Impact/Purpose:

While several countries including the US have made significant strides towards implementation of alternative fuels through research and infrastructure development, the areas of the world where they would have the greatest immediate impact on environmental quality - the Third World nations - are often neglected. The goal of the proposed P3 Project is to explore the feasibility of implementing vegetable oil based alternative fuels within the unique social, economic and environmental conditions of these regions. The specific objectives of this project would be to:

• Identify obstacles to renewable fuel implementation that are specific to developing nations.
• Investigate which alternative fuel will work best in that environment.
• Develop sustainable methods of production that work within the limitations.
• Incorporate traditional knowledge of the target community in production methods.
• Demonstrate that the method of choice will work with pilot-scale production.

Description:

We evaluated our findings based on the level of integration of sustainable methods, feasibility of implementation within the target community, and the quantity of energy produced in relation to community needs. Particular emphasis was placed on development of a production method that is viable beyond the initial project period. This project has proven to be valuable as an educational tool, providing a rare opportunity for students to meld the technical, environmental and cultural elements to system design.

Our Team developed a sound methodology to assess the environmental and social impacts of several alternative fuels based on the concept of an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). Ultimately we narrowed the list of feasible fuel technologies to three: biodiesel (using vegetable oil produced by algae), compressed methane gas from the villages’ solid waste, and straight vegetable oil (coconut oil). The villages’ diesel generator may be altered to burn any of the three alternatives. We found that direct micro expelling of coconut oil provides the easiest method of fuel production and sustainability for the village. Excess oil also produces a useable commodity for the community- it can be used in cooking or traded for goods.

In addition to sustainable fuels, our team evaluated other energy potentials such as wind and solar. Many have the perception that providing sustainable technology involves the use of only one appropriate technology. Case studies have shown that in many environments, a combination of technologies serve as the most adequate form of clean energy. Our goal in this project is to provide Narukunibua the most sufficient energy package, not necessarily the most appropriate technology.

URLs/Downloads:

Final Progress Report

Record Details:

Record Type:PROJECT( ABSTRACT )

Start Date:09/30/2008

Completion Date:08/31/2010

Record ID: 186642

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Related Organizations:

Role :OWNER

Organization Name :OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY

Citation :Corvallis

State :OR

Zip Code :97331

Project Information:

Approach :

Results will be evaluated based on the level of integration of sustainable methods, feasibility of implementation within the target community, the quality and quantity of fuel produced in the model system and the efficiency of production in relation to fuel needs.

Implementation will occur through an interdisciplinary research course emphasizing sustainable technologies. A community in the Pacific Islands has been identified through OSU alumni that will serve as a model, and production will be optimized to the needs of aremote undeveloped community as represented by the model. Particular emphasis will be placed on development of a production method that will be viable beyond the initial project period. Vegetable oil based biofuels meet P3 objectives because they offer the unique possibility of filling the economic need for renewable fuel production, the environmental need of reduced greenhouse gas emissions, and the social needs of environmental education and stabilization of fuel dependency.

Cost :$10,000.00

Research Component :Nanotechnology

Approach :

Results will be evaluated based on the level of integration of sustainable methods, feasibility of implementation within the target community, the quality and quantity of fuel produced in the model system and the efficiency of production in relation to fuel needs.

Implementation will occur through an interdisciplinary research course emphasizing sustainable technologies. A community in the Pacific Islands has been identified through OSU alumni that will serve as a model, and production will be optimized to the needs of aremote undeveloped community as represented by the model. Particular emphasis will be placed on development of a production method that will be viable beyond the initial project period. Vegetable oil based biofuels meet P3 objectives because they offer the unique possibility of filling the economic need for renewable fuel production, the environmental need of reduced greenhouse gas emissions, and the social needs of environmental education and stabilization of fuel dependency.

Cost :$10,000.00

Research Component :P3 Challenge Area - Energy

Approach :

Results will be evaluated based on the level of integration of sustainable methods, feasibility of implementation within the target community, the quality and quantity of fuel produced in the model system and the efficiency of production in relation to fuel needs.

Implementation will occur through an interdisciplinary research course emphasizing sustainable technologies. A community in the Pacific Islands has been identified through OSU alumni that will serve as a model, and production will be optimized to the needs of aremote undeveloped community as represented by the model. Particular emphasis will be placed on development of a production method that will be viable beyond the initial project period. Vegetable oil based biofuels meet P3 objectives because they offer the unique possibility of filling the economic need for renewable fuel production, the environmental need of reduced greenhouse gas emissions, and the social needs of environmental education and stabilization of fuel dependency.

Cost :$10,000.00

Research Component :Pollution Prevention/Sustainable Development

Project IDs:

ID Code :SU833535

Project type :EPA Grant