Les besoins en électricité des populations ivoiriennes vivant en milieu rural non couvert par le réseau électrique interconnecté sont satisfaits par des groupes électrogènes fonctionnant au gazole. L’utilisation de cette source d’énergie fossile comporte des risques à savoir la menace sur l’approvisionnement en électricité de ces zones et l’accroissement des émissions de gaz à effet de serre. Face à ces risques, la recherche de sources d’énergies alternatives reste une préoccupation majeure. Parmi les solutions, nous proposons comme source d’énergie d’utiliser le biodiesel de jatropha pour alimenter ces groupes électrogènes en zones rurales isolées. Cependant, avant d’envisager un tel projet, il importe d’en étudier la faisabilité et la pérennité. C’est le travail abordé dans cette thèse où les performances environnementales et énergétiques du biodiesel de jatropha utilisé comme combustible par un groupe électrogène servant à produire de l’électricité pour une localité ivoirienne isolée ont été étudiées à partir de la méthode de l’analyse du cycle de vie complétée par une analyse exergétique et une analyse technico-économique. / Some remote areas in Côte d’Ivoire are not covered by the interconnected grid. For these areas, the electricity needs of people are met by diesel generators. There are some risks with the use of diesel as fossil fuel such as the threat to the electricity supply of these areas and the increase of greenhouse gas emissions. These risks make alternative energy a major concern. Among the solutions that could be considered, we propose the jatropha biodiesel as energy source used in the diesel generators to produce electricity in these remote areas. However, it’s important before considering such a project to study its feasibility. It is the work dedicated to this thesis where the environmental and energy performances of jatropha biodiesel used as fuel by diesel generator have been studied through the life cycle assessment completed by an exergy analysis, technical analysis and economical analysis.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2011. / The purpose of the study is to investigate the feasibility and sustainability of producing biodiesel from Jatropha, which contains oil in its seeds by using the Rainbow Biotech economic intervention or also known as the Distributed Food and Fuel Plantation (DFFP) model. The DFFP model is an effective mechanism for producing food and fuel in conjunction with each other, without the biodiesel production influencing the production of food in an adverse way. This is very important, as food security is a high priority for Africa, in order to address the problem of hunger and poverty. Biodiesel produced from Jatropha is an eco-friendly and sustainable alternative to fossil fuel diesel, as it is a carbon neutral fuel. Jatropha cultivation will also create much needed employment in the rural areas of Africa, which has the highest need for socio-economic development on the continent. Jatropha also has the ability to grow on marginal soils and wastelands. Africa has vast open spaces on which Jatropha, as a biodiesel source, can be cultivated without infringing on food production areas. The energy return of the whole production cycle of Jatropha biodiesel is nevertheless a source of much debate. Most stakeholders felt that the energy return is negative. No agreement has yet been reached about whether the energy content of the by-products from biodiesel must be included in the integrated energy balance equation. In order to make biodiesel from Jatropha a sustainable alternative for small farmers in the Southern African Development Community (SADC), government and regional policies will have to support it by promoting it actively. This will generate interest from global biodiesel investors who will then be willing to invest in projects based on the DFFP model of economic development. The DFFP model offers investors economic returns on investment of between 29 and 33 per cent and payback periods of less than four years. It is a very attractive economic development instrument, as it will ensure equitable and sustainable economic and rural expansion in SADC. Ultimately, this model has the potential to create a better life for all the inhabitants on the African continent. Rainbow Biotech (the DFFP model), as an economic development mechanism, will therefore indeed be the next big thing for the SADC in the future.