NNP LUULI - Bioenergy (BEG911S) Assignment 1

FACULTY OF ENGINEERING AND BUILD ENVIRONMENT
Department of Civil, Mining and Process Engineering (DCMPE)
Master of Environmental Engineering (09MEEN)
BIOENERGY (BEG911S)
Assignment 1
Student name: Ndahekelekwa NP Luuli

Student numbers: 211060208
Date: 08 May 2023

Assignment 1: Research: find two practicle examples for advanced use of bioenergy in Namibia and
write a short summary on them (type of energy, type of fuel, location and size of the
plant, etc.). max. 1 page per project
Bioenergy is the energy derived from organic matter, such as plants, animals or microorganisms.
Bioenergy can be used for various purposes, such as heating, electricity generation, transport fuels or
bioproducts. Namibia is a country with abundant bioenergy resources, especially from invasive woody
shrubs (bush) and Jatropha curcas plants. Here are two practical examples of advanced use of bioenergy
in Namibia:
1. The Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF)

The Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF) operates a biomass power plant in Otjiwarongo that generates
electricity from bush biomass. The plant has a capacity of 250 kW and uses about 1.5 tons of biomass
per hour. The electricity is used to power the CCF facilities and surplus power is fed into the national
grid. The plant also produces biochar, a soil enhancer that can improve crop yields and sequester carbon
(Cheetah Conservation Fund, 2016).
The Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF) biomass power plant is a research and development project that
aims to restore habitat and produce renewable energy from overgrown thorn bush in Namibia. The
biomass power plant uses superheated steam processing to transform unwanted bush and invasive
biomass into high value, clean burning, affordable and secure solid biofuel. The biofuel can be used for
domestic household cooking and heating, as well as for power generation, replacing charcoal, wood
and coal. The biomass power plant also helps to save the cheetah and its ecosystem by reducing human-
wildlife conflict, improving rangeland quality, creating livelihood opportunities and conserving water
resources.
The CCF biomass power plant is located at the Biomass Technology Demonstration Centre (BTDC) in
Otjiwarongo, Namibia. The BTDC covers an area of 10 hectares and includes a biomass harvesting and
processing facility, a research laboratory, a wastewater treatment plant, a compost production area and
a storage bunker for wood chips.
2. The Jatropha Biofuel

The Jatropha Biofuel Project in Namibia is an initiative to produce biodiesel from the seeds of jatropha,
a shrubby tree that can grow on marginal lands. The project was launched in 2010 by LL Bio-fuels
Namibia, a company owned by an Israeli investor.
The company secured 300,000 hectares of land from local chiefs in the Caprivi Region, where it planted
400 different varieties of jatropha to test their yield and suitability. The company aims to produce
biodiesel that costs about 75 U.S. dollars per barrel, which is equivalent to about 200 liters. The
biodiesel can be used as a substitute for fossil diesel in transportation and other sectors.
The project also intends to use the residue of the jatropha seeds as an organic fertilizer and a source of
bioplastics. The project claims to have environmental and social benefits, such as reducing greenhouse
gas emissions, creating jobs, and improving rural livelihoods. However, the project also faces
challenges and criticisms, such as low yields, land conflicts, deforestation, and displacement of food
crops.
Reference:
Cheetah Conservation Fund. (2016). Biomass technology demonstration centre.

https://cheetah.org/what-we-do/biomass-technology-demonstration-centre/
Cheetah Conservation Fund. (n.d.). Holistic conservation strategy. Retrieved April 25, 2023, from
https://cheetah.org/about/what-we-do/conservation/
Brewer, B. (2022, May 3). New developments at CCF's field centre in Namibia. Cheetah Conservation
Fund. https://cheetah.org/ccf-blog/life-at-ccf/new-developments-at-ccfs-field-centre-in-
namibia/
Cheetah Conservation Fund. (n.d). SteamBioAfrica – Developing clean sustainable energy at CCF.
Retrieved April 25, 2023, from https://cheetah.org/ccf-blog/ccf-in-namibia/steambioafrica-
developing-clean-sustainable-energy-at-ccf/
idosresearch.de. (n.d.). Conference paper Wageningen Namibia bioenergy MB RH final [PDF].
https://www.idosresearch.de/uploads/media/Conference_Paper_Wageningen_Namibia_Bioen
ergy_MB_RH_final.pdf

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FACULTY OF ENGINEERING AND BUILD ENVIRONMENT

Department of Civil, Mining and Process Engineering (DCMPE)

Master of Environmental Engineering (09MEEN)

Student name: Ndahekelekwa NP Luuli

Date: 08 May 2023

1. The Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF)

2. The Jatropha Biofuel

Cheetah Conservation Fund. (2016). Biomass technology demonstration centre.

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