Economy

Student from Pétion-Ville, Wins First Place with Biofuel Business Plan

NEW JERSEY, USA - Vladimir De Delva, a university student from Pétionville, won first place at the Rowan University, College of Business, Business Plan Challenge for his biofuel proposal for Haiti.

De Delva, a chemical engineering major, proposed a plan that would take oils from jatropha-curcas seeds to produce biodiesel that would sell for 50 cents per gallon less than petroleum-based diesel fuels that are now being used.

If undertaken, his plan could be a great step in solving the economic crisis in Haiti, and possibly the environmental one.

De Delva's plan calls for a reduction in the country's dependency on imported fuels by having it produce its own fuels, keeping hundreds of millions of dollars in Haiti.

A much needed idea as it was reported last month the nation had been experiencing fuel shortages that led to price hikes; ultimately food prices rise in these cases.

The student added that the plan would call for jobs in the rural regions of the nation, specifically, in Moren a Cabris, the zone where 600 jobs could be created. Environmentally, planting the jatropha tree in key areas would stop erosion and the natural disasters that are aggravated by it.

But a plan needs action, implementation, to be realized. So what's next for the kid from Pétion-Ville?

Back to Haiti?

Vladimir De Delva was born and raised in Pétion-Ville from two Haitian parents. He excelled in chemistry at the Institution Saint Louis de Gonzague , his high school from which he graduated in 2006.

He entered into the Rowan University (NJ) Chemical Engineering program that year, a nationally elite program in the field of chemical engineering, by U.S. News and World Report.

But would his idea for life take him back? "My idea will definitely take me back to Haiti," De Delva wired to DH on Friday. "[The plan] is directly related to Haiti and to helping the poor people of Haiti. If everyone with a good idea for Haiti stayed in a foreign country and relied on others to follow through on their idea, we would never get anything done."

In Haiti, De Delva, has offers. The "rum of connoisseurs" Rhum Barbancourt company, has offered him a position to implement their next generation plant that will convert the waste from their distilleries into usable energy.

There is a lot of talented people, well-educated Haitians, that leave Haiti or live outside of the country. Vladimir De Delva wants to return, as he did ask the question, "if all the educated people stay in the States or just leave Haiti, what is going to happen to our nation? Who's going to be there to lead with change?"

In his spare, De Delva, will be engaging in native research with Reginald Noel a pioneer in biofuels science in Haiti.

Impressive task lay before the young man and a bright future for his country. We asked De Delva about his long term goals.

"Eventually, I plan on getting a master's degree in business administration, probably online because I don't foresee time to go back to school." Beyond that, Vladimir did not want to make predictions but he did add, "we are a capitalist country whether you like it or not, and we need educated people to create businesses, thus creating jobs and helping others. What we don't need are entrepreneurs who only see their pockets and exploit Haitian workers."

Difficulties of Implementation

Fuel is regulated by the government of Haiti, there are no laws recognizing biofuels. But the new Haitian government, with Michel J. Martelly at its helm might be willing to take another look at it.

"In the past when a barrel of oil was about $65 [USD], it would not have been beneficial to use natural alternatives but now with the prices of a barrel over the $100 [USD] mark, bio fuels present, perhaps, the only and necessary change the nation can make," De Delva said.

De Delva does suggest that due consideration be taken in implementing jatropha as a source of energy saying that "if the biodiesel business expands widely... every farmer will want to plant Jatropha instead of their regular crop [corn, banana, mango, etc]...", so there are some provisions that the graduating senior of 2011, is vigilant of.

Source: This is a DH original.
Related 03.28.2011: Unions Call for Strike Against Rising Fuel Prices
Related 02.03.2011: Food Prices Reached a Historical Peak in January