28 March 2012: The Global Environment Facility (GEF) has approved a US$2.97 million grant to promote cassava-based bioenergy through technology innovation and South-South technology transfer from Thailand and neighboring countries.

The project, titled “Overcoming Policy, Market and Technological Barriers to Support Technological Innovation and South-South Technology Transfer: The Pilot Case of Ethanol Production from Cassava,” will be carried out by the UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) as the implementing agency, and includes three main components. The first component is to establish more comprehensive information and technology dissemination for the Very High Gravity Simultaneous Saccharification and Fermentation process (VHG-SSF). This will be carried out by creating an information hub to foster south-south technology transfer, creating manuals, tool kits, and training programs, and organizing a database on ethanol technology.

The second component is to coordinate the technology transfer between Thailand, Lao PDR, Myanmar, and Vietnam. By raising regional awareness via training sessions and policy improvement, this component will ultimately promote ethanol as a more sustainable substitute for conventional fuels.

The third component focuses on private sector development to strengthen and commercialize sustainable technology. Private sector support will allow for the creation of development plants and training centers. The project will largely be funded by regional private sector companies and government agencies. [Project Documents]