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The implementation of a mid/long term strategy to promote the use and the resulting effects of biodiesel substance in Malta was the topic of a workshop being conducted in Malta by three students from the James Madison University in Virginia, US.
This one-month workshop has been made possible thanks to a close collaboration with the EORC Group currently engaged in the promotion of the use of biodiesel as an alternative sustainable source of energy. The three students, Corinne Melbille, Megane Gemma and Chelsea Jenkins, together with their Project Leader Dr Amy Townsend will present their conclusions on the subject during a public presentation on June 11 at the Foundation for International Studies in Valletta at 4.00pm.
“Our project entailed first of all the creation of a generic energy profile of the Maltese Islands tackling a number of key areas namely environment and health related aspects and car emissions which represents Malta’s greatest polluting source,” explained Chelsea Jenkins, one of the three students. “With a wealth of restaurants to feed both its tourists and residents, Malta has an overabundance of waste oil, most of which ends up at the landfill or in the Mediterranean Sea. This waste oil, if properly collected and managed could alleviate some of the resulting problems namely poor air quality from vehicle emissions that results in asthma and other respiratory problems and negative effects on local terrestrial and aquatic flora and fauna.”
Edible Oil Refining Co Ltd is, in fact, Malta’s only commercial producer of biodiesel that has to import waste oil in order to meet its demand for biodiesel fuel. Edible Oil’s commitment towards promoting this alternative source of energy requires 3,600 tonnes of waste oil of which only 500 tonnes are being collected.
“It’s a matter of educating the public,” commented Dr Amy Townsend. “The students’ project will seek to develop three final products namely a biodiesel implementation plan, biodiesel maps and a biodiesel curriculum. The implementation plan will identify ways of enhancing biodiesel production, distribution and encouraging the use of biodiesel among the residents, government and businesses namely restaurants and hotels in Malta. Upon completion, this implementation plan will be submitted to the Maltese Government. The biodiesel availability maps will detail the current and potential availability of biodiesel, research needs regarding the potential for further biodiesel development and where this biodiesel might be made available for public consumption. Finally, an educational biodiesel curriculum will be drafted in a way that can be taught as a one-day workshop or broken down into segments to be taught within schools.”
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