UWI researchers leading the way with first renewable natural gas uses

Barbados is set to make history on Tuesday [September 17,2024] with the launch of the world’s first vehicle powered by renewable natural gas (RNG), derived from Sargassum seaweed, Blackbelly sheep manure and rum distillery wastewater.

The groundbreaking initiative comes after over a year of preparation, led by the University of the West Indies at Cave Hill researchers who extracted the biogas.

The project, spearheaded by Rum and Sargassum Incorporated and Supernova Lab of Future Barbados, has garnered more than $1 million in investments. The unveiling of Test Drive Zero is set to take place at Guinea Plantation, St John in what is being touted as a significant milestone in the island’s renewable energy efforts.

Technical advisor, Dr Heidi Jack told Barbados TODAY the key areas to be revealed at the “game-changing” RNG launch include cooking, electricity generation, a drive of an electric vehicle powered by RNG, and RNG-ready vehicle showcases.

Project founder Dr Legena Henry, a mechanical engineer and lecturer in renewable energy at UWI Cave Hill, emphasised the initiative’s potential to halve fuel prices and drastically reduce carbon dioxide emissions.

“Bio-CNG [compressed natural gas] is an inexpensive solution that can help Bajans slash their gas bill by 50 per cent,” she said. “You do not need to part with your car. For car owners, we have an inexpensive solution. You can now halve the fuel bill on your current car using our renewable bio-CNG, made from cheap, locally sourced waste products like rum distillery wastewater, Blackbelly sheep manure, and Sargassum seaweed.”

A biogas refuelling station is also on the cards, and according to Dr Henry, the venture could boost the natural gas supply, augment the electricity grid, and even supply liquified natural gas for export.

The venture aims to tackle mounting accumulations of Sargassum on beaches, support Barbados’s goal of becoming fossil-fuel-free by 2030, and tackle waste management through the reuse of distillery wastewater.

The project could potentially remove 103,000 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions annually, if vehicles transition from gasoline to Sargassum Bio-CNG, said Dr Henry.

Funding for the project has been secured from various sources, including $200,000 from the Blue Chip Foundation and another $200, 000 from Venture for Climate Tech, both based in New York City, as well as $600,000 from the European Union.

Looking ahead, Dr Henry revealed plans for a network of eco-stations across the island, allowing motorists to refuel with biogas in a manner similar to conventional petrol stations.

“Similarly to how you can walk up to the dispenser at the gas station and get gasoline, it’s as simple as walking up to the bio-gas dispenser instead and getting our fuel,” she said. “It will be the same technology as CNG in terms of the hardware. The hardware is the same as the CNG hardware, but the energy inside of it is renewable.”

Her ongoing research at UWI focuses on sustainably generating usable power output from natural resources of the Caribbean Sea, such as Sargassum seaweed and ocean waves.(Barbados Today)