Eco Factor: Solar and wind powered installation used to produce edible oil and biodiesel from oil bearing crops.
Statistics point that in the African countryside only 5-20% of the population has access to the electric grid, which leaves the other 80-95% population devoid of any education, development and even medical facilities. Biodiesel professionals, Solarix, have tried to better the lives of these rural people with a containerized “power box” called the Sustainer.
The Sustainer is built in a standard 20-foot container frame that can be transported on a standard truck to any location around the globe and can be up and running within 12 hours. The system can be used to convert oil-bearing crops and seeds into edible oil and biodiesel. The Sustainer carries an oil press which runs on a biodiesel powered generator.
The no-waste system’s only waste product is the press cake which can be used as livestock feed. The Sustainer is also fitted with four wind turbines and a series of foldable solar panels which generate electricity. This energy can be supplied to the grid or can be stored in a battery bank for use in the evenings or at night. Collectively the system can prove to be an energy and fuel powerhouse in rural areas, making them self-dependent and could also help in the development of such areas.
Via: AfricaNews
