Multifunction Energy Platform (MFP) Pilot in Uganda

Columbia Universitys Engineers Without Borders (CU-EWB) Uganda program is implementing a ground-breaking Multifunction Energy Platform (MFP) pilot program in Soroti, Uganda. CU-EWB Uganda is collaborating with Pilgrim, an indigenous Ugandan NGO, to install the MFP pilot project in the regions established farming cooperative network. The project seeks to radically impact the quality of life and restore the distressed community by increasing the income generation and reducing the amount of repetitive manual labor in critical populations such as women and children. MFPs are comprised of a stationary diesel engine that drives various pieces of agricultural processing equipment.

Because of their multifunctionality, MFPs have been shown to be an effective piece of development infrastructure, providing important mechanization for agricultural processing, electricity generation, and domestic/irrigation water supply systems. A vital objective is to explore the use of MFPs with non-traditional fossil fuels, mainly, jatropha - a locally grown energy crop that can function as a sustainable biofuel feedstock. This quickly emerging and promising non-edible biodiesel feedstock would offer an effectual energy solution to the community and positively impact the livelihood of its members by increasing access to energy while liberating time currently spent on manual labor.

The ultimate goal of this project is to scale up the project to the entire east African region. The pilot in Uganda will serve as a case study from which we will develop an MFP model for replication in other developing areas and strengthen the overall understanding of jatropha as an increasingly imperative biofuel.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• Multifunction
• Energy
• Platform
• (MFP)
• Pilot
• in
• Uganda

[fvleuten]

Interesting project. I am currently uploading a film that we made on technology transfer of MFPs to Luwero in 2007. It will take some time, because it is a big video. Still it would be interesting to exchange. For more info best to contact me or the Vedco organisation in Kampala/Luwero.

Good luck !

Frank van der Vleuten

ETC Energy