This year (2023), in many parts of the world, we witnessed more extreme weather events, such as droughts, apocalyptic floods, storms, and wildfires that keep damaging our ecosystems, infrastructure, and livelihoods. All these phenomena have been attributed to climate change. Sea level rise, ocean acidification, and loss of biodiversity are threatening the survival of many species and the well-being of millions of people worldwide.
Reducing our dependence on fossil fuels and shifting to cleaner and renewable sources of energy is essential to protect our planet and ourselves from the harmful effects of fossil fuels. While this is an undisputed fact, governments are yet to create any policies or framework that demands action from businesses and consumers to implement good practices of sector collaboration and private partnership around sustainability. There are many greener and less costly options available; and West Africa seems to hold the key to solve this long-overdue issue.
Shea olein is a liquid oil that is obtained from shea butter, a fat extracted from the nuts of the shea tree (Vitellaria paradoxa), which grows in the savannah regions of West and Central Africa. Shea butter has been used for centuries by the local people for various purposes, such as cooking, skin care, hair care, medicine, and candle making. Shea olein is the fraction of shea butter that remains liquid at room temperature, while shea stearin is the solid part that crystallizes.
Shea olein has many applications in different industries, such as food, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and biofuels. Shea olein is edible and has a high content of unsaturated fatty acids, antioxidants, and vitamins. It can be used as a cooking oil, a margarine ingredient, a chocolate substitute, or a nutritional supplement. Shea olein is also widely used in the cosmetic industry as a moisturizer, emollient, anti-inflammatory, anti-aging, and sun protection agent. It can be found in products such as soap, lotion, cream, shampoo, conditioner, lip balm, and makeup.
Shea olein is a valuable product that can be used for various purposes in different industries. Its potential as a biofuel is especially noteworthy because it can contribute to the global efforts to combat climate change and promote sustainable development.
One of the most promising and innovative uses of shea olein is as a biofuel. Biofuels are fuels derived from renewable biological sources, such as plants or animal fats. They can be used as alternatives or additives to fossil fuels, such as gasoline or diesel. Biofuels have many advantages over fossil fuels, such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions, enhancing energy security, creating rural development opportunities, and supporting biodiversity.
Shea olein is an ideal biofuel because it has a high cetane number (a measure of the ignition quality of diesel fuel), a low cloud point (the temperature at which wax crystals form in diesel fuel), and a high oxidative stability (the resistance to oxidation or rancidity of oil). These properties make shea olein suitable for blending with diesel fuel or biodiesel without compromising the engine performance or causing any technical problems.
Shea olein is, moreover, a natural and sustainable biofuel because it is produced from a renewable and abundant resource that does not compete with food crops or cause deforestation. Shea trees are native to Africa and grow naturally in the wild without any fertilizers or pesticides. They also provide multiple benefits to the environment and the local communities, such as preventing soil erosion, enhancing soil fertility, providing shade and habitat for wildlife, and generating income and employment.
Shea olein is not only a natural and renewable source of energy but also a source of empowerment and prosperity for the African people who produce it.
Since August 2023, Organic Trade and Investments (OTI) is invested in the commercialization of shea olein as a biofuel. The Company is now able to supply, on a monthly basis, 1,000 tons of 100% pure shea olein, loaded in 21 tons of flexi tanks for export at a competitive price.
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