Green Tech Exhibition boosts Bionas business

Climate Action’s Green Technology Exhibition at the UNEP Governing council / Global Ministerial Environment Forum (GC/GMEF) in February has boosted business for Malaysian biofuel producer, Bionas.

Since returning from the event in Nairobi, where they had a stall and side event at the exhibition, Bionas have struck agreements with ministers from a number of African countries where they will soon begin to operate.

“The successful organisation of Bionas' side event had a very big impact in our efforts to introduce our technologies, in the production of jatropha biofuels, to the world,” said Khairil Anuar Zainuddin, Bionas operations director.

Bionas produce biodiesel from jatropha – a fast-growing, low-maintenance plant that thrives in tropical climates and unlike many other biofuel crops it is not a food source so there is less impact on food prices.

Jatropha produces a fruit that contains seeds; it is these seeds that are crushed to release the valuable oil.

According to Zainuddin, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Environment and Mineral Resources for Kenya, Hon. Mr Ali Dawood Mohamed, visited the Bionas booth and promised to provide support and assistance to a Bionas project in Kenya.

Following the GC/GMEF, on 25 February 2011, Bionas signed a joint venture agreement with Lorna Omuodo, a green entrepreneur, for a Jatropha planting programme and the setting up of two crushing plants in two different locations in Kenya, funded by investment from Bionas.

"Bionas' participation in the Green Technology Exhibition and the GC/GMEF has propelled our company's reputation into the global arena and recognition should be given to Climate Action for their commitment to organising the programme successfully,” said Zainuddin.

He said that within a week of returning from Nairobi, Bionas agreed many similar arrangements to the one made in Kenya with other African nations, including South Sudan, Uganda, Tanzania, Nigeria and Angola.

Landowners work with Bionas to share the benefits of jatropha – Bionas sell seedlings (with a life expectancy of more than 45 years) to farmers who grow the crop and then sell the results back to the company via collection centres.