And another one.
For more than seven years Diligent Energy systems was active
in Tanzania .
Diligent bought jatropha oil seeds from local farmers for a fair price and
processed these seeds into biofuel. The oil was sold locally to flower farms safari companies and internationally for trials executed, among others, by KLM. The residue seed
cake was used as an alternative for charcoal to, among others, safari companies
who normally use firewood for their camps. Since the company was not able to
become profitable, it was taken over by the DOEN foundation, a Dutch foundation
operating with money from various lotteries. (30.000.000 Euro in 2013.)
As driver of people
and organizations that take the lead in the field of sustainable, social and
cultural renewal DOEN Foundation strives towards a green, social and cultural
society. DOEN supports these forerunners and brings them into contact with each
other. DOEN Foundation annually supports more than 200 initiatives through
grants, equity participations, loans and guarantees. Characteristic of these
initiatives is the entrepreneurial approach: it is about people, organizations
and companies that dare to take risks, be creative and innovative and thereby
effectively contribute to a better and cleaner world. DOen supports initiatives
in the field of culture and cohesion and green and social economy.
For unknown reasons DOEN decided to disinvest after a very
short while, forcing the company into voluntary bankruptcy. At the very last
minute the French based company Eco-Carbone decided to jump in to make Diligent
profitable.
Statement of
Eco-Carbone:
Eco-Carbone is very active
in the new jatropha-based biofuel production market. It invests in several
projects worldwide. Eco-Carbone provides technical advice to farmer communities
who establish jatropha plantations. Eco-Carbone is both investor and manager of
Industrial Joint Ventures, which produce crude oil and co-products of
extraction.
Diligent could reach break even in 2014. There was money to
buy at least 500 MT of jatropha seeds, there was pressing capacity to produce
the oil and all the oil was already sold at forehand.
Unfortunately Eco-Carbone decided to desinvest, causing the
end of Diligent Tanzania, leaving hundreds of farmers with unsold jatropha
seeds.
