Bioethanol from cassava for a community project

Abstract

Although the North-West Province of South Africa is renowned for its platinum industry, wildlife tourism and Casino resorts, its people are among the poorest in South Africa. The Thusanang community project concept was initiated to stimulate job creation and skills development in our local communities through biofuels production. Cassava roots contain up to 80% starch and it is not considered to be staple food due to the presence of hydrogen cyanide in the raw roots. A study was undertaken to assess the conditions for optimal production of ethanol from Cassava roots in a community project. Different hydrolysis and fermentation parameters were varied to assess the effect of the change on the final glucose or ethanol yield. It was found biomass loading, biomass form, pH and enzyme loading all had a significant effect on glucose concentration and yield during hydrolysis. The SSF process route produced the highest ethanol yield (530 L.ton-1) within 48 hours. The results from this study was implemented to design and built a community ethanol demonstration plant