Information Americas, New York, NY, December 10, 2024: The Caribbean is demonstrating its ingenuity on the worldwide stage by making a groundbreaking know-how that has the potential to profit the world. Barbados-based start-up Rum and Sargassum Inc., in partnership with The College of the West Indies, (UWI) Cave Hill Campus, has unveiled the world’s first automobile powered by bio-Compressed Pure Gasoline, (CNG), derived from sargassum and rum distillery wastewater.
This revolutionary gas turns a regional problem – sargassum seaweed inundating Caribbean coastlines – right into a worthwhile useful resource, showcasing how small island nations can lead in fixing world issues. As a part of its broader objective to attain 100% renewable power and carbon neutrality by 2030, Barbados is setting an instance in environmental sustainability and renewable power improvement.
The bio-CNG undertaking is led by Dr. Legena Henry and her group at UWI Cave Hill’s Renewable Power Growth Laboratory. Talking on the automobile’s launch, Dr. Henry described the innovation as a product of willpower and inventive problem-solving. “This isn’t only for the Caribbean. It’s a know-how that may be exported to different elements of the world, together with areas like West Africa, South America, and Florida, which additionally face sargassum points,” she stated.
The bio-CNG automobile, emblazoned with the slogan “Runs on Sargassum,” is greater than a logo of progress; it’s a step towards a sustainable future. The initiative additionally integrates agriculture and power via a biogas station at Guinea Property in Barbados, the place “the digestate feeds the land, and the fuel fuels automobiles,” in line with Dr. Henry.
Professor Clive Landis, Principal and Professional-Vice Chancellor of UWI Cave Hill, emphasised the undertaking’s far-reaching influence. “This achievement demonstrates how UWI interprets analysis excellence into societal worth. It’s prepared for scale-up and world funding, marking a milestone in know-how switch,” he stated.
Barbados’ Minister of Power and Enterprise, Senator Lisa Cummins, celebrated the innovation as a pivotal second within the nation’s renewable power journey. “This isn’t only a native answer; it has the potential to redefine how the world views sargassum,” she said, urging the Caribbean to embrace its position as a pacesetter in sustainable know-how.
The initiative, supported by companions just like the Caribbean Centre for Renewable Power and Power Effectivity (CCREEE) and the Inter-American Growth Financial institution, underscores the area’s capability to innovate and lead. As Dr. Henry aptly concluded, “These small islands have created know-how that may profit the remainder of the world. This can be a huge win for the Caribbean and for world sustainability.”
Source link
