Uganda scientists find ways to get ethanol from stems, leaves

Uganda scientists have made a breakthrough in extracting bio-ethanol from non-food parts of plants — cassava stems, cassava leaves, pineapple leaves, elephant grass stems and wood — opening the way for commercial production of ethanol from new source materials.

The announcement follows more than a year of research into the potential of non-food parts of plants and cellulosic materials in producing bio-ethanol.

Cellulosic ethanol is difficult and expensive to break down into simple sugars required for ethanol production, but is eventually cheaper say the researchers who argue that the initial investment for biofuels is much lower than for fossil fuels.

“The research has proved that it is possible to get high quality ethanol for use in sanitary and automobile fuel. This offers an investment opportunity and we are ready to partner with investors in the private sector,” said Dr Yona Baguma a molecular biologist and lead researcher.

Ethanol is used in the production of pharmaceutical products, food preservation, home-based energy such as small lanterns, locally made lanterns and other lighting equipment.

The research aims at producing biofuels that can be blended with fossil fuels to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The government energy policy advocates the increased research and use of modern renewable energy sources, which it expects to increase from the current four per cent to 61 per cent of the total energy consumption by 2017.

Blend with 20pc biofuels

In the policy, the government proposes a law that fossil fuel companies blend petroleum with up to 20 per cent biofuels to be used mainly in the transport sector and power generation.

Worldwide, biofuels are seen as an alternative to fossil fuel, whose price keeps surging and has adverse environmental impact.

Fossil fuels account for 95 per cent of the energy used globally and 60 per cent of greenhouse gas emission, which leads to warmer temperatures.

Scientists are now focusing their efforts on renewable energy sources that emit less carbon into the environment.

The Ugandan research was done as part of the Bio Eastern Africa Regional Programme and Research Network for Biotechnology, Biosafety and Biotechnology Policy Development. Researchers from National Crop Resources Research Institute and Makerere University made the groundbreaking discovery.

Reporting their progress during the International Conference on Agrobiotechnology, Biosafety and Seed Systems in Developing countries held in Kampala in mid March, the scientists said their research recognised the need to balance between food security, animal feeds, fibre for industrial use and fuel.

“We have factored in the issue of food security and we are proposing the use of non-food parts of major crops. By non-food parts, we mean those that cannot be used in human feeding,” said Dr Ephraim Nuwamanya, a plant biochemist.