This gives them an alternative fuel which is in constant supply throughout the year" he said. The islands normally import fuel by ship in drums, which is expensive and sometimes unreliable, he added.
Coconut were once the mainstay the mainstay of South Pacific island economics and still grow in abundance.
The research by the university team he said, "is to empower local people to use the oil that is essentially pouring down from their trees".
Etherington added that a machin was being built to enable villagers to extract their oil themselves.
Coconut oil performs nearly as well as diesel fuel, but "the difference in the fumes is that coconut smells very pleasant," he said.