The Biodiesel project requires the establishment of 100 individual plantations and refineries. Each refinery requires a constant and reliable 300 KW of electricity - 72000 KWH per day. They also require a supply of heat and steam for the refining process and they all produce a substantial quantity of biomass co-product - at least 25 tonnes per day each.
To achieve the most efficient fuel production possible - and to achieve the net zero CO2 balance claimed for Biodiesel - but rarely achieved - this co-product must be the energy source for all planting, harvesting and processing.
Electricity is a commodity in short supply in Rural Africa generally - in the areas available for establishing large plantations it is virtually non-existent. This presents a problem which must be solved before any significant progress can be made with African Biodiesel. It is also a problem which needs to be addressed for the region as a whole for any general economic development.
IFAF paper on rural electrification. Here
The direct needs of the Biofuel project, and the acceptance of a distributed generation approach, gives the opportunity to establish a plant in West Africa to manufacture suitable generating equipment. The IFAF have chosen the combination of Biomass fired boilers and reciprocating Steam Engines to construct generating plants of around 500 KW. The techniques are well established and quite suitable for this application. Sugar mills in many parts of the Asia have used this approach for many decades and few have found any economic advantage in changing.
One of the last western reciprocating steam engine makers was the Skinner Engine Company of Eire Pennsylvania. Their Unaflow vertical compound engine is considered by many to be the ultimate in efficiency and reliability for reciprocating engine development. The IFA Foundation have chosen to manufacture a version of this engine as the prime mover for the project power generating system.
The first example is being built in foundry/workshops located in the town of Månsarp in Sweden. The IFAF have assembled a team of foundrymen, machinists and electrical engineers to manage the construction and the training of a team from Senegal who will become the key people in the plant being established there.
Pattern making for this venture starts in February 2008 when the first three CNC Universal milling machines needed are ready - the progress link on the left will be activated at that time.
Feb 2008 update
The use of the Skinner engine was shown to be less than "economically sensible" when considering the loss of their original patterns as a result of the company's bankruptcy, and the size/weight nature of the engine. The decision was made to go ahead with the construction of a modern high speed reciprocating engine which will be manufactured in the form of 200 kW units. These will be available in various configurations based around 50 kW modules so will be much more suitable for the growing western market in small scale distributed co-generation systems - as well as giving many advantages for a distributed generation system in Sub Saharan Africa.
The patternmaking is starting on more or less the same schedule and the development is being guided by the Chief Engineer of the old Skinner Company - a man with considerable experience.
