QUESTIONS/PROBLE MS  How do we produce a form of energy that can cut on air pollution?  What form of energy can replace the need for petro diesel after its exhaustion?  Is there a better form of energy that is more sustainable (A renewable form of energy)? SPECIFIC AIM  To use elephant grass to produce bio-fuels that would have little or no toxic residual gas  Producing a form of energy that serves as a close substitute and a possible replacement for petro- diesel?  To produce a renewable form of energy

Comparative Advantage It can be found in the tropical regions of Africa (Lucky Nigeria! We are in this region) It has a very high productivity as a bio-fuel crop It can be grown in all soil types, except in heavy clay, highly alkaline and water logged area. It is rich in sugar and as such can be used as a biomass source in the generation of Ethanol and Butanol About 2,000 acres of grass cultivation can supply raw materials to run 10MW biomass electric power mill, continuously, all through the year without break 100 metric tones per hectare of biomass could be harvested from one year which releases energy of over 4000kcal/kg The biomass and its leaves residues can also be used to produce methane gas

Major Triglycerides present in Elephant Grass Trilinolein Palmitoyldilinolein Dipalmitoyllinolein Hydrogenation Process

Distribution of the Main Aliphatic series identified in the extracts of Elephant Grass (A): series of n-fatty acids in the cortex

Laboratory Synthesis Liquid Mixture after 2 nd Stage of Purification Recovered Hexane Grinded Elephant Grass Refluxed with Hexane Hexane

In order to increase the yield of bio-diesel, N- fatty acids were also hydrolysed. The reaction yielded a mono-alkyl ester Laboratory Synthesis Cont’d

INNOVATION  INDUSTRIAL PROCESS Elephant Grass Source Industrial Grinding Plant Stripper Extraction Plant Flat Bed Reactor N-fatty acids Waste Elephant Grass Hydrogenation Glycerol Monoalkyl Ester (Bio diesel)

Alternative Approach Enzymatic Hydrolysis: Here, Biofuel such as ethanol can be derived from elephant grass by enzymatic hydrolysis. In enzymatic hydrolysis, sugar is extracted from the grass and then fermented to yield the bio-fuel—ethanol. C 6 H 12 O 6 + Celluclast and Novozym → 2 C 2 H 5 OH + 2 CO 2

 Viscosity Issues  Unavailability of 100% Biodiesel Engines  Degradation of Bio diesel  Use of By product (Glycerol) Potential Problems

TIME LINE It will take about 4yrs to completely setup a running bio-diesel bio fuel refinery system The first year would be used to create a public awareness about the importance of elephant grass in order to encourage its cultivation (both on subsistence and mechanised scale) The pilot plant would be constructed within that timeline and if the test is proven to be very productive, the construction of the full fledge system would commence Modifications will be made to the bio-refinery based on the empirical results and improvements gotten from the pilot scale

Biodiesel Fuel Stations

Biodiesel Plants Area (US): 9,826,675 sq km Area (Nigeria): 923,768 sq km

Nigeria Let’s Make Biodiesel/Biofuel Today

SPECIAL GRATITUDE