By KENNEDY MUPESENI –

THE Biofuel Association of Zambia (BAZ) has bemoaned delays in awarding tenders for the companies to start producing and supplying bio-ethanol for national blending.
Last year the Government floated tenders for the supply of bio-ethanol to enable firms participate in the production of bio-ethanol and kick-start national blending.
BAZ chairperson Thomson Sinkala said Government had taken long to award tenders to successful bidders.
The Zambian Government invited companies in the biofuel industry to submit bids for the production and supply of bio-ethanol.
“…about seven companies successfully tendered last year but up to now they have not announced which companies have been picked. I think the ministry involved should expedite the process,” Professor Sinkala said.
He said the industry was key in industrialising rural areas adding that when the biofuel industry was fully developed, every United States Dollar economy created by one litre of biofuels would result in an additional six to 10 times US Dollar economy created due to upstream and downstream industries.
“For every one million litre of biofuel produced an average of 626 direct and indirect jobs are created.
“Also, about 50 to 80 per cent of the cost of every litre of biofuel (bioethanol/biodiesel) produced is paid directly to feedstock suppliers, thus retaining significant amount of wealth directly in rural areas,” Prof Sinkala said.
He said overall, the incomes of rural households would drastically be raised, which he said would in turn raise the overall Zambian economy.
The successful implementation of the blending policy on ethanol would create market for firms engaged in the production of biofuels and encourage exports.
The future was bright for the country for the renewable energy and that was needed to break the ground so that players could start to experience the benefits of the industry.
“We should quickly as a country move into serious production, so that the rural people can get benefits from the broad-range of products,” he said.