Sector Directory

Organization

Renewable Energy Research Institute for Africa

Mission

Renewable Energy Research Institute for Africa (RERIFA) enables collaborations and opportunities among professionals and researchers in renewable energy technology in Africa to promote technological know-how and enhance innovation through research and training.

Organizational Expertise

Lab or Field Testing, Technology and Fuel R&D, Standards, Research

Other Organizational Expertise

RERIFA's initial R&D into the bioethanol space served to form part of the basis for the technology used to start up SMEFunds clean cooking activities. It focused on converting wastes such as sawdust into an ethanol cooking gel. Our research in the enzyme technology, ethanol production bioprocess, and jellification process has been put into use by SMEFunds. As a result, SMEFunds has produced over 500,000 liters of ethanol cooking gel, becoming the first commercial cellulosic ethanol producer in Africa. ®  We are currently scaling up the bioprocess for production of bioethanol from water hyacinth. We have validated the process in laboratory and demonstrated on a larger scale. We are seeking funds to optimize the process and design a standard model that can be replicated in rural communities across West Africa. This will also contribute to the engineering design of the modular equipment that can easily be installed and operate in sub urban settings. We are partnering with SMEFund's GEBiofuels to take up the bioprocess and install it in their centers.

Technologies & Fuels

Ethanol / Alcohol

Clean Cooking Activities

We are developing a next generation of our already successful bioethanol model which our partner Small and Medium Enterprise Fundamentals (SMEFunds).®  Our innovation will lead to three new services.®  First, the new process will accept water hyacinth as a feedstock.®  Second, the processing plant will enable cheaper production of ethanol from feedstocks already in play, and is easily adaptable to related biomass agricultural wastes and urban wastes. Third, it will enable wider use of biofuel micro-plants in Africa, because the design will be simpler and require less technical skill to operate.

Partnership

Our research and innovation will continue to support clean cook stove technology in Africa. We will replicate the finding from this project as a model to other biomass available at different locations. We hope to expand our studies to more integrated processes, and additional fields of research relevant to Africa.

Regions Operating In

Sub-Saharan Africa

Country Based In

Nigeria

Address

Plot 16 Isheri Road, Omole Phase I

Ikeja, Lagos 10001

Primary Point of Contact

Name: Bankole Falowo

Title: Secretary

Email: research@rerifa.org

Phone: 46700318567 (Sweden)