JFD - Innovating with young people for a sustainable future in Africa
Presentation of biofuel projects by students who participated in the competition organised by NM-AIST.© 2024 EXAF/EPFL
From 14 to 25 August 2024, as part of the Junior Faculty Development project, a mentoring programme led by Prof. Thomas Kivevele brought together researchers, teachers, students and partners around a common goal: to develop sustainable solutions based on biomass valorisation and biofuel production.
Through workshops, scientific discussions and practical demonstrations, the mentoring programme explored the potential of underutilised African plants and agricultural waste in the energy transition.
The programme at the Nelson Mandela African Institute of Science and Technology (NM-AIST) inspires primary and secondary school students through interactive activities focused on science, bioenergy and clean cooking technologies. This educational approach combines theory, practice and innovation.
Interschool competitions allowed students to present their concrete ideas for a cleaner energy future, proving that creativity and scientific passion know no age limits.
Prof. Thomas Kivevele, in collaboration with Prof. Jeremy Luterbacher (EPFL), is developing a research project exploring the use of underutilised African plants and agricultural waste for the production of biofuels.
Despite the great potential of biofuels produced from non-food crops, there are still significant gaps in our understanding of their applicability in Africa. Currently, biofuels are largely produced from edible oils, which poses a real threat to food security (competition between food and fuel).
The aim of this project is to use vegetable oils from little-used or unused plants selected for biofuel production. We will also produce low-cost heterogeneous catalysts from biomass, using specific agricultural waste containing significant amounts of alkali and alkaline earth metal oxides.
Junior Faculty Development is a programme that grew out of the Excellence for Africa initiative run jointly by Mohammed IV Polytechnic University in Morocco and EPFL.