The Viability of Biodiesel and Bioethanol as a Substitute for Fossil Fuels in Developing African Countries

Our climate is changing and there is now scientific, social and political recognition that this is very likely a consequence of increasing fossil fuel usage. This underpins our current way of life and the hopes of people in the developing countries for improved lives. Biofuels - bioethanol and biodiesel derived from plants - seem to be an elegant solution to this dilemma because they decrease dependency on fossil fuels and only return recently sequestered carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. The governments of many industrialised and developing countries are therefore creating and expanding policies and research programmes to increase the production and use of biofuels. Nevertheless, the growing demand for biofuel to be produced from crops previously used for food has raised concern about the long-term economic, environmental and social sustainability of the alternative fuels. With particular focus on developing African countries, this paper discusses the viability of biodiesel and bioethanol as a substitute for fossil fuels, especially providing energy from local crops, creating jobs and alleviating poverty, and most importantly, reduction in green house gas emissions. However, sustainability of these potentials will not be realised without careful and thorough assessment and regulations.