KwaZulu-Natal stands to benefit from focus on biofuels

In South Africa, biofuels has become the new buzzword in the government, and the country's large maize and sugar sectors - especially in KwaZulu-Natal - stand to benefit the most. President Thabo Mbeki has appointed a task team to look at the viability of biofuels for South Africa.

Mbeki dropped the words biofuels, ethanol and biodiesel in his State of the Nation address last month, identifying them as one to the sectors of focus in the government's Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative of South Africa.

A week later, Minister of Minerals and Energy Lindiwe Hendricks, briefing the media on the issue, said the establishment and growth of the biofuels industry was one possible solution to addressing both economic and social challenges, and would be an important contributor to the initiative.

She said South Africa imported about 60% of its crude oil requirements, which had economic implications in terms of balance of payments, as well as vulnerability to rising crude oil prices.

At a subsequent KwaZulu-Natal Agribusiness Conference in Durban, two sessions were dedicated to discussions around biofuels, ethanol and alternative transport fuel dynamics in South Africa.

Nadia Hamid, Deputy Director of the Department of Minerals and Energy's Renewable Energies Division, told delegates high-level talks were under way between 11 national and provincial government departments about the development of a framework around biofuel production in South Africa.

She said a presidential task team had been set up to take the process forward.

However, no projects will be able to go ahead without the necessary legislation being tabled in parliament.

Source: The Mercury.