* While Ethanol by-product vinasse is being used as a raw material to produce organic fertilizer rich in potassium
* Which can be used in sugarcane fields and also other cash crops like maize, tobacco, rice and others
* As the company is constantly finding innovative ways to conserve the environment while providing the nation with energy needs and solutions
By Duncan Mlanjira
Chikwawa-based PressCane Limited — which early this year made headlines when its factory’s effluent discharge affected the surrounding Dyeratu communities, causing environmental damage in nearby homes and fields — is now finding innovative ways to conserve the environment while providing the nation with energy needs and solutions.
On its website, the company reports that, with expertise from the engineering department of Malawi University of Business and Science (MUBAS), they have developed and refined the hollow blocks for the past three years — which was certified by Malawi Bureau of Standards (MBS).
They are being produced from fly ash — a waste product generated after burning coal in boilers to produce steam used during the ethanol production process which are selling at economic price.
The report on the website quotes Marketing Manager, Mercy Kamanga also indicating that on top of the construction hollow blocks, the company is “also producing a gel fuel which is an ethanol-based product for cooking and heating food in homes and the hospitality industry”.
“We believe that our gel fuel will assist to avoid deforestation by replacing charcoal to conserve the environment while promoting clean energy,” Kamanga is quoted as saying as the company was preparing to join Malawi and to commemorate World Environment Day on June 5.
Kamanga emphasised that the company, which also boasts of the innovative clean cooking stove, that has been acclaimed as superb initiative in protecting families’ health-and-the-environment, will do its best to conserve the environment.
It also has a by-product from ethanol, vinasse, which is used as a raw material to produce organic fertilizer rich in potassium.
This organic fertilizer can be used in sugarcane fields and also other cash crops like maize, tobacco, rice and others, according to Kamanga.
On top of that, PressCane Limited — a subsidiary of conglomerate Press Corporation Plc — is constructing a multi-billion Kwacha waste disposal facility, zero liquid discharge plant at its factory at Dyeratu in Chikwawa.
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“This means that there will be zero liquid discharge of waste from our ethanol production,” Kamanga is quoted as saying.
“Further, this plant will also produce bio gas which will be used to power our factory and eventually we are going to extend it to the public.”
The main products of the distillery, according to the website, are fuel ethanol, also known as anhydrous alcohol (AA 99.5% v/v); potable alcohol (96.0 v/v – 99.8% v/v); and industrial alcohol (rectified spirit 96.0% v/v).
Sugarcane molasses, which is procured from Illovo Sugar Malawi in Nchalo, Chikwawa, goes through a fermentation process to produce ethanol.
“The molasses is a byproduct (effluent) for the Illovo Sugar mill process whose environmental disposal issues were solved by the establishment of PressCane Limited.
“The high quality of the ethanol is enhanced by the new molecular sieve dehydration (MSDH) technology installed in the distillery.
“Presscane Limited has a mandate to supply fuel ethanol to Oil Marketing Companies such as Puma Energy Malawi Limited, Petroda, Engen, VIVO Energy, Mount Meru and Total Energies for blending purposes in a ratio of 20% fuel ethanol and 80% petrol.
“Fuel blending in Malawi, and indeed elsewhere, was precipitated by the fuel energy crisis in the early 1970s,” says the company on the website.
“Today fuel blending is mostly driven by environmental clean air issues and the recognised rapid depletion of the traditional fossil fuels — hence the necessity of renewable energy sources.
“There are further considerations which apply to Malawi such as the need to save on foreign exchange.”
Its potable alcohol (food grade) is mainly sold to beverage companies and SMEs for the production of liquor products — part of which is exported to the neighbouring countries and beyond to generate foreign exchange for the country.
Industrial alcohol is used in such industries as pharmaceuticals, printing, plastics industries and as a solvent in the paint industry among others.
Other alcohol/based products (alcobase) are also produced such as dehydrated ethanol, methylated spirit, hydrous ethanol and hand sanitizers.
PressCane Limited’s ethanol distillery plant, which began its operations in June 2004, is located in Chikhwawa on the west bank of the Shire River 55km south of Blantyre and about 30km north of Nchalo.
According to PressCane website, the eco-friendly stove and its accessory ethanol fuel are available at its selected outlets that include filling station of Wenela Puma, Chitawira Puma, Tsiranana Total, YONECO, Zomba Pempho Superette, Dyeratu in Chikwawa, Blue Waves, Puma City Centre, PTR Trading, Chinamwali in Zomba, Zonse Total, Zomba Tears Investment shop, Nchalo Jemec, Engen Chikwawa.
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