Mali: Renewable energy resources

Waste, bioenergy and geothermal | December 2011 - November 2012

Ea Energy Analyses has together with Risø-DTU, Mali Folkecenter Nyetaa and DNE/CNESOLER been participating in a preliminary study on the possibilities of establishing a biomass CHP plant based on rice straw in Mali.

The main objective has been to evaluate if it’s technically possible, economically viable, sustainable and recommendable to build a rice straw/hulls fired power plant in Niono in Mali. As a part of the project the location of the CHP was analysed with respect to the existing power system and the presence of the rice straw resource. The project also included estimates of costs, CO2 reductions and effects on local employment.

The analyses show that it is technically feasible and under certain circumstances economically viable to establish a power plant based on rice straw in Niono. However there are a number of risks and uncertainties that need to be further clarified.

The advantages is local job creation, use of national resources, Reducing dependency on imported diesel and Reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

The disadvantages is uncertainty of resulting electricity price and medium to high risk investment due to uncertainties regarding it is the first straw fired plant in the region (technical risk), straw volume and cost and potential conflicts with other use of rice straw.

The project was a part of a larger project with Risø-DTU as project manager and was funded by the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ environmental support program. A Project which contained three main subjects:

  1. Development of wind and solar power maps.
  2. Mapping of the potential to utilize agricultural waste products in the energy production.
  3. Analysis of the potential bioethanol production based on manioc (cassava).

The project was carried out in the period December 2011 – November 2012.