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Fuel Quality Standards for Fiji The Department is currently working to improve the quality of petroleum fuels imported into Fiji through improving the minimum fuel specifications. To determine the most appropriate specifications for Fijian conditions we are liaising with the Trade Standards and Quality Control Office (of the Department of Fair Trading and Consumer Affairs), the Land Transport Authority and the Department of Environment. This includes setting the maximum levels of Sulphur that will be allowable for Automotive Diesel Fuel, a major environmental and health issue for Fiji, especially for urban areas, such as Suva. The Various means of transport exist, not for their own sake, but to facilitate trade and travel via the movement of people and goods. An effective transport network is therefore essential for the social and economic well being of society. Energy use in the transportation sector is a significant area for the Department who is committed to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases.
The petroleum and transport sector was involved in the
following activities this year: |
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Copra Biofuel Pilot Projects The DOE has been monitoring the performance of its two biofuel generators that were installed in Lomaloma, Vanua Balavu in 2000 and Welagi, Taveuni in 2001. The projects are managed by the local communities and maintenance is handled by the DOE. During the year, the Lomaloma and Welagi projects operated on diesel fuel instead of the required coconut oil fuel. These were due to some fuel supply and technical problems however; the projects drew the interest of researchers who were able to learn a lot of experiences from the biofuel project implemented. The DOE has always promoted its projects experiences – good and bad. Summary of Issues and Constraints · Distance and travel constraints · Lack of ongoing communication · Lack of planning for maintenance · Community issues · Low load · Lack of financial support for project operators · High cost of external/alternate oil supply · High cost of generated electricity · Copra supply problems · Lack of adequate record keeping · Some households not paying monthly bills Opportunities Ahead The FDOE (Fiji Department of Energy) believes that there is a future for biofuel projects in Fiji. At the same time, it believes the visions for the future must be as practical as possible and within reach. A available technology and funding should not be the basis for project development/implementation but rather a collective approach should be taken to assess resource potential, human and technical resources, community needs and ability, economics of project and adaptability of the project to changing economic/social climate of the locality. The two projects in Fiji have shown that there is room for biofuel technology, but at the same time, backup services for new technology must be present and sustainable for the community as reliance on the Government is not practical in the longer term. 2005 will see the projects being fully handed over to the village Committees. FDOE hopes a final project evaluation will assist to restructure the projects for long term sustainability once the projects are handed over to the communities. Present work to be undertaken by the FDOE by end of 2005
A social survey of the benefits to the community from the Project. This will involve a questionnaire survey to assess the effectiveness of the project to the community, including responses from the community to the Department’s assistance and the opportunity for the community to highlight problems areas that needs urgent attention by the Department, etc. 2. A technical and economic assessment of Welagi and Lomaloma Biofuel Projects An assessment to highlight technological performance of the Project to the community, to justify economic performance of the project and its sustainability. 3. Proposal for development of an oil mill to produce oil for the Projects (dependent upon socio-economic and technical evaluation reports). Case Study: Welagi Copra Biofuel Project Welagi is a coastal village located north-west of Taveuni, the garden island of Fiji. In 1998, after a survey by French scientists with FDOE and other country counterparts of the feasibility of Welagi as a possible site for a copra biofuel, it was concluded that the socio-economic pre-conditions favoured the implementation of the biofuel project here. The village chief was fully supportive of the project from the start and this further assisted to build a good working relationship that enabled the project to proceed without any hindrance. In early 2000, a joint agreement for implementation of Renewable Energy Project was signed by the FDOE and the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC). The objective of this agreement was to promote activities of scientific and technical co-operation in favour of Rural Energy Development. Under the agreement, FDOE took all responsibilities to incur local costs of project implementation while SPC provided for the transfer of the new technology (bio-diesel generator) for electricity generator. This was through CIRAD-AMIS – France that provided the technology. Additional funding was provided by the French Embassy. Project implementation began in April 2001 with the Public Works Department (PWD Electrical) contracted to carry out electrical works of the 57 houses that were to be electrified to the underground mini-grid system linked to the newly constructed power house. The house wiring along with grid set up took 8 weeks to complete. Each house was fitted with two tube lights and a power point. The powerhouse consists of a work shed, a processing room and the generator room. On 20th July 2001 electricity was generated for the first time in the village. The uniqueness of the project is that, the specially modified biofuel generator is able to use coconut oil to generate electrical power for the homes in the village. The dual fuel tanks contain diesel oil and coconut oil. The diesel oil is used to start the engine and when the engine is heated, the coconut oil takes over as the primary fuel source to run the engine for the duration of its intended purpose. The switch over from diesel to coconut oil is automatic. Just before switch off, the engine has to be turned off on diesel. The Village has an electricity committee that collects revenues from a fixed rate per household for using the electricity. This income is directed towards the sustainability of the project in terms of maintenance and servicing the engine. FDOE spent close to $80,000 for the local cost of this project with another $100,000 plus contributed by the French Government for the implementation of this project. For FDOE this was a challenge to develop new and renewable fuels for electricity generation to reduce dependence on use of imported fossil fuels and also to develop a sustainable project that would be maintained by the community. After three years of monitoring by FDOE, the project would be handed over to the village electricity committee to maintain. The aim from the beginning was not only to generate electricity but generate electricity development activities whereby the provisions of electricity would enable creation/expansion of other economic activities to benefit the community. On 7th December, 2001, His Excellency the French Ambassador Mr. Jean-Pierre Vidon, along with other dignitaries official attended Welagi village and the Welagi Copra Biofuel Project. They were accorded a vakasobu (full traditional Fijian welcome for high ranking visiting persons). Village Electricity CommitteeThis is a general village committee. Two women under the four mataqali are also part of this committee. Under this committee are other committees.
Copra Committee
The Copra Committee is made of two groups with 10
people. This committee oversees harvesting of coconut
and copra production. Coconuts are harvested on Monday’s while two laborers collect firewood and dry the nuts. The two laborers known as ‘firemen’ (because they collect firewood) are paid $10.00 a day to do the required tasks. Coconuts collected by the committee are not sold to the project, it is for the project. Any excess copra is sold at the market. This is at $360.00 per ton. Expenses:
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$10.00/day for firemen: 4 days a week
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$10.00 for premix for chain saw per week
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$10.00 for tractor and diesel per week
Electricity CommitteeThis committee looks after post copra activities. The committee sells copra cake at $10.00 per bag. The committee reports to the general committee at the end of every month. There are two technicians working for the Power House. Currently for the Power House operation, they are not paid. In an earlier committee meeting, it was discussed that to get the committee running, the technicians help out without any pay. Groups of boys from each mataqali help out the technicians in producing oil. One group helps out from Monday to Wednesday while the other group helps out from Thursday to Saturday. This committee when it buys CNO (coconut oil) externally pays $275 for a 44-litre drum. Electricity Production
Time
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6 am to 11 pm
Tariff
:
$5.00 flat rate This fee is collected by the technicians every month. Some houses have shown introduction of new appliances and there are plans to buy some power tools later on. So far, the village has been able to generate revenue for its people through employment in the harvesting and production process, and women through production of scented oils from copra cake. Not to mention, there is electricity that benefits the community in numerous ways. Equipment : #ENGINE: DEUTZ modified for coconut oil use Type: F6L 912W Serial number: 8600353 Power Output: 40 kW @ 1500 rpm. #ALTERNATOR: LEROY-SOMER Type: LSA 43.2 LSA 43.2 S3 J6/4 Serial number: 112821/1. 45 KVA continuous
Dimethyl Ether (DME) Diesel Engine Survey Dimethyl ether (DME) is the simplest ether expressed by the chemical formula, CH3OCH3. Its properties are similar to those of propane and butanes; therefore, the storage and handling technologies for Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) are applicable to DME.
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