The challenge of biodiesel production from oil palm feedstock in Nigeria

Abstract

Nigeria has joined the league of countries seeking for alternatives to fossil fuels. Biofuel has emerged as a credible alternative and blend stock for the dwindling petroleum resources. Nigeria is committed to blending biodiesel with petrodiesel up to 20%. This paper evaluates the challenge of biodiesel production from oil palm feedstock in Nigeria. The study found that biodiesel production in Nigeria could be challenged by feedstock supply shortages, poor quality of the feedstock, technological challenges and poor policy framework. Oil palm in Nigeria is mostly processed by smallholders, producing oils of low quality due to high free fatty acid (FFA), moisture and impurities above limits for biodiesel production. Pretreatment techniques, which are used to upgrade the oil, could increase the cost of the resultant biodiesel. Because of the poor quality of the feedstock, enzymatic transesterification is a more feasible method for biodiesel production. The paper concludes by suggesting the use of inedible oil as feedstock, production of lipase for enzymatic transesterification and upgrading the Nigerian policy and incentives.

Treatment of Palm Oil Mill Effluent by Thermotolerant Polymer-Producing Fungi

“…Biological treatment of POME to reduce the wastewater strength is one potential method that can be adopted to alleviate the pollution problem faced by the palm oil industry. Many researchers have reported the use of various micro-organisms to treat food processing wastewater and POME [12] such as lipolytic bacteria and fungi [13]. Anaerobic digestion and pond systems are efficient in reducing organic matter and solid floatation on the surface of ponding system especially in the first and second ponds is observed in all palm oil mills.…”

A review of biodiesel generation from non edible seed oils crop using non conventional heterogeneous catalysts

“…Some of the non -edible seed oils that are yet to be reported are Therelia peruviara, Afcola mellanii, Chrisophylum albidum and Spondia mombis, Crotalaria spectabilis, cynanchum leave (honeyvine), Fatoua villosa, Fumaria officinalis, Phoradendron serotinum, and Senecio glabellus (Sylvester et al, 2013). Many of these seeds are wastes in the environment and are rich source of oils (Table 4).…”

“…Biofuels have become one of the major solutions to issues of sustainable development, energy security and a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions (Sylvester et al, 2013). Biodiesel, an environmental friendly diesel fuel similar to petro-diesel in combustion properties, has received considerable attention in the recent past worldwide.…”

Production of biodiesel from neem seed oil

“…These growths will affect the stability of ecosystems and global climate as well as global oil reserves (Balat, 2009). The biofuels of recent days can resolve the issues of sustainable development, energy security and reduction of green house gas emissions (Sylvester et al, 2013). As an alternative to petroleum based transportation fuels, biodiesel is a suitable renewable substitute for petroleum based diesel.…”