Georgetown: Indications are that motorists may soon be powering their vehicles with a 10% fuel blend, as much focus is being placed on bio-fuel as the additional component, according to Agriculture Minister Dr. Leslie Ramsammy.The minister made this declaration recently while addressing the closing session of a symposium on bio-energy. At this forum he also disclosed that the Office of the Prime Minister was already examining legislation to facilitate the fuel mix.
He said that annually almost 15,000 vehicles enter the nation’s road network which results in 6,000 barrels of gas being utilised daily.
Minister Ramsammy noted that the sugar and rice industries could reap the benefits of bio-fuels, citing that this will reduce dependence on fossil fuels and aid in alleviating environmental problems.
Rice husk, he added, could help to supply electricity to rice mills themselves.
It was noted too that the bio-energy ambitions of the government remains a “national pursuit” and, according to Ramsammy, Guyanese must intervene where the high use of fossil fuel is concerned.
The minister explained that tests have shown that sugar cane could be grown at Ebini in the intermediate savannahs, assuring that none of Guyana’s cane lands for sugar production would be diverted for ethanol production.
Prior to Dr. Ramsammy’s announcement, Dr Clairmont Clementson, who has been working on the Ministry of Agriculture’s bio-energy programme, had stated that the project so far has seen resounding success. The successful aspects highlighted by Dr Clementson included the training of persons at the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) and other related agencies in bio-fuel production, as well as the installation of a demonstration plant at the Albion Sugar Estate.
Government has signed agreements with several international partners to promote projects on renewable energy and bio-energy, all aimed at the development of a budding agro-energy sector.
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