A private sector entity plans to start the blending of petrol with ethanol within the next few weeks. Sunbird Bioenergy Zambia in Luapula Province has disclosed that the company is scheduled to have its first-ever ethanol produced from cassava feedstock, blended with petrol, next month.
Sunbird Bioenergy Energy Zambia Agriculture Director Mark Muchinga said the company will have its first ethanol blend, done by Indeni Petroleum Refinery in Ndola, as a trial. Muchinga said the ethanol that will be blended with petrol is expected to reduce the country’s fuel imports.
The company had a meeting with the Ministry of Energy where it was agreed that Indeni Petroleum Refinery will be the off-taker of the trial to blend the ethanol with petroleum.
Meanwhile, Luapula Province Minister Derrick Chilundika said the provincial administration is excited about the economic benefit that Sunbird Bioenergy is making in Kawambwa and Luapula province.
“As Provincial Administration we are very excited because it will not only be the first ethanol that will be produced as a Kawambwa product, but also the economic benefit it brings to the region, so in this regard, we wish to encourage the company management and the investors themselves to invest more, we are there for them,” he said.
Mr. Chilundika added that government is user friendly to investors, adding that the authority is aware of the positive strides made to grow the economy of the country. Mr. Chilundika further urged the company, to employ local people.
“We have made it very clear as a government that priority should be given to the locals in terms of jobs and any other thing that might come including supplies, we believe this is one way of empowering the locals,” he said.
