KEYNOTE PRESENTATION: Biofuels in West Africa - case of jatropha in Mali

1. KEYNOTE PRESENTATION: Biofuels in West Africa - case of jatropha in Mali UNIDO/AU/Brazil conference, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

2. Energy situation of Mali • Mali in the centre of West Africa • Area of • 1 241 000 km2 • Rainfall varies from 1500mm per year in the south to almost none in the north • Two thirds of the country is covered by desert • Population: approx 12 million • 13% of population has access to electricity • 90% of the population use firewood and charcoal as primary source of energy • Modern energy supply is based on oil product UNIDO/AU/Brazil conference, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

3. Impact of oil imports on the economy of a non-oil-producing country like Mali Source: ONAP UNIDO/AU/Brazil conference, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

4. Peak oil theory UNIDO/AU/Brazil conference, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

5. Biofuel potential for Africa • Energy is essential for economic development; • A country that masters its energy production masters its economic development; • Considering Africa’s poor level of economic development, it is essential to give priority to the use of indigenous natural resources for modern energy supply • Most African countries have huge potential for natural resources. • Economy based on the utilisation of oil will not bring Africa anywhere, in addition the debt situation is not helping at all. • Therefore, the sustainable use of natural resources & energy efficiency measures is where efforts should be focused • This is the only way that African economic development can take off in a sustainable way. • In this regards there are different biofuel experiences in Africa, example: jatropha promotion in Mali UNIDO/AU/Brazil conference, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

6. Biofuel experience in Mali: • Best known liquid biofuels in Mali are Jatropha oil and ethanol • First experience in Mali with ethanol dates back to 1989 • An unsuccessful attempt was made by a sugar production company to run a petrol engine with a 6% blend of ethanol • Most significant experience in Mali is with Jatropha oil • Many actions have been implemented by various actors with some level of success • Actions have been limited to the cultivation of the jatropha plant, extraction of oil from seed, and small scale production and utilisation of pure jatropha oil as fuel for transport, rural energy service provision & rural electrification • Organised commercial production of pure jatropha oil and its refining into biodiesel has not yet been done in Mali UNIDO/AU/Brazil conference, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

7. Jatropha, a plant well adapted to Malian conditions, is widespread and used as a living hedge between fields. • Traditionally used to make soap, jatropha can also be pressed to give oil and press cake (which can be used as organic fertiliser). UNIDO/AU/Brazil conference, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

8. Seed on the bush Pressed oil Seed without shell UNIDO/AU/Brazil conference, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

9. The Jatropha system 3-4kg seed is pressed 1 litre of oil 2-3kg residue produced (organic material with some oil content) Sedimentation to remove small particles High grade organic fertiliser Soap production & income generation Use in engine for provision of rural energy services 10% UNIDO/AU/Brazil conference, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

10. Pure Plant Oil or PPO biofuel experience in Mali • GTZ (German Technical Cooperation) in collaboration with CNESOLER (Malian National Centre for Solar & Renewable Energy) experimented with running 8hp diesel engines on pure Jatropha oil. • UNIDO/ UNDP Multifunctional Platform Programs UNIDO & UNDP started programs in Mali to disseminate the multifunctional platform (MFP) to power various tools, such as a cereal mill, a husker, oil press, alternator, battery charger, welding, carpentry equipments, etc. The UNIDO program tested 4 MFP to run on jatropha, and UNDP tested some of their MFP with jatropha. UNIDO/AU/Brazil conference, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

11. MFC Nyetaa PPO experience in Mali • Barrier removal project with CNESOLER to produce local press , funded by UNEP • MFC initiated the conversion of two pick up Toyota pickups to run on Jatropha oil with the technical support of Elsbett GmbH, a German company. This project aims to show the possibility of using Jatropha in the transport sector. • 5 rural energy services centres with 7 kW generator each, which run on jatropha oil. These centres provide rural communities with agricultural services, battery charging, public lighting, etc. UNIDO/AU/Brazil conference, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

12. Jatropha Press Technology Transfer The lack of availability of a Jatropha press on the local market was a barrier to large scale adoption of Jatropha technology. MFC solved this problem by coordinating a South-South technology transfer project. The jatropha press is now produced in Mali by a local workshop. This allowed further actions in the field. UNIDO/AU/Brazil conference, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

13. MFC also promotes use of Jatropha oil for CO2 neutral sustainable transport in Mali Two cars are now running one jatropha oil in Mali UNIDO/AU/Brazil conference, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

14. 5 rural energy service centers are installes by MFC Nyetaa for productive used by rural entrepreneurs UNIDO/AU/Brazil conference, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

15. Embedded in local community • The village of Garalo contacted MFC in 1999 to request electrification • Consultation with village and municipality at each step • Village ownership and participation UNIDO/AU/Brazil conference, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

16. Garalo Bagani Yelen • 300 kW of gensets, to run on locally produced Jatropha bio-oil from 1000 ha plantation • Part funded by AMADER (Malian Agency for the Development of Household Energy and Rural Electrification) and the rest by private foundation of Netherlands (GW) • 15 years of clean electricity production will transform the local economy. African villages need power – it can be biofuel or it can be diesel • Largest project of its type in Mali (in terms of plantation size and power output), possibly in West Africa. • Electricity will be a catalyst for local SME/SMI development and job creation UNIDO/AU/Brazil conference, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

17. MFC’s Garalo Bagani Yelen project Rural electrification based on jatropha oil…. • Renewable energy can drive local sustainable development, leapfrogging the fossil fuel stage. • Diversification of incomes • Deeply embedded in local society with support from the village and the municipality • 1 000 hectares of Jatropha distributed among peoples fields • Local sustainable projects of this type need prioritisation and protection UNIDO/AU/Brazil conference, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

18. Garalo jatropha seedlink and field test station UNIDO/AU/Brazil conference, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

19. Government of Mali Jatropha Initiatives (1) • UNDP funded CNESOLER’s Women and Renewable Energy (FENR) project to install 3 jatropha fuelled MFPs. • National programme for the valorisation of Jatropha as a source of energy (PNVEP) (a 5 year 1 million US$ project). The project should lay a strong foundation for an integrated biofuels production capability in the country. Under this programme, a village of Keleya with 3 000 inhabitants was electrified with 60 kVA power plant and a mini grid. UNIDO/AU/Brazil conference, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

20. Government of Mali Jatropha Initiatives (2) • Danida funded project for the development and the commercialisation of jatropha in order to involve the private sector for the development of the sector • Many research action activities will be done in the frame of this 3 year project • Installation of an industrial unit of jatropha oil production • Elaboration of a National Biofuel Strategy • The project is implemented by the CNESOLER, MFC NYETAA, Institute d’Economie Rural (IER), Institut Polytechnique Rural (IPR). UNIDO/AU/Brazil conference, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

21. Key drivers of Malian jatropha experience: • Diversification of energy sources and lower exposure to the price volatility of the international oil market • Rural development needs • Land availability - Mali has huge potential for biofuel production in terms of land availability for feedstock cultivation UNIDO/AU/Brazil conference, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

22. Critical success factors: • the plant is very well known in Mali and is local • most of the projects so far promoted local utilisation of jatropha oil • the training of farmers in jatropha cultivation techniques and the training of local technician for the equipment operation ad maintenance was also an important factor of success • Emergence of Jatropha private sector for future actions • & finally, there is a high political commitment and engaged local NGOs that supported these initiatives in the country UNIDO/AU/Brazil conference, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

23. Barriers to biofuel development: • Lack of institutional/policy framework • Insufficient coordination between actors (even among various ministries) • Private sector interest limited due to caution and lack of information on profitability • Lack of finance • Limited technical skills of farmers and technicians UNIDO/AU/Brazil conference, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

24. Lessons learnt for future action in Africa - planting the seeds for sustainable development biofuel projects: UNIDO/AU/Brazil conference, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

25. Social considerations: • Avoid competition with food production through small scale exploitation • Many small scale projects can produce as much biofuel more sustainably than a few large scale monoculture projects • Prioritise local use of biofuel to bring maximum benefits to local population • Maintain existing land ownership and tenure patterns to avoid social unrest • Do not seek first to satisfy international markets – they are insatiable • Rather projects should be designed to benefit African communities first UNIDO/AU/Brazil conference, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

26. Environmental protection: • Vast monoculture plantations as seen in Latin America and Asia can devastate the fragile ecosystems and bring untold social damage • Large irrigated plantations deplete underground water resources, in times of increased drought and lack of rain due to climate change • Valorise all sub-products like press cake as organic fertiliser or animal feed • Explore possibilities for intercropping, which can improve yields of both food and oil producing crops UNIDO/AU/Brazil conference, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

27. Capacity building: • Gender considerations are essential as women's groups can play a pivotal role in plantation and harvest of jatropha • Training of farmers for feedstock cultivation • Build capacity in technical, managerial and financial skills • Centres of excellence can promote best practice • Analysis of social aspects of a project can be of crucial importance for the success or failure of any rural development initiative, including biofuel development • Grassroots initiatives and the active involvement of targeted communities are essential for project success • Mobilise research institutions at national and regional level to develop African expertise UNIDO/AU/Brazil conference, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

28. Creation of favourable policy & finance framework: • Push for bundling of Jatropha plantation projects for carbon finance • Sensitise local & regional Financial Institutions on Jatropha • Pricing controls? • Create favourable national & regional policy to promote sustainable development • National biofuel policies to be created • Develop strict sustainability criteria by which to judge potential biofuel projects - to protect local farmers & the environment • Quality standards for biofuels to be developed UNIDO/AU/Brazil conference, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

29. Awnicié – Thank you! www.malifolkecenter.org UNIDO/AU/Brazil conference, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia