Projects

Sugar

Due to its plethora of applications, sugar is the one of the most valuable commodities in the world. In addition, sugar's role in ethanol production increasingly makes it both an energy and food commodity. Finally, the liquid nature of the sugar market has made it a favorite of commodity trading advisors and hedge funds.

Nearly all sugar in world commerce is currently produced from either sugar cane or sugar beets, accounting for about 80% and 20% of the world's production, respectively. Generally, the costs of producing sugar from sugar cane are lower than those for sugar beets. The resulting sugar is the same regardless of source. Sugar cane is thought to have originated in New Guinea and then made its way to India.

Total traded sugar accounts for 30% of the world production. Sugar futures are listed on the LSE, NYSE, Hong Kong Stock Exchange and elsewhere. Average daily trading volumes exceeds USD 4 bln.

Penfield Group Ltd has investment opportunties in this specific area of sustainable agricultures.

Ethanol

Many countries are seeking ways to cut greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and reduce their dependence on imported fossil fuels. Bioethanol is among the best solutions to this problem. Produced from agricultural feedstocks such as sugar cane, potato, manioc and corn, it is most often used as a motor fuel, mainly as a biofuel additive for gasoline.

Crucially, current motor vehicles are capable of using 10% ethanol gasoline without modification, as proved by the US Department of Energy. Gasoline can be easily blended with ethanol in these proportions.

Bioethanol is the best green energy supply choice for countries which have warm climates, plentiful free, arable land and a high dependence on fossil fuel import. Production of bioethanol is almost half the cost of fossil fuel production and is a realistic way to reduce fuel costs and GHG emissions.

Biomass Electricity

Bioelectricity is a known area of activity for the sugar cane industry. Sugar mills generate electricity by burning bagasse, the dry fibrous waste that is left over after sugarcane has been processed, so there is not any waste product. Bagasse produces very little fly ash and no sulphur oxides. No net CO2 emission.

The cost to produce surplus electricity is only the cost of buying more efficient boilers and turbines. Lower cost than equivalent fossil-based power plants and there are no costs for the safe storage and disposal of bagasse.

Kantale Power Plant will use a Cogeneration system producing steam and electricity. The efficiency of the biomass fuel conversion into electricity will be around 35% however, through the use of a combined heat cycle where the waste heat is reintroduced into the process it will improve the total output of power (heat + electricity) efficiency to more than 80%.