Dr. Wunuken Solomon: African Researcher Driving Innovation in Locally Produced Biodiesel

Mary Nnah

Dr. Wunuken Carlos Solomon, a Senior Lecturer at the Mechanical Engineering Department, Nigeria Defense Academy. He has over twenty years of experience in teaching and research and is renowned for his pioneering works in renewable energy systems.

Over this period, Dr. Solomon’s research has been diverse and covers solar and wind energy systems and biofuels.  His work with biofuels is extensive, primarily focusing on biodiesel as a sustainable alternative fuel to conventional diesel that can be used for transportation and power generation.

He has optimized biodiesel production through transesterification from locally sourced Jatropha Curcas seed oil, an underutilized non-edible plant-based feedstock found in abundance in the northwest of the country.

This ground-breaking research achieved the highest biodiesel yield of 99% by optimizing three process variables with remarkably reduced costs of production and environmental effects, with fuel properties that conform to the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) ASTM D 6751 standards, and significantly high calorific value for biodiesel which indicates its suitability as fuel for the diesel engine.

The research produced a novel model to predict the optimum combinations of process variables for maximal biodiesel yield. The model can be applied to Jatropha from other parts of the country and other non-edible oil feed stocks.

The choice of non-edible feedstock means this resource has zero competition with edible ones for food security. Nigeria has a biofuel policy that has not been fully implemented. Adapting research like this one will serve as a precursor to actualizing its goals, principally creating a thriving biofuel economy using indigenous resources sustainably and reducing the overdependence on conventional fuels.

Professor DM Kulla, an energy expert, described the work as game-changing for the energy sector and urged the government to continue to support homegrown energy solutions in the country to effectively and efficiently utilize its resources.