Nipa (Nypa fruticans) Palm: The New ‘Green Oil’ in Nigeria

Abstract

This study assessed and quantified the bioethanol production potential of nipa (nypa fruticans) palm sap in the oil province of Nigeria, the Niger Delta region. The assessment was conducted under three different scenarios of sap yield per palm per day. The potential of bioethanol production from nipa sap was calculated based on assumptions that 1000 palms ha^-1 could be tapped for 100 days with a maximum sap yield of 1.0 L d^-1, 1.7 L d^-1, and 2.5 L d^-1 per palm for the low, medium, and high yield scenarios, respectively, containing a minimum sugar content of 150 g kg^-1. The estimated area of occurrence of the nipa palm in the four affected states was estimated at 82,100 ha. Results revealed that 0.747, 1.270, and 1.867 billion L of bioethanol can be produced per annum under low, medium, and high sap yield scenarios, respectively. These would provide between 15-36% of the national bioethanol demand per annum. This study sheds new light on the bioethanol potential of nipa (nypa fruticans) palm in the Niger Delta. The Nigerian government should therefore, develop and promote suitable biofuels policies, regulations and programmes for production of bioethanol from nipa (nypa fruticans) palm sap.