Push For Biodiesel Facility

Cape Systems Ltd. and Climate Care Trust are spearheading the effort that involves other interests. The intention is to access substantial amounts of vegetable oil which would undergo a series of chemical processes that would turn it into biodiesel for use in generators and vehicle and marine engines.

Christian Henry of Cape Systems told the Bahama Journal that The Bahamas is ideal for the biodiesel facility that he hopes will be up and running by the end of this year.

"It represents a very important and symbolic step towards Bahamian self sufficiency in energy," he said.

"It would represent a very small percentage of the total energy needs of The Bahamas but every little bit helps."

The quaint Cape Eleuthera property in Eleuthera actually started making its own biofuel in a pilot project about three years ago. It now produces approximately 10 – 15,000 gallons of the fuel per year for the property’s use.

Biodiesel reduces the amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere and ultimately has the effect of reducing global warming.

According to the United Nations’ latest report on climate change there could be a possible food shortage for 130 million people by 2050 due to warming temperatures. In The Bahamas, climatologists and meteorologists have linked the steady rise in global temperatures to more frequent occurrences of hurricanes and more intense storms.

Small island states are said to have almost no effect on climate change since they account for only one percent of the gas emissions that contribute to global warming.

"[Biofuels] is a great thing to do for the environment from a solid waste perspective right now; any waste vegetable oil that ends up in the dump leaches right into the ground water. Any diesel fuels from fossil fuels tend to pollute the air and while there are emissions from biofuels they are significantly less than the emissions that you would find from a regular diesel or fossil fuel source," Mr. Henry said.

The government has been reviewing applications for the project. Mr. Henry classified the support as very enthusiastic and said he expected continued support.

Cape Systems Ltd. is expected to act as a 45 percent shareholder and controlling partner in Biofuels Bahamas Ltd., a Bahamian resident company that expects to produce up to 50,000 gallons of biodiesel per year.

According to the project plan, the most cost effective feedstock in The Bahamas is used cooking oil which is available in relatively high quantities. Waste cooking oil is further boosted through tourist related activities.

Currently there is no local legislation regulating the use of biodiesel.

Project developers intend for Biofuels Bahamas to produce 1,500 gallons of the product each day to be sold in bulk to clients on a contract basis. Tour operators, scuba operators and tourism related service providers are the primary targets for the sales.

Cape Systems Limited has already secured verbal confirmation from many interested parties with initial indications that the consumption levels could likely total over 300,000 gallons of biodiesel per year, officials reported.

"Any time there is money spent on the foreign source of energy that money is probably gone out of the Bahamian economy," Mr. Henry said.

"Any time people could invest in a fuel source that is locally produced, that money stays in the local economy; local jobs and local opportunities and so in terms of price, consumers would be paying probably about the same for biodiesel as they would for diesel because it’s exactly the same mileage, it has more lubrication for your engine.

"Actually it might be sold at a premium because there are more benefits; there is less air pollution, people feel good about that and might be willing to pay more for that."

A consultation document is being circulated in New Providence and a public meeting has already been held with another tentatively scheduled for next month.