African Power Initiative, along with other companies like Pegasus Investments, have begun investing in alternative fuels.
Sudhir Kumar, the business development manager, said that the company is a renewable energy company that started planting jatropha, candle nut, castor oil, and other forms of biofuel feedstock in 2008 in its own farm in Uganda’s northeastern district of Nimule. The company delves in solar power and hydropower, and has a 2-MW renewable energy plant in construction in Tororo.
African Power Initiative previously imported a bio-diesel processing machine in order to produce 60,000 liters of diesel per day, but the machine was not fully operational because the company needed about 150 tons of biofuel feedstock per day. Since this was unavailable, it began planting the feedstock on 5,000 acres of land in 2008. Kumar said, "We expect that by the end of next year, we shall be fully operational and we hope to provide employment to about 1,500 permanent employees, over 500 people will be needed for land clearing, harvesting, as well as provide a source of income to many out growers.”
The $2 million project will also make bio-diesel available throughout various Ugandan fuel stations. He also added that they had signed an agreement with leading oil provider Tamoil to supply the fuel to other filling stations. The by-products will be used by Green Industries Uganda Ltd. for the manufacturing of soap and fertilizers.
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