Native Sun NRG:

“Biodiesel: Adapting to
Climate Change”

Biodiesel
 What is Native Sun NRG?
¾ Native Sun NRG is Barbados’ first commercial
producer of biodiesel, a 100% bajan, renewable
fuel
¾ The company was originally a research project
initiated by Mr. Handel Callender, while living in
the Dominican Republic in 2002. After returning
to Barbados, a decision was made, along with
the future company’s co-founder and fellow
researcher, Julian Dautremont Smith, to
investigate it’s commercial viability
 Moving from idea to enterprise:
A historical overview
¾ The project has won a series of awards:
¾ “Most Commercially Viable Exhibit” award and
$3000 prize money provided by Senator
Lynnette Eastmond during the 2004 NCST
Expo.
¾ “The Central Bank of Barbados’” award during
the National Innovations Competition in 2004,
which provided a $20,000 grant.
 Historical developments cont.
¾ The company has been producing and selling small
volumes of biodiesel since 2004
¾ The fuel is currently used by about 11 clients and two
diesel generators, one of which powers an eco-home in
St. Andrew
¾ The Earthrace, traveling around the world on biodiesel,
has tested and approved the quality of the fuel, and has
used a small quantity in their tanks
¾ The company, in collaboration with Counterpart
Caribbean at The Future Centre, initiated the first
vegetable oil recycling/biodiesel project at The Lester
Vaughan School.
 The company’s track record
¾ The company has produced over 2400
litres of biodiesel
¾ Has reduced CO2 emissions by over
6480Kg or 6.4 tonnes
 What is Biodiesel?
¾ Biodiesel could be
defined as a renewable,
environmentally low
impact diesel substitute
derived from used or
virgin vegetable oil.
¾ Native Sun NRG only
processes used
vegetable oil at this time
 Growing our own fuel.
¾ Of the 10 most common
oil crops worldwide,
Barbados has two of the
top three:
¾ Coconut yields 2,260 kg
oil/hectare
¾ Barbados Nut/Jatropha
yields 1,590 kg
oil/hectare
¾ Castor bean yields 1188
kg oil/hectare
 Production Outline
¾ Oil and methanol are
mixed in the presence of
a catalyst NaOH.
¾ 100 Gallons of oil
produces 80 gallons of
biodiesel and glycerol an
the by-product.
¾ Glycerol, a simple
alcohol, can be disposed
of as biodegradable
waste, used as soap, or
refined into pure glycerin.
RAW MATERIAL & FINAL
PRODUCTS
 Current production
¾ The company has already started producing
biodiesel in small volumes
¾ Most of the equipment to produce an output of
100 to 300 gallons per week is already set up
¾ Basic market research and public education
activities demonstrate significant interest in
using the fuel
¾ Newspaper articles and expos have been crucial
in education about the company’s oil recycling
campaign
Current sources of recyclable oil
¾ Solid Waste Solutions and Services Ltd.
¾ Lonesome Hill disposal site
¾ Various restaurants
¾ Street vendors
¾ Lester Vaughan Secondary school oil recycling
project
¾ Householders
¾ Approx. 3.2 million litres of oil available for use
annually.
 Future Oil Sources
¾ Cruise ships. There are significant volumes of
waste vegetable oil from cruise ships visiting the
island.
¾ Establishing networks with local farmers to
develop oil producing crops (Barbados Nut,
Castor Bean, Coconut)
¾ Setting up sister facilities in other island
(franchise)
¾ Expanding household recycling activities (over
1.5 million litres available per year.)
 Where does the oil go?
¾ Largest volumes are disposed of at the
Lonesome Hill Site.
¾ Dumped into the ocean.
¾ Production of animal feeds and chows.
¾ Down local kitchen drains & gutters.
¾ This oil ends up retarding our water
treatment plant process.
¾ This project is one solution to these
disposal difficulties.
 A brief history of biodiesel

¾ The inventor of the diesel engine designed

it to operate on peanut oil.
¾ Peanut oil powered engines until the
1920’s.
¾ The oil crisis of the 70’s renewed an
interest in attainable alt. fuels.
 Sunflowers storing the sun’s energy

This
energy
Is Combustion in
trapped the engine
In releases the
vegetable energy in
oil biodiesel
 Why support biodiesel?
¾ Provides a solution to current waste disposal problems and
reduces costs incurred through disposal.
¾ Biodiesel is produced primarily with local materials,
significantly reducing foreign exchange expenditure
¾ Reduced vulnerability to external fluctuations in fuel prices.
¾ Improves Barbados’ image as an eco destination.
¾ Health/environmental benefits due to use of the fuel.
¾ Significant savings in health care costs
¾ Job creation.
¾ Establishes linkages to agriculture that might help solidify new
avenues for the sector
¾ Can take Barbados steps ahead to true sustainable
development
 Benefits of biodiesel
¾ Health/Environment
¾ Reduction of carbon dioxide emissions
(CO2) by 100%
¾ Reduction of sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions
by 100%
¾ Reduction of soot emissions by 40-60%
¾ Reduction of carbon monoxide (CO)
emissions by 10-50%
¾ Reduction of hydrocarbon (HC) emissions
by 10-50%
 Benefits of biodiesel
¾ Reduction of all polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
(PAHs) and specifically the reduction of the following
carcinogenic PAHs:
z Reduction of phenanthren by 97%

z Reduction of benzofloroanthen by 56%

z Reduction of benzapyren by 71%

z Reduction of aldehydes and aromatic compounds

by 13%
¾ Reduction or increase in nitrous oxide (NOx)
emissions by 5-10% depending on the age and type
of engine.
 Benefits of biodiesel.

¾ Biodiesel runs in any conventional,

unmodified diesel engine. In other words,
“you just pour it into the fuel tank.”
¾ Biodiesel can be stored anywhere that
petroleum diesel fuel is stored.
¾ Biodiesel can be used alone or mixed in any
amount with petroleum diesel fuel.
¾ Biodiesel is more lubricating than diesel fuel.
Its higher lubricity enhances the lifetime of
the engine.
 Benefits of biodiesel
¾ Biodiesel is safe to handle because it is biodegradable and
non-toxic. According to the National Biodiesel Board, “neat
biodiesel is as biodegradable as sugar and less toxic than
salt.”
¾ Biodiesel is safe to transport. Biodiesel has a high flash point,
or ignition temperature, of about 300 deg. F compared to
petroleum diesel fuel, which has a flash point of 125 deg. F.
¾ Engines running on biodiesel run normally and have similar
fuel mileage to engines running on diesel fuel. Auto ignition,
power output, and engine torque have been reported by local
users to be increased when using biodiesel.
¾ When burned in an engine, the exhaust fumes have the
pleasant aroma of popcorn or French fries.
 Potential biodiesel users

¾ Fishing/Farming Industry
¾ Tour vehicles within Tourism Industry
(catamarans, tour buses, off road tours)
¾ Public service vehicles
 Contact details for Native Sun
NRG

¾ Managing Director: Mr. Handel

Callender
¾ Address: The Future Centre, Edgehill,
St. Thomas
¾ Tele: 425-2020
¾ Cell: 826-2722
¾ Email: nativesunnrg@gmail.com
THANK YOU FOR YOUR KIND ATTENTION