Pioneering bio-fuels company joins the Hub community

Frans Hugo, CEO of Evergreen Biofuels, believes that bio-fuel is the best news to hit the agricultural sector in a long time.

Seen discussing bio-diesel manufacturing standards are Evergreen Biofuels team members (seated ltr) Dr Louwrens du Plessis, partner and biodiesel chemical expert, Johan Fuls, Technical Director and Adriaan Louw, Financial Director.

Newly resident at The Innovation Hub is pioneering bio-fuels technology company, Evergreen Biofuels (Pty) Ltd. With almost three decades of experience in bio-diesel research, the company plans to establish the first industrial-size bio-diesel refinery in the country within the next six months.

According to CEO, Frans Hugo, it is a little known fact that bio-diesel research was pioneered in South Africa in the late 1970s and early 80s. The Evergreen directors were, in fact, amongst the world's first developers of bio-diesel technology. This groundbreaking work centered on the development of a superior fuel as an alternative to mineral diesel fuel and involved the evaluation of various plant oils as feedstock for bio-diesel.

Although published internationally, the research was discontinued in 1986 when fuel prices dropped to levels where bio-diesel production was no longer economically viable. Since then, establishing an economically viable bio-fuels industry in South Africa has been viewed as a 'pie in the sky' ideal.

Recently, however, the rising price of oil, the need to diversify energy supply and the significant potential for local job-creation of such an initiative, has again made it a realisable goal.

Evergreen Biofuels is leading this revolution on all fronts. The company played a prominent role in the formulation of bio-diesel manufacturing standards by the SABS (South African Bureau of Standards), in collaboration with various government departments and the motor and petroleum industries. Evergreen Biofuels is also involved in agricultural development projects to help rural communities optimally produce oil seed crops to sustain themselves. This puts cash in their hands and increases food production and food security.

It is the principle of converting science into business opportunities that attracted Evergreen Biofuels to the Hub. "The Innovation Hub is located right in the middle of what I would call the scientific center of Pretoria. Being so close to institutions like the CSIR and the Agricultural Research Council - as well as some of the other companies at the Hub - makes it easier to communicate and interact with people that have synergies with what we're doing and that could possibly help us do it better", says Hugo.

Plans for the introduction of the first bio-diesel refinery, to be established in the Bethal area of Mpumalanga, are well underway. "The refinery has been designed and we have bought the premises. All we need to do now is order the equipment and we'll be ready to get going", says Hugo.

Combining commercial agriculture production with the production from emerging black farmers will ensure sustainable development and supply to the plant, especially in the initial stages while the emerging farmers are still being trained.

Hugo believes that bio-fuel is the best news to hit the agricultural sector in a long time. "Five years ago, farmers didn't know what to do with all the food they produced. Now with bio-diesel, they can't produce enough."

The model for the Bethal refinery can be replicated in many areas in most NEPAD countries. This implies that - if combined with commercial production practices, adequate financing and training - bio-diesel can have a pronounced impact on the development of African economies and the NEPAD initiative.

For more information on Evergreen Biofuels, contact Johan van der Westhuizen on
+27 82 372 6889 or email info@evergreenbiofuels.com.

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