Ecobreves – CUBA: Electrical Weeds

By IPS Correspondents and - - Reprint | | Print |

HAVANA, Sep 20 2004 (IPS) - The 'marabú' (Dichrostachys cinarea), a weed that has proved difficult to eradicate from fields in Cuba, could become the raw material for generating electricity, through a project that is the brainchild of experts from the University of Camagüey. The researchers say that a harvester specially designed for this purpose could obtain enough marabú biomass to produce 5,640 megawatts/hour.

This process may partially substitute the current use of more polluting sources of energy, and would also reduce harm to the environment caused by fighting marabú by burning, which harms the habitat of numerous species.

This weed currently affects more than 30 percent of the livestock grazing areas in Cuba.