E-Fuel from Albion plant for test in Agri Ministry vehicles
Twenty (20) vehicles from the Ministry of Agriculture and the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) will shortly begin using renewable fuel, as the sugar company has started fuel production using ‘blackstrap’ molasses at itsBio-Ethanol Demonstration Plant in Albion, Region Six.
According to Minister of Agriculture Dr. Leslie Ramsammy, “Now that Albion sugar factory is grinding, which means they have access to molasses and the production of ethanol, they have begun again the production, the blending is being done; blending of regular fuel with the bio-ethanol and we have now identified the 20 Ministry of Agriculture and Guysuco vehicles that you will see within a matter of days with the stickers that they are using E-10 fuel,” Minister Ramsammy said.
The factory can easily support the fuel use of the vehicle, the Minister stated. He explained that the factory is able to produce 1000 to 2000 litres of fuel per day, and as such should, within a month makes 45,000 litres of E-10 for use by the vehicles.
The bio-ethanol plant, a collaborative effort of the Ministry of Agriculture and the GuySuCo, was commissioned in August 2013.
It was established to support the development of the Agro-Energy Sector, and utilises molasses, a by-product from the sugar cane production process, to produce ethanol of purity greater than 99 percent.
The effort to blend the bio-ethanol produced into E-10 blends for utilisation in vehicles is a movement to introduce renewable energy to the public. With this awareness, supporting policies and ensuring evaluation; it is hoped that private investment would catapult this industry into commercialisation.