, the central government has sought engineering firms to manufacture components for an ethanol-based stove, which the government hopes to use to reduce dependence on charcoal, firewood and paraffin.

Ethco (The Ethanol Company) is supplying ethanol and test vehicles to the Malawi government for a 5-year, $1 million study on the impacts of ethanol. Ethco manufactures 2 Mgy at its plant, while Presscane produces 3 Mgy in Chikwawa. Ethco is encouraging the Malawi government to encourage the expanded use of ethanol to offset climate change effects.

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