The South African National Energy Research Institute's (Saneri's) programme manager Dr Titus Mathe has labelled biofuels as the country's number one short-term option for alternative transport fuel.

He and others believe that, as fossil fuels are depleted and as environmental pressures rise, biofuels should not only be pursued for energy security, but also as a way of developing Africa's rural economies.

SA Biodiesel director Frans Hugo, recently stated that "Biodiesel should be seen as an opportunity and not just a solution towards ending a problem. For Africa, this is most true, as biodiesel can be an opportunity to improve economies in poor countries. Africa must move away from subsistence farming towards commercial farming. Commercial farming is able to increase a country's agricultural yield tenfold".

Sunflowers

Sunflowers and soya beans have been identified as viable options because they are versatile food sources that can be used for both food and fuel.

Sunflowers can also contribute greatly to reducing the depletion of the environment and to mitigating climate change. In its cultivation, a sunflower extracts carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere, and stores carbon within the plant, releasing oxygen.

Hugo says he believes that fuel prices will soon become extremely high, and sunflowers will become a preferred fuel candidate, even if used just for agricultural purposes to produce food.


source

http://www.engineeringnews.co.za/article.php?a_id=145458

http://www.engineeringnews.co.za/article.php?a_id=144724