First litre of ethanol from Albion demonstration plant expected by December – Dr Ramsammy

By: Kristen Macklingam

As part of its Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS), Guyana’s agriculture sector is being oriented to build capacity for the production of agro-fuels (bio-fuels), and is expecting the first litre of ethanol from the Albion demonstration plant by December or early 2013.
Agriculture Minister Dr Leslie Ramsammy said this is in keeping with the aim of becoming a meaningful player in the growing alternative energy field, while at the same time meeting the country’s needs, and adding it to its portfolio of exported products.
Oil is the single largest import expenditure for Guyana, with consumption projected to increase enormously by 2025. Currently, the electricity sector consumes about 33 per cent of imported petroleum products and residential use of power is 16 per cent and rising. Agriculture and mining use another 12 per cent, while industry and manufacturing account for six per cent. The transportation sector utilises 28 per cent, with almost 20,000 new vehicles imported every year.
“In addition to the unsustainable economic cost, the increasing utilisation of fossil fuel because of accelerated economic and social development will mean a doubling of Guyana’s fossil fuel-related carbon emission by 2025, a possibility that is incongruent with Guyana’s reputation as a low carbon emission country,” noted the minister. He said this dependence on fossil fuel is unsustainable and Guyana simply cannot afford to continue.
“Guyana will suffer negative consequences because of this dependence, unless there is a change in direction, and the country has already embarked on a number of major initiatives that will help reduce this dependence on fossil fuel,” said Dr Ramsammy.
He explained that bio-energy, with a strong focus on agro-energy, is a national priority and, as such, Guyana has developed a bio-energy policy.
With support from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the policy is being implemented with various pilot projects and with a package for investment in agro-energy industries. One such project is the construction of an ethanol demonstration plant at the Albion Sugar Estate, East Berbice.
A Brazilian company, Biorefineries Micro Destilarias Sustentaveis SA has been contracted to design and build the project. Biorefineries, of Porto Alegre, Brazil, was also contracted by the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) to complete the construction of the sugar factory at Albion, Corentyne. The plant is being fabricated in two parts: hydrous and anhydrous – in Brazil and Canada respectively and, earlier this month, a Guyanese team visited the Porto Alegre facility.
“The members of the team verified that the fabrication of the module is in accordance with specifications and they saw the operation of a similar plant that produced ethanol to the specified strength,” the minister said.
It will be shipped to Guyana during the first week of November and should arrive in December. The team will also visit the fabrication site in Canada in November to ensure that manufacturing is being done to specifications.

First litre
Dr Ramsammy stated that his ministry is looking forward to the first litre of ethanol coming out of the bio-ethanol demonstration plant.
The ministry has also established a Bio-Energy Unit at the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI), which will be promoting other forms of small-scale bio-energy projects.
Meanwhile, the use of paddy husk for generating energy at rice mills is being considered, as well as bio-digesters with waste products to produce methane gas for cooking.
Guyana Times International was told that the ministry is discussing largescale projects with at least 10 international investors. Some of these projects have advanced to stages where the investors have signed memorandums of understanding (MOUs) with the ministry to develop proposals.
Dr Ramsammy said government is committed to making available long-term leases for land to these investors, although none has been provided as yet. He said the investors will have to develop their projects and demonstrate they are ready to begin before the land is leased.
Several companies, including ANSA McAL, are presently in discussion with the government to be partners in the development of the bio-fuel industry. The company is currently, conducting a feasibility study for a bio-fuel project in Guyana valued over US$300 million,  a sugarcane plantation to produce a minimum of 2,000,000 metric tonnes of high sucrose sugar cane per year to make 40,000,000 gallons of ethanol and approximately 175,000 metric tonnes of raw sugar per year.
Its investments in the country’s productive sector were welcomed by President Ramotar as a “win, win” for all involved. “Down the road, it will be an advantage for companies investing in our country; right now… we are welcoming to investors,” President Ramotar said at a recent reception to mark the 20th anniversary of the company’s operations in Guyana.
The Guyanese head of state assured the officials that the decision to invest in Guyana was a wise one, given the compelling need for regional integration.