Uganda needs a policy on ethanol
Apr 07, 2010
THERE was perhaps no better news yesterday than reports that Uganda’s sugar industry plans a $100m (sh200b) investment to produce ethanol in two years if the Government puts in place a policy for fuel blending.
THERE was perhaps no better news yesterday than reports that Uganda’s sugar industry plans a $100m (sh200b) investment to produce ethanol in two years if the Government puts in place a policy for fuel blending.
Uganda’s three sugar factories — Kakira, Kinyara and Lugazi — have a combined production of 112,000 tones of molasses, a by-product that can be used to produce ethanol.
Ethanol has many uses, including in the production of cosmetics, paints, adhesives and explosives, but also as a fuel additive.
Ethanol production for vehicle fuel tripled worldwide between 2000 and 2007, from 17 billion to over 52 billion litres. The share of ethanol in petrol increased from 3.7% to 5.4% globally over the same period.
Brazil and the US were responsible for up to 89% of the world’s ethanol fuel production in 2008. Most cars on the road today in the US can run on blends of up to 10% ethanol.
The European Union, China and Russia are among the other leading consumers of ethanol fuel.
Ethanol is more environmentally friendly because it is cleaner than most fossil fuels. So by lowering the amount of greenhouse gases from exhaust fumes, we shall be mitigating the effects of climate change. The technology will also lead to job creation and higher revenues.
However, care should be taken that it does not displace local cash crops and affect food production. Bio-fuel has been cited as one of the reasons for the rising food prices worldwide in recent years.
Growing ethanol to ‘feed’ cars should not be at the expense of growing food to feed people. A comprehensive policy is, therefore, urgently needed to enable Uganda take advantage of this new technology while safeguarding local food production.
Uganda’s three sugar factories — Kakira, Kinyara and Lugazi — have a combined production of 112,000 tones of molasses, a by-product that can be used to produce ethanol.
Ethanol has many uses, including in the production of cosmetics, paints, adhesives and explosives, but also as a fuel additive.
Ethanol production for vehicle fuel tripled worldwide between 2000 and 2007, from 17 billion to over 52 billion litres. The share of ethanol in petrol increased from 3.7% to 5.4% globally over the same period.
Brazil and the US were responsible for up to 89% of the world’s ethanol fuel production in 2008. Most cars on the road today in the US can run on blends of up to 10% ethanol.
The European Union, China and Russia are among the other leading consumers of ethanol fuel.
Ethanol is more environmentally friendly because it is cleaner than most fossil fuels. So by lowering the amount of greenhouse gases from exhaust fumes, we shall be mitigating the effects of climate change. The technology will also lead to job creation and higher revenues.
However, care should be taken that it does not displace local cash crops and affect food production. Bio-fuel has been cited as one of the reasons for the rising food prices worldwide in recent years.
Growing ethanol to ‘feed’ cars should not be at the expense of growing food to feed people. A comprehensive policy is, therefore, urgently needed to enable Uganda take advantage of this new technology while safeguarding local food production.