PCL pioneers ethanol-driven vehicles
Malawi stands to save millions of kwacha used for the importation of fuel following the start of the Ethanol Vehicles Driven Project (EDVP) pioneered by Press Corporation Limited (PCL) on Tuesday.
The project, planned for launch in the third quarter of this year, kicked off with installation of conversion kits which will enable motorists choose either using ethanol as a standalone fuel or any blend of ethanol and petrol.
It has started with pioneer vehicles from PCL to create awareness on EDVs to the Malawian market.
PCL general manager for operations Christopher Guta has described the project as a right alternative for petroleum fuel, hinting that the time is now for the country to harness the development.
“The use of this fuel can positively contribute to fuel price stability, reduce vehicle running costs, reduce foreign exchange requirements and help address challenges faced by the country due to reliance on imported fuels,” he said.
He said Press Cane—a subsidiary of PCL, which produces 36 million litres of ethanol, an amount not enough to meet the current demand is working with Ethanol Company Limited (Ethco) to develop a programme to scale up production.
“We have a project which will see us planting up to 4 300 hectares of sugarcane in our Nkhotakota and Chikwawa fields but done by out growers. We have engaged a number of stakeholders to realise this,” he said.
Meanwhile, three garages, one in each of the three regions of the country, have been trained to pass on the installation expertise, importation and supply of the conversion kits for vehicles.
According to Guta, currently, a total of 50 conversion kits have been imported and PCL will in due course announce pump stations where motorists who will have their cars refueled after clearance from the country’s energy regulator— Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority (Mera).
Ngugi Chilalika of Lilongwe Technical College, the institution championing the installation training of project, has assured motorists of the efficiency of the fuel and the conversion kit.
He said the gadget enables vehicles to use both petrol and ethanol relatively and cause no harm to cars.
“The conversion kits act like a fuel enhancer to increase the amount of petrol in the system because ethanol has a lower energy compared to petrol,” he said.
“The kit will switch to petrol or ethanol or mixture of the two fuels at any ratio depending on the amount in the car at a given time,” Chilalika added.
Deputy director in the Department of Energy Affairs, Joseph Kalowekamo, earlier announced that government will among its fleet add EDVs to support the initiative.
Malawi consumes in excess of 100 million litres of fuel per year. Currently, the country largely depends on imports to meet local fuel demand.
EVDP was initiated in 2004 after a Cabinet directive that Malawi should explore other sources of fuel for vehicles with the overall objective of contributing to economic development by promoting use of ethanol as an alternative energy.
