Africa Innovates Magazine - Flipbook - Page 54
AFRICAN CHAMPIONS
WASTE & RECYCLING
FUELING YOUR CAR
WITH FOOD OIL
IN ZAMBIA
Photo credit: Espact
Zambia’s energy sector is under increasing pressure to develop
and expand due to rapid urbanization. Mutoba Ngoma, an
aeronautical engineer, created his startup TAPERA in 2009 with
a double objective – increase the sustainability of the country’s
fuel supply and provide skills training and stable employment
opportunities for youth.
To meet the growing demand for fuel, the startup developed
a way to recycle food oils into fuel. It represents an affordable,
accessible, ecological, and useful technique for both businesses
and individuals, and reduces the use of fossil fuels.
They increased their production by obtaining a grant from
USADF and MUSIKA Agricultural Initiatives, which funded the
development of a smallholder farmer program to help sustain
their raw material supply. They have engaged up to 2,000
farmers already growing jatropha as a hedge for cash crops.
Harvesting jatropha, which is a source of inedible vegetable oil,
has proven to be a more efficient and economical method than
limited used cooking oil.
Today, TAPERA transforms 3,000
liters per month and generates
about USD 15,000. Mutoba Ngoma
has already started the design of
his own oil processing machines and
is building an ethanol factory. The
startup has further diversified since
its early days and now also produces
soap, where the process consists of
converting vegetable oils into soap
and glycerin.
Photo credit: Tapera
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SHOWCASING AFRICAN CLIMATE CHAMPIONS
