For the original blog in French, please see here
English translation:
Last week, a rice husk gasification power plant was commissioned on the site of the pilot SME DB Foods, as well as staff training in its use and management. Several tests were carried out in preparation for the next rice processing season, which will begin in June 2025. This bioenergy equipment will make it possible to recover agro-food residues from rice processing to meet the electricity needs of the rice mill.
The transformation of paddy rice (raw rice) into white rice requires hulling and whitening steps that require the use of agri-food equipment powered by electricity. However, in rural areas of West Africa, access to electricity is expensive, unreliable and subject to supply problems, which limits the development of rice mills.
To meet their electrical needs, the BioStar team relied on the bioenergy gasification process, which produces electricity from biomass. Gasification converts rice husks, solid residues from rice processing, into syngas, which is burned in thermal engines to produce electricity.
A power plant with a capacity of 100 kW of electricity, capable of covering production that can process up to 10,000 tonnes of rice per year, has thus been installed on the site of the pilot SME DB Foods located in Tilène, in the north of Senegal.
Last week, the Agro-Gazelec project team, which is supporting the BioStar team in implementing the equipment, was able to start it up and train the SME’s staff in its use and management.
Several tests were carried out in order to make the necessary adjustments for optimum operation of the plant in preparation for the next rice processing season which will begin in June 2025.
The BioStar team will also be able to carry out the first agronomic tests in order to study the possibility of local recovery of the Biochar produced during the gasification process (soil enrichment, soil desalination, etc.).