Bio- oil Energy for Rural Kenya By Gichuki Muchiri and Kyalo Kimilu School of Engineering University of Nairobi

Vision 2030: Kenya will become a middle income industrial Nation providing adequate access to basic nutrition, health, shelter, education and Transportation to all Kenyans.

Wealth of Nations and energy consumption

Current Rural and urban Energy Scenario

Role of Bio-oil on the Kenyan Rural Energy Setting

Source of energy % population

Kerosene 80%

Charcoal 60%

Firewood 55%

ElectricityLPGSolarBiogasWind

37%21%0.3%0.2%0.1%

2011 2010

1st half year kes billions 166.4 107.4

Trade deficit kes billions

(by June 2010)

Annual imports million tones

410

3.8 (2011)

287

4.2 (2009)

Oil import statics

If by 2030 half of Kenyan households (4*106) will adopt bio-oil energy for cooking and heating they will consume approximately

0.4 t* 106 tones of bio-oil

Saving Foreign exchange of kes 32 billionApproximately 10% of oil imports

How can this be achieved?

Bio-Oil Energy Potential

1. Reduce Wood consumption2. Reduce Consumption of charcoal,

Kerosene and LPG 3. Reduce emissions of Green house

gases.(GHG)4. Improve the quality of life5. Save Foreign Exchange

There is a need to change the energy use pattern in order to:

1.0 Solar energy is expensive to install 2.0 Wind energy Capital Intensive Unreliable and Require a large economy of scale 3.0 Biogas energy Capital intensive and Require a large economy of Scale 

We have not succeeded so far partly because:

4.0 Gasification technology Complex and Require large economy of scale 5.0 Bio-diesel

Capital intensive and Require ethanol for transestherisation 6.0 Bio-oil Inadequate feedstock   

BIO DIESEL BIO OIL

1.0 Engine modification

None Change of Fuel Injectors

2.0 Cost of processing

Capital intensive plant for transestherisation with ethanol

Affordable oil expression and filtering plant

3.0 Oil transportation

30 to 60 km Negligible

4.0 Foreign exchange content5.0 Employment creation

100%

Negligible

Over 90% local10 adult* men equivalent per 45 kW

Which is more appropriate for rural Kenya? Bio-diesel or Bio-oil?

* Employment for tractor/engine operation, oil press and oil seed production

Jatropha •Adaptive Varieties Limited

Croton •In adequate plantations

Shamama •Adaptive Varieties limited

Castor •Wide spread Adoption•Intercropping possible

Options among Non Edible Oils

Assuming that half of the 8 million Kenya homes will by 2030 adopt a bio-oil cooking and heating stove (Protos) at 8 litres per month

The bio- oil requirement equals (4.0 * 106 households * 12 months * 8 litres)

Approximately 400 * 106 litres per annum

Big Question: Is there sufficient land to grow Castor?

Continue.1 kg castor seed produces 0.4 litres.Therefore castor seed required equals 400 * 106 litres/0.4 litres/kg =1,000 *106 Kg

Or 1 million tones of castor seeds

At 2 tones per ha per year 500,000 ha of land is required

This is less that 10% of Kenyan 11.0 million ha Semi arid land

1.2 million ha cropping cultivation is targeted by 2030. Castor as a source of tractor fuel is proposed.

Castor legume inter crop is appropriate for conservation farming..

Oil requirements for 45 kW tractor equals45Kw * 1,000 hrs/yr *0.411 litres/kWh = 22123.2

litres/yr 83.6 *10-2

where;Specific fuel consumption equals 0.411litres/kWhBio- oil calorific value equals 83.6% of

convectional diesel

Mechanized conservation tillage

Continue.At 0.4 liters per kg oil seed requirement

equals 55308 kg

Which is approximately 30 ha assuming 2,000kg seed yield per ha per year.

Working 10 hrs per day for 60 days working period the tractor can cater for 600 acres (240) using 30 ha (12.5 %) only for it’s fuel.

Fuel for 240 ha with a tractor supporting 60 households:

60*8 litres * 12 months 5760 litresAdd tractor fuel 22123Total 27883 Seed required equals27883/0.4 litres/kg = 69708 kgNo of ha equals 35 ha Approximately 1/2 ha per household or 1/8 of

the family land

Thus energy self reliance is achieved

Summary