Activities in Tanzania

[SATREPS] The Project for Development and Dissemination of Innovative Oil-Extracting Technology from Crop Process Residue for Rural Electrification and Value Addition of By-products

Overall Goal of the project is to contribute to rural electrification in Tanzania. The project purpose is (1) developing innovative oil extraction technology from crop process residue as well as (2) proposing its application in micro-grid power generation and production of by-products.

Rural areas in Tanzania have a low electrification rate, but demand is increasing for electric power to charge the growing number of mobile phones, and to provide lighting, enabling children who work on farms during the day to study at night. Many kinds of agricultural residue, such as rice bran, contain good-quality oil. This project will develop technology using CO2-expanded hexane to extract unique oils for power generation that are energy-saving and have a low environmental impact. It will also develop technology for producing high-value-added products from extraction residues.

This project aims to will contribute to the rural electrification of Tanzania using renewable energy and provide a model for achieving a sustainable, low carbon society. Generation of electricity using oil extracted from oil-bearing agricultural residues will provide power to rural areas. Manufacture of products such as soap from part of the extracted oil will also open the way towards employment and cash earnings in rural areas.

*SATREPS: Science and Technology Research Partnership for Sustainable Development SATREPS is a Japanese government program that promotes international joint research. The program is structured as a collaboration between the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) , which provides competitive research funds for science and technology projects , and the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development(AMED) , which provides competitive research funds for medical research and development , and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) , which provides development assistance (ODA). Based on the needs of developing countries, the program aims to address global issues and lead to research outcomes of practical benefit to both local and global society.