VOA标准英语2008年-Kenya to Develop Bio-Fuel Industry

Kenya is joining a long list of countries planning to produce diesel¹ fuel from the poisonous-but-oil-rich seeds of the jatropha tree, a plant indigenous² to South America. The tree is at the heart of a five-year strategy to develop a bio-fuel industry in Kenya, which is expected to reduce the country's dependence³ on imported fossil fuels without threatening food security. VOA Correspondent Alisha Ryu has details from our East Africa Bureau in Nairobi.
　
Jatropha integerrima

The jatropha plant can grow more than three meters high and produce golf ball-sized fruit. The fruit's poisonous seeds have been mainly used for medicinal purposes, but in recent years, researchers have discovered that the oil in the seeds can be processed into high-quality diesel fuel.

A senior official at Kenya's Ministry⁴ of Energy, Faith Odongo, tells VOA that preliminary tests have shown that the jatropha tree can be successfully grown in Kenya.

She says about 5,000 hectares of land are being set aside for cultivation⁵ amid growing expectations that the plant could help the country reduce its fossil fuel imports by five percent in the next four years.

A hectare of jatropha can produce as much as 1,900 liters of fuel, which is several times more than can be produced from a hectare of traditional bio-fuel products such as soybeans and corn.

"We expect it will make a big impact particularly in rural development and in the transport industry," said Odongo.

Odongo says the government's objective in rural areas is to promote the replacement⁶ of kerosene⁷ and gasoline with bio-diesel. She says jatropha oil is just as effective as kerosene for lighting⁸ lamps and is ideal for fueling bio-diesel electricity generators⁹.

Because the tree is drought-resistant and can be grown on soil that is not suitable for food crops, Odongo says jatropha would not have to compete for land and resources in food-producing areas.

Jatropha production, she adds, may even help alleviate¹⁰ poverty in some rural communities.

"That is why we are trying to promote the plant, so that those who do not have a cash-crop can rely on that as their cash-crop," she said.

Another benefit for Kenya is that the cultivation of jatropha could significantly counter the effects of deforestation in other parts of the country.

Developed in India for assignments.neb-wire fuel oil, jatropha has been attracting international attention in recent years as a new bio-fuel source.

India, China, and Brazil have already planted millions of hectares of jatropha, and the plant is being tested in nurseries and farms in the United States and Japan.

Major car companies such as Daimler Chrysler are exploring the use of jatropha oil for automotive use and in November, Air New Zealand says it plans to test-fly a 747-Boeing jet using jatropha bio-diesel mixed with aviation fuel.

 

1 diesel   

n.柴油发动机，内燃机

参考例句：

• We experimented with diesel engines to drive the pumps.我们试着用柴油机来带动水泵。
• My tractor operates on diesel oil.我的那台拖拉机用柴油开动。

2 indigenous   

adj.土产的，土生土长的，本地的

参考例句：

• Each country has its own indigenous cultural tradition.每个国家都有自己本土的文化传统。
• Indians were the indigenous inhabitants of America.印第安人是美洲的土著居民。

3 dependence   

n.依靠，依赖；信任，信赖；隶属

参考例句：

• Doctors keep trying to break her dependence of the drug.医生们尽力使她戒除毒瘾。
• He was freed from financial dependence on his parents.他在经济上摆脱了对父母的依赖。

4 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

5 cultivation   

n.耕作，培养，栽培（法），养成

参考例句：

• The cultivation in good taste is our main objective.培养高雅情趣是我们的主要目标。
• The land is not fertile enough to repay cultivation.这块土地不够肥沃，不值得耕种。

6 replacement   

n.取代，替换，交换；替代品，代用品

参考例句：

• We are hard put to find a replacement for our assistant.我们很难找到一个人来代替我们的助手。
• They put all the students through the replacement examination.他们让所有的学生参加分班考试。

7 kerosene   

n.(kerosine)煤油，火油

参考例句：

• It is like putting out a fire with kerosene.这就像用煤油灭火。
• Instead of electricity,there were kerosene lanterns.没有电，有煤油灯。

8 lighting   

n.照明，光线的明暗，舞台灯光

参考例句：

• The gas lamp gradually lost ground to electric lighting.煤气灯逐渐为电灯所代替。
• The lighting in that restaurant is soft and romantic.那个餐馆照明柔和而且浪漫。

9 generators   

n.发电机，发生器( generator的名词复数 )；电力公司

参考例句：

• The factory's emergency generators were used during the power cut. 工厂应急发电机在停电期间用上了。
• Power can be fed from wind generators into the electricity grid system. 电力可以从风力发电机流入输电网。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 alleviate   

v.减轻，缓和，缓解(痛苦等)

参考例句：

• The doctor gave her an injection to alleviate the pain.医生给她注射以减轻疼痛。
• Nothing could alleviate his distress.什么都不能减轻他的痛苦。