EORC is discussing the feasibility of growing a new crop in Malta, which would provide oil to be made into biodiesel. It made a presentation to the social committee at Parliament last July, highlighting the benefits of this hardy crop, which grows in arid conditions with minimal care.
Jatropha produces 10 times as much fuel as the equivalent amount of soya or rapeseed oil.
"It is early days but we have to look ahead. We are talking to experts to see how feasible it would be to grow in Malta," director Pippo Psaila said.
The problem is trying to forecast what demand will be in the years to come. Malta is committed to using a level of 5 per cent of biodiesel in its fuel by 2010. It - like the other EU member states - should also substitute 20 per cent of its current fuel use (including that used for power generation) with cleaner burning fuel.
In the meantime, EORC is encouraging the use of biodiesel. The popular television show Paqpaq is running a test on a vehicle using the fuel, measuring its emissions, performance and consumption. The intention is to allay customers' fear of the unknown.
Nevertheless, demand is clearly growing, helped by the fact that biodiesel is now on sale at 30 out of the 58 petrol stations (although none in Gozo yet). This year, sales will exceed two million litres, up from 1.6 million litres last year.
At present, a station has to have separate tanks and serve the biodiesel separately to the diesel, with clients making up their own blend, according to recommendations explained by EORC.
However, the Malta Resources Authority insists that no ready-mixed blends are sold (except from the EORC premises itself).
"If it were not for this limitation, more petrol stations would be able to offer it - and it would be easier for clients who would not have to pump in two separate fuels..." Mr Psaila said.
A 2004 legal notice allows diesel to be mixed with up to 5 per cent biodiesel without being labelled as such, but this is not yet enforced, let alone encouraged.
"To reach the 5 per cent limit, we would need nine million litres a year (the percentage is based on petroleum and diesel - even though it is only added to diesel)," he said.
"Demand would also grow if public transport was made to use biodiesel (as happens overseas) and if industry were incentivised to use it," he added.
"The new incinerator will probably also use biodiesel."
EORC's plant would be able to cope with such volumes - it could process 75,000 litres a day - as long as it had the raw material to work on. Where would it come from?
The first thing would obviously be to make full use of the materials already available in Malta. The primary source is used cooking oil. EORC and other private companies collect around 40 per cent of the total of 5,000 tonnes. Clearly there is more to be done, especially from homes as commercial outlets usually have formal agreements for the oil's collection. Households represent 48 per cent of oil sales.
Another source of biodiesel is the tallow rendered from slaughtered animals at the abattoir, which provides 700 tonnes a year. This market is already fully exploited.
Other crops like soya or rapeseed would have to be imported and would probably be far more costly.
This leaves jatropha. The plant gives a crop after three years - and produces the same amount in one-tenth the space, a crucial factor in land-deprived Malta.
"Within five years, it would yield two tonnes of biodiesel per hectare, a figure that would grow to 12 tonnes after that," he said.
And if that were not enough of an argument in favour of this unattractive but environmentally-friendly bush, it also sucks up 8kg of carbon dioxide per plant, which could be offset against carbon emissions from electricity generation, Mr Psaila suggested.
"Farmers could grow jatropha instead of fodder. Of course, they would not have any income for three years but some solution could be found... In the end, they would be growing something that gives them a much higher income for much less work
Jatropha produces 10 times as much fuel as the equivalent amount of soya or rapeseed oil.
"It is early days but we have to look ahead. We are talking to experts to see how feasible it would be to grow in Malta," director Pippo Psaila said.
The problem is trying to forecast what demand will be in the years to come. Malta is committed to using a level of 5 per cent of biodiesel in its fuel by 2010. It - like the other EU member states - should also substitute 20 per cent of its current fuel use (including that used for power generation) with cleaner burning fuel.
In the meantime, EORC is encouraging the use of biodiesel. The popular television show Paqpaq is running a test on a vehicle using the fuel, measuring its emissions, performance and consumption. The intention is to allay customers' fear of the unknown.
Nevertheless, demand is clearly growing, helped by the fact that biodiesel is now on sale at 30 out of the 58 petrol stations (although none in Gozo yet). This year, sales will exceed two million litres, up from 1.6 million litres last year.
At present, a station has to have separate tanks and serve the biodiesel separately to the diesel, with clients making up their own blend, according to recommendations explained by EORC.
However, the Malta Resources Authority insists that no ready-mixed blends are sold (except from the EORC premises itself).
"If it were not for this limitation, more petrol stations would be able to offer it - and it would be easier for clients who would not have to pump in two separate fuels..." Mr Psaila said.
A 2004 legal notice allows diesel to be mixed with up to 5 per cent biodiesel without being labelled as such, but this is not yet enforced, let alone encouraged.
"To reach the 5 per cent limit, we would need nine million litres a year (the percentage is based on petroleum and diesel - even though it is only added to diesel)," he said.
"Demand would also grow if public transport was made to use biodiesel (as happens overseas) and if industry were incentivised to use it," he added.
"The new incinerator will probably also use biodiesel."
EORC's plant would be able to cope with such volumes - it could process 75,000 litres a day - as long as it had the raw material to work on. Where would it come from?
The first thing would obviously be to make full use of the materials already available in Malta. The primary source is used cooking oil. EORC and other private companies collect around 40 per cent of the total of 5,000 tonnes. Clearly there is more to be done, especially from homes as commercial outlets usually have formal agreements for the oil's collection. Households represent 48 per cent of oil sales.
Another source of biodiesel is the tallow rendered from slaughtered animals at the abattoir, which provides 700 tonnes a year. This market is already fully exploited.
Other crops like soya or rapeseed would have to be imported and would probably be far more costly.
This leaves jatropha. The plant gives a crop after three years - and produces the same amount in one-tenth the space, a crucial factor in land-deprived Malta.
"Within five years, it would yield two tonnes of biodiesel per hectare, a figure that would grow to 12 tonnes after that," he said.
And if that were not enough of an argument in favour of this unattractive but environmentally-friendly bush, it also sucks up 8kg of carbon dioxide per plant, which could be offset against carbon emissions from electricity generation, Mr Psaila suggested.
"Farmers could grow jatropha instead of fodder. Of course, they would not have any income for three years but some solution could be found... In the end, they would be growing something that gives them a much higher income for much less work