Ross Sheil, Staff Reporter
Karl James (right), chairman of Petrojam Ethanol and general manager of Jamaica Cane Product Sales Ltd., shares a joke with Andrea Reid, manager of strategic planning Petrojam Limited, during the 'Ethanol in Gasolene' seminar yesterday. The event took place at the Jamaica Conference Centre, downtown Kingston. - NORMAN GRINDLEY/DEPUTY CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER
BEGINNING MONDAY, the success of a new pilot project by Petrojam could see 10 per cent of local gasolene being replaced by ethanol, potentially saving Jamaica up to US$35 million (J$2.3 billion) per year in foreign exchange.
During the six-month trial, 70 government vehicles will use Petrojam-produced ethanol instead of imported MTBE as the fuel enhancer, needed to make it burn more smoothly, and if successful Government wants to replace all MTBE in gasolene used locally. Ethanol is also more environmentally-friendly.
"What we are doing now is ... to make sure everyone understands that it is not a dramatic change compared to what they are used to," assured Petrojam Managing Director Winston Watson, speaking at an 'Ethanol in Gasolene' seminar at the Jamaica Conference Centre, downtown Kingston, yesterday.
MTBE is being phased out in some countries in favour of ethanol. If the trial is successful, Government wants to increase the proportion of ethanol from 10 per cent, known as E10, to 15 per cent, E85, within five years. Older engines will, however, have to be adapted to E85.
The sugar cane which is needed to produce the ethanol will come, during the trial period, from Brazil. Petrojam is currently refining ethanol, solely for export to the United States, as part of the joint expansion of the refinery together with Brazilian firm Coinex.
FACTORIES COULD SWITCH
Karl James, general manager of Jamaica Cane Products Sales Ltd., said that factories could switch to ethanol production 'next week' if asked to.
Mr. James, speaking for the sugar industry, reasoned that this could be done, since local factories already have the technology to produce ethanol at 95 per cent, which can then be sent to the Petrojam refinery to be converted to the 100 per cent required for use as a fuel additive.
"The same distillery that makes the rum that you and I like ... is the same distillery that can make ethanol," said Mr. James, who is also chairman of Petrojam Ethanol.
However, the sugar industry is currently awaiting the report of the committee, led by Aubyn Hill, before it can be divested and ethanol production adopted.
Mr. James said it could take until 2008/9 before the Jamaican sugar industry could produce sufficient cane to meet local ethanol demand.
He said the industry should follow the Brazilian model of producing multiple products which, in the Jamaican case, could be raw sugar, molasses, refined sugar, rum, ethanol and bagasse for electricity for co-generation.
Cars selected for the trial are from a cross-section of gasolene vehicles in order to assess the suitability of E10 gasolene for Jamaican cars.
New cars
Older cars
Serviced cars
Unserviced cars accepted 'as is'
