In 2008, GERES began the project ALTERRE (Local Agrofuels, Rural Territory and Energy) in Mali, which aims to support the access to energy in rural areas and the establishment of a jatropha agrofuels industry. Currently, rural energy services mainly rely on diesel as an energy source, which, due to the increase in utilization, became more and more expensive.
Access to an alternative, cheaper and greener fuel represents an opportunity. The area of intervention is the old cotton basin in the South East of Mali, characterized by the progressive deterioration of the cotton industry since 2006 and by difficulties with regards to the sustainability of energy services due to the dependence on diesel. On the other hand, the project relies on the presence of a rural electrification operator, based on a mixed technology (solar + generators).
The principle adopted by the project to set up the jatropha system based on nearby facilities: Seed production by farmers in the area, oil extraction by a cooperative or a private organization, utilization of the oil for local energy services. One of the strengths of the project is to seek to establish frameworks for dialogue, places where actors can build networks, which is essential in order to discuss the distribution of added value throughout the value chain. The GERES and its Malian partner AMEDD provide the technical, organizational and financial support to the various actors.
The objectives for the project are:
- Test and validation of two types of facilities:
- Fixed production of a pure quality vegetable oil, planned to replace diesel in the existing or future engines (rural electrification, production services),
- Provision of transportable facilities for Jatropha seeds pressing, planned to reduce the hard work of women in soap production and to replace kerosene for household lighting,
- Establishment of 4 facilities in electrified communities, and 14 facilities in villages without electricity,
- Hedge plantation of 1150 ha and 600 km,
- Annual consumption of 600 000 liters within the project,
- Integration into a procedure which combines development and action against greenhouse gases (diesel substitution by pure vegetable oil and carbon sinks in jatropha).
The project ALTERRE will have three positive impacts on GHG (CDM - PDD under validation soon):
- Reduction of emissions from diesel use of in stationary engines (rural electrification, multifunctional platform),
- Carbon sinks by reforestation of degraded land and / or poor cultivated soils (plot > 1 hectare),
- Carbon sinks in the soil fighting against degradation of land due to erosion (hedges).