New initiative supports women’s cooperative on sustainable biofuel production
Press Release: November 23, 2011
Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI), in partnership with the Ethiopian Gaia Association and the Ethiopian Environmental Protection Authority, today launches the new project “Fuel from Waste: Demonstrating the Feasibility of Locally Produced Ethanol for Household Cooking in Addis Ababa”.
The two year initiative is supported by a grant from the Nordic Climate Facility (NCF), financed by the Nordic Development Fund (NDF) and implemented jointly with the Nordic Environment Finance Corporation (NEFCO), and will fund the installation of a pilot micro ethanol distillery plant on the outskirts of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. In addition to managing the project, SEI will conduct a detailed socioeconomic impact analysis and coordinate the overall feasibility study.
“This initiative has the potential to deliver a ‘triple win’ to the local community and project stakeholders – in terms of strengthening livelihoods, improving health and contributing to climate change mitigation. The Ethiopian Government clearly recognizes this opportunity and is highly supportive of this innovative approach”, says SEI researcher Fiona Lambe, who is presenting the project today in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The pilot plant will be run as a business by a local women’s cooperative, The Former Women Fuel Wood Carriers’ Association, and will produce ethanol which will be used for household cooking in a nearby low income community. The aim is to replace the traditional use of biomass in these households to contribute to improved health and livelihoods for the community.
The Fuel from Waste project is expected to contribute to climate mitigation by replacing traditional biomass and kerosene which emit carbon dioxide and black carbon, with clean burning, locally produced ethanol and to reduce pressure on the local forests close to the project site where fuelwood is currently gathered.
The Ethiopian Government is driving forward the concept of small scale ethanol, defined as less than 5,000 litres per day, as a possible solution to the household energy crisis in Ethiopia and hopes to use the project as model for replication in other parts of the country.
“Although Ethiopia did little to contribute to the current global warming situation, we must acknowledge the health and development co-benefits that can be achieved if we position ourselves as being a part of the solution,” says Nadew Tadele, Director of the Biofuel Development Coordination Directorate at the Ministry of Water and Energy in Ethiopia. “Our country shows great potential in terms of biofuel production to meet local household demand without threatening food security”.
For further information, please contact:
Ylva Rylander, Press and Communications Advisor, Stockholm Environment Institute
ylva.rylander@sei-international.org +46 731 50 33 84
Fiona Lambe, Research Associate, Stockholm Environment Institute
fiona.lambe@sei-international.org +46 73 707 85 95
Stockholm Environment Institute is an independent international research institute. The institute has established a reputation for rigorous and objective scientific analysis in the field of environment and development. SEI aims to bring about change for sustainable development by bridging science and policy. www.sei-international.org
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