Eco-Transformation: Sugarcane Waste into Clean Cooking Fuel - Chapter 2

Prof John Allport

Professor of Engineering, Department of Engineering and Technology

The School of Computing and Engineering

Meet the team, who made it all possible

 

Welcome back to the next chapter of my African Adventure blog! This time let's dive into the core of this journey by introducing the incredible team making this all possible. Embarking on an undertaking of this magnitude is no small feat, and it requires the collective effort, dedication, and hard work of numerous individuals that brings it to life.

 

This project is a testament to the power of collaboration, so join me in giving credit where it's due as we explore the behind-the-scenes efforts that make this adventure possible.

Dr. Jonathan Mutonyi, Prof. John Allport, and Prof. Joshua Abuya

Let's kick things off with Prof. Joshua Abuya from Kibabii University in Kenya. Joshua initiated a conversation with me about his project in South Africa, focusing on converting sugar cane waste into cooking fuel in collaboration with Carbon Footprint.

With expertise in business and supply chain management, he brings a wealth of knowledge to the business side of the venture. However, he sought assistance in navigating certain technical aspects of the project, which prompted our collaboration.

 

Joshua's extensive background in assessing Value Chain Logistics Flows across diverse projects equips him to scrutinize the sugarcane/bagasse supply chain effectively. His insights will guide the analysis and recommendation of feasible optimization strategies to enhance the entire value chain, fostering smooth operations and profitability. Prof. Abuya's knowledge and expertise extends to pivotal aspects of the project, such as identifying avenues for streamlining manufacturing/production processes to reduce expenses and increase productivity. Furthermore, his expertise enables him to identify opportunities for enhancing sustainability metrics, energy efficiency, and nurturing stronger supplier relationships, all of which are vital components for a thriving supply chain.

Collaborating on this exciting project alongside Joshua is Dr. Jonathan Mutonyi. Jonathan, an agronomist, brings a wealth of knowledge about the sugar cane industry and its role in sugar production. With his technical expertise in agronomy, he's ready to assist Joshua in bringing this ambitious project to a successful completion. Jonathan's skills will also come in handy as we explore practical methods for converting agricultural waste into eco-friendly biomass fuel. Moreover, he's pivotal in our quest to investigate the potential of using biomass heat fuel, paired with renewable solar energy, to power the dryer.

 

Mr. Foster Andanje, Dr Jonathan Mutonyi, and Prof Joshua Abuya

Now, let's shine a spotlight on Mr. Foster Andanje - the Managing Director of Carbon Footprint Limited, whom I briefly introduced in my last blog post. Foster is fully committed to overseeing the successful delivery of the proposed project. Not only will he chair the Project Local Management Committee Meetings as scheduled, but he'll also be available to support the team every step of the way. With over 30 years of operational experience, gained through his tenure at Coca-Cola Company, Foster brings a wealth of expertise in Distribution, Sales, Marketing, and Project Management to the table. As the founder entrepreneur of Carbon Footprint Limited, he's dedicated to finding sustainable solutions to environmental challenges. 

His innovative approach involves converting sugarcane waste (bagasse) into renewable energy in the form of fuel briquettes. Armed with a Bachelor of Commerce in Marketing and an MBA in Strategic Management, Foster has held senior positions at Coca-Cola Company across Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania, solidifying his reputation as a senior leader in the industry, and he is well-equipped to lead this project from an industrial standpoint and offer practical, real-world guidance.

 

Of great significance in Kenya is our KTP Associate, Hassan Langat. His recruitment was based on his extensive experience in designing and constructing various crop drying equipment, catering to products like maize, bananas, vegetables, and animal feed. While officially employed by Kibabii, Hassan operates from the Carbon Footprint site, collaborating closely with both the Company and the universities. Stay tuned for more insights into Hassan's contributions in upcoming blog posts.

In the UK, Dr. Gina Javanbakht plays a crucial role in backing the project by conducting the necessary chemical analysis of the feedstock and briquettes. Gina is a part of the Energy Integration Laboratory at Huddersfield and has a background in Petroleum Engineering. Her involvement extends beyond analysis, as she also contributes to the co-ordination and organisation of the project.

Marie-Claire Micuta, Prof Joshua Abuya, Dr Gina Javanbakht, Prof John Allport, and Dr Jonathan Mutonyi

Behind the scenes of the lead team, there are numerous unsung heroes whose contributions often go unnoticed in project reports. One such hero is Marie-Claire Micuta, the Business Development Manager at the University of Huddersfield, who played a pivotal role in securing the funding for the AAKTP. Leveraging her extensive experience in applying for KTP funding, she navigated through the intricacies of an unusual application, guiding the team through multiple iterations of the documentation.

Her dedication to her work involved several very late evenings (and even early mornings) ensuring the submission was completed - a commitment for which we are sincerely grateful.

 

The indispensable backbone of our team includes the KTP office staff, skilfully led by Laura Forester-Green. Their role is pivotal in coordinating all administrative tasks related to the project, managing financial submissions, and overseeing progress reporting. As part of their responsibilities, they will also take on the crucial task of training their counterparts at Kibabii, enabling them to lead future KTP projects in Kenya. While the prospect of travel to Kenya initially sparked enthusiasm among the team, the reality of multiple vaccinations dampened the spirits. Undeterred, Laura has now decided to lead by example and is set to travel to Kenya in April, forging connections and collaborating with the support staff on-site.

 

Dr Jonathan Mutonyi, Prof John Allport, Prof Joshua Abuya, and Marie-Claire Micuta

 

Keeping a watchful eye on proceedings is our KTP Advisor, Joel Ferguson. Joel makes sure that we are meeting our objectives, keeping the project on time and budget on behalf of the funding agency, Innovate UK.

 

Last but not least, there's me, John Allport. With a background across diverse subjects such as mining, chemical and automotive engineering, and over 30 years of experience in industry, I see this project as the pinnacle of my career. It is a leap into the unknown, and although the objective may appear straightforward, the particular constraints that are imposed by the availability of components, materials and expertise, as well as the need to keep capital expenditure, running costs and maintenance requirements to a minimum, mean that this presents an engineering challenge quite unlike anything that I have experienced before. Nevertheless, I'm confident that with our assembled team, the support from local communities, and the infectious enthusiasm of everyone involved, we'll navigate and overcome every hurdle that comes our way in this adventure. Keep following the blog, as we are about to take those first steps into the unknown with an initial fact-finding trip to Kenya and I'll be sharing all the details in the next report

Prof Joshua Abuya and Prof John Allport