COCONUT farmers and truck owners have every reason to smile as Solomon Tropical Product made a successful breakthrough in their move to convert coconut oil into diesel.
Solomon Tropical Product successfully keyed into the right diesel tune as they convert pure coconut oil into diesel.
Permanent Secretary for Rural Development Dr Judson Leafasia had been using coconut bio diesel from Solomon Tropical Product in the past weeks.
Director of Solomon Tropical Product John Vollrath said Dr Leafasia had been refilling his vehicle with the coconut bio diesel at three occasions in the past.
On Tuesday, Dr Leafasi with the support of the Permanent Secretary for Mines and Energy and a private firm Concrete Industries refueled their vehicles to demonstrate the safety and support for coconut down streaming in the country.
Mr Vollrath said it took them five years to successfully processed coconut oil into diesel.
“Five years of thorough research and trials mate, before we see what we have now and I’m very proud,” he told the Solomon Star.
“We started three months ago with our own vehicles.
“All our vehicles including our undersized generator are all using the coconut bio diesel at the moment.
“We are now satisfied with the standard and want to assure the government and truck owners that it is 100 per cent pure, safe and clean for vehicle usage.”
Mr Vollrath said their aim is to encourage local coconut product.
“We want to encourage local products, which can eventually replace imported fuel which means saving a lot of money, engaging and encouraging local circulation on whatever is spent on imported fuel.
“We also want to downstream the process here, meaning our local coconut farmers will engage more in copra to benefit directly.”
He said the product is also safe for the Solomon Islands Electricity Authority to use in their generators.
Local industrial scientist Francis Kapini, who spearheaded the successful conversion of the coconut oil into bio diesel, said they achieved an unbelievable result.
“This coconut bio diesel is purified and 100 percent clean - exactly the same as diesel and the only difference is that it is made locally from our coconut farmers’ copra,” Mr Kapini said.
“The good thing about it is it is environmentally clean and safe unlike imported diesel.”
He said if it is accepted by the government as a substitute to diesel, local people will directly benefit and price will be affordable.
Permanent Secretary for Rural Development Dr Leafasia expressed the government’s support in such undertaking.
“Especially when it involves a commodity that supports people nationwide in their daily needs,” Dr Leafasia said.
“This is a significant step that we need to support because firstly it’s environmentally clean and secondly it involves coconut which everyone is part of.”
He said it is possible to make substitution on imported fuel for the coconut bio diesel.
“The government needs to recognise this and assist this positive opportunity because it will not only replace fuel but in a long run, everyone in the country can benefit one way or another and keep at bay money.”
Director of the company said he will be travelling to New Zealand to look at a similar but large fuel plant.
“Our aim is to expand to cater for the whole nation by producing up to 80 million litres of the fuel per year.
“We hope to have that running before Christmas.”
By EDNAL PALMER
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|
