KADUNA - The Kaduna State government has commenced the production of fuel from sugarcane in an effort to develop alternative source of energy.
The Commissioner for Science and Technology, Dr Sani Bello, told newsmen on Monday in Kaduna that the pilot plant was producing 100 litres of bio-ethanol per day.
Bello said that the state had spent over N15 million to build the project, adding that the government would expand the plant production to 300 litres per day soon.
He said that the state government was also experimenting the use of maize and cassava as part of raw materials for the project.
Bello said that the current fuel grade after it was blended with petroleum product was 99.9 percent bio-ethanol.
“We started with E10, which gave 10 per cent bio-ethanol and 90 per cent fuel and later E100, meaning 100 per cent bio-ethanol.
“The product has been tested on internal combustion engine and yielded a good result,” Bello said.
The commissioner said that the state government had also concluded plans to commence a bio-diesel pilot project through the use of jatropher plant.
Bello stressed that the plant, when completed, would be producing over 300 litres of the commodity per day.
It was learnt that over N90 million would be spent on the bio-diesel pilot project, which would soon take-off.
According to Bello, the pilot projects have created employment opportunities to an undisclosed number of engineers as well as technicians.
The commissioner said that the pilot projects were aimed at attracting foreign as well as local investments to the state.
Besides, Bello said that the state government was hopeful that the projects would ensure speedy industrial development of the state and rely less on the importation of fuel and other sources of energy.
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