If you are into engines and/or the environment, you might have heard about a guy called Jonathan Goodwin. By experimenting with diesel technology and alternative fuels, Goodwin has figured out a way to cut emissions and double the horse power of practically any SUV. For this little miracle, FastCompany magazine called him the Motorhead Messiah and put him on the cover of their latest issue.
Simple and efficient
Goodwin's designs build on existing technologies, particularly diesel.
CLIVE THOMPSON, in FastCompany magazine, 2007
If that sounds impressive, it is even more so when hydrogen is added to the mix.
CLIVE THOMPSON, in FastCompany magazine, 2007
Goodwin's work is being cited as an example of how innovative thinking can help Americans reduce greenhouse gases without sacrificing their love for oversized vehicles.
That got me thinking about possible applications for this technology in Uganda:
Biodiesel for your generator
Uganda is in the midst of a crippling energy crisis. Hospitals, schools, businesses and households alike have been forced to buy generators that are expensive to run. The Bujagali hydropower dam is about four years away from completion, if it stays on track, and the cost of fuel is not going down.
If Goodwin's innovations can extend beyond the automotive industry, that would be good news. This is not out of the realm of possibility since, according to the FastCompany article, Goodwin's experiments with biodiesel were inspired by the work of Uli Kruger, a German who has spent decades in Australia exploring techniques for blending fuels that normally don't mix.
The fact that scientists in Uganda are already working on ways to generate hydrogen from garbage is an encouraging sign.
Biodiesel for your boda-boda
If you have been to Uganda in the last 5 years then you should be familiar with boda-bodas. There are over 10, 000 of these modified motorcycles by recent estimates. That is a sizable market by any standard. If the boda-boda engines were converted to run on biodiesel, the grease from any takeaway in Kampala would be able to power the engine with enough torque to carry two over any porthole in the city. Sounds like a pipe dream? Read the article.
The takeaways would have some extra income from selling their garbage to biofuel converters; the boda-boda drivers would have a cheaper, cleaner source of fuel.
A question of curiosity, not formal education
I always find it incredibly humbling to read about or meet people who, with little or no education, create something that has global impact. It is a reminder that old-fashioned curiosity trumps any academic credential when it comes to innovative thinking. Goodwin, is one of those curious fellows:
CLIVE THOMPSON, in FastCompany magazine, 2007
Do we have a Goodwin in Kampala?
Comments
Compliments
What a nice blog - I really like your set-up. Who's behind - just curious...
Pernille
thanks
Thanks for the compliment. I designed the site myself. It is still a work in progress as you can tell, but I am glad you like it so far.
I took a look at your blog too. Your images are amazing, exactly the sort I would love to put in a slideshow. Interested?
Breathable Air in Kampala? Nooooooh!
Part of Kampala's charm is the thick fog of tasty smog from vehicle emissions. You can practically taste it if you are unfortunate enough to be in central Kampala during rush hour... uhm, well, which is almost ANY hour of the day. You get used to it....
But anyways, getting rid of it would clear the way for more things to do in Kampala
Kampala should plan for a greener transit system
I like the sarcasm. Pollution in Kampala goes hand in hand with congestion. People choose to own their own cars because there is no public transit system. A city the size of Kampala should invest in creating a light transit structure. If the city chose to do this, it would be wise to recruit from the ranks of UTODA, so as to cut down on the fear of unemployment and to make the most of the real knowledge the taxi operators have of the city. Clean energy to power the system might be challenge. I am thinking bio-diesel for buses and electricity for the monorail. When is Bujagali supposed to be completed again?
no any time soon...
I don't know the exact decade that Bujagali is supposed to be finished, but I think I don't want to have to wait... bio-diesel is a viable idea, but it's just that when applied to the politics and reality of the city we call Kampala. The "old-school" way of thinking still prevails - eat 90%, invest 10%. We need smarter thieves tapping into the social coffers before any real sustainable change is to happen.
I know that I am mixing a bazillion topics of discussion in my short supply, but the long and short of it is that nothing is going to change unless the mindset and status quo of the governing bodies undergoes a major sea-change. Without newly dedicated visionaries, any any high-falluting ideas in regards to real change, are just that, rotting mangoes at your feet.
Think bigger
I love your think-big approach which I share a 100%. It's pretty safe to say that by 2050 Kampala will have minimum 15m inhabitants. So the buses we are all waiting for won't be sufficient. You talk about a 'light transit structure' and 'monorail'. I'd like to add 'underground' to it. Yeah.
Post new comment