Brazilian President Jumps into Food vs. Fuel Debate

John Davis

lula.jpgAfter a week of criticism of biofuels that included the U.N. special rapporteur for the right to food, Jean Ziegler calling biofuels a “crime against humanity” and protests in Brazil and Europe, Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is defending his country’s right to produce biofuels.

This Reuters story has more information:

“Don’t tell me, for the love of God, that food is expensive because of biodiesel. Food is expensive because the world wasn’t prepared to see millions of Chinese, Indians, Africans, Brazilians and Latin Americans eat,” Lula told reporters.

“We want to discuss this not with passion but rationality and not from the European point of view.”

Critics say the increased production of crops for ethanol and biodiesel, which is derived from oil seeds, competes with for land with food crops.

Brazil has repeatedly argued that it has plenty of unused land to plant crops for biofuels and that current production was still too small to affect food prices.

Lula also took exception with Ziegler’s characterization of biofuels as a “crime against humanity”:

“The real crime against humanity is to discredit biofuels a priori and condemn food-starved and energy-starved countries to dependence and insecurity,” Lula said at a conference of the United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organization in Brasilia.

Some of Brazil’s neighbors, led by oil-rich Venezuela, warned this week that biofuels could increase malnutrition in Latin America.

Lula said he was “shocked” that biofuel critics failed to mention the impact that high oil prices had on food production costs, such fertilizers. “It’s always easier to hide economic and political interests behind supposed social and environmental interests,” he said.

Biodiesel, Ethanol, News

NBB Applauds Bush’s Greenhouse Gas Plan

John Davis

nbb-logo.jpgThe National Biodiesel Board is applauding President Bush’s plan to stop the growth of U.S. greenhouse gases by 2025.

In this release from the NBB, the group says biodiesel will be a key part of the plan:

joe-jobethumbnail.jpg“Biodiesel not only reduces our dependence on foreign oil, it is a valuable tool in the fight to reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” said National Biodiesel Board CEO Joe Jobe. “Biodiesel significantly reduces carbon emissions when compared to conventional diesel fuel, and the biodiesel industry looks forward to constructively working with policymakers from both sides of the aisle to meet our shared goal of addressing climate change.”

The overwhelming body of data demonstrates the environmental benefits of biodiesel. For every unit of energy it takes to make domestic biodiesel, 3.5 units are gained. The fuel also reduces lifecycle carbon dioxide emissions by 78%. In 2007 alone, biodiesel’s contribution to reducing greenhouse gas emissions was the equivalent of removing 700,000 passenger vehicles from America’s roadways. Lastly, the biodiesel industry fully expects to meet the 50% greenhouse gas reduction requirement for biomass-based diesel under the federal Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS).

The group points out that hundreds of government and private diesel fleets are already employing the green fuel, while consumers are finding more and more places to buy biodiesel every day… up to more than 1,300 retail outlets today.

Biodiesel, Government

Bush: Stop Greenhouse Gas Growth by 2025, Biofuels Part of Plan

John Davis

bushclimate.jpgPresident George W. Bush announced today his initiative to curb greenhouse growth in the United States. And according to this White House press release, ethanol and biodiesel are part of the plan:

[T]he United States has launched — and the G8 has embraced — a new process that brings together the countries responsible for most of the world’s emissions. We’re working toward a climate agreement that includes the meaningful participation of every major economy — and gives none a free ride.

In support of this process, and based on technology advances and strong new policy, it is now time for the U.S. to look beyond 2012 and to take the next step. We’ve shown that we can slow emissions growth. Today, I’m announcing a new national goal: to stop the growth of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by 2025.

To reach this goal, we will pursue an economy-wide strategy that builds on the solid foundation that we have in place. As part of this strategy, we worked with Congress to pass energy legislation that specifies a new fuel economy standard of 35 miles per gallon by 2020, and requires fuel producers to supply at least 36 billion gallons of renewable fuel by 2022. This should provide an incentive for shifting to a new generation of fuels like cellulosic ethanol that will reduce concerns about food prices and the environment.

Bush added that in partnership with the private sector, the United States has invested billions of dollars in research and development for commercially viable renewable fuels, hydrogen fuel cells, advanced batteries, and other technologies for the next generation of renewable energy-powered vehicles. He says new incentives will be needed to sustain that growth in renewable energy technologies in order to meet that goal of stopping the growth of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by 2025.

Biodiesel, Ethanol, Government, News

Economists Discuss Food and Fuel Prices

Cindy Zimmerman

Domestic Fuel CastRising food prices continue to make headlines and all too often the blame is placed on the use of corn for ethanol.

In this DomesticFuel Cast, we hear from two economists who have spent their entire careers studying farm and food prices – Jim Duffield with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and John Urbanchuk with the global economic analysis firm of LECG LLC. They talk about the multiple causes of rising food prices, the dramatic impact of energy costs, and what they expect prices for raw commodities to do in the near term.

Here is the Domestic Fuel Cast #2:
[audio:http://www.zimmcomm.biz/domesticfuel/df-podcast-2.mp3]

You can also subscribe to the Domestic Fuel Cast using the following url/feed link: http://www.zimmcomm.biz/domesticfuel/domestic-fuel-cast.xml.

Audio, corn, Domestic Fuel Cast, Energy, Ethanol, News

Imperim CEO Says “Don’t Blame Biofuels”

John Davis

johnplaza.jpgThe food vs. fuel debate is still going strong with the chief executive officer of a major biofuel producer telling a technology summit not to blame his industry for the rise in food prices.

This story in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer says that at the Technology Summit in Bellevue, WA today, Imperium Renewables Chief Executive John Plaza told attendees that there’s a mood right now “that the world is falling apart” and that biofuels are responsible:

Plaza, whose company operates one of the largest biofuel refineries in the country in Grays Harbor County, thinks it is unfair to blame rising commodity prices on increased biofuel production.

And he said that people should not generalize when it comes to biofuels, noting there are differences between various feed stocks.

Algae is the one that most excites Plaza, saying it is “where the industry needs to go.” He sees a way for the country to reach energy independence utilizing algae as a biofuel source, doing so for less than $4 per gallon and by converting just 2.5 percent of the land mass in the country. (Much of it on land not needed for traditional crops.)

One of the audience members did ask Plaza that if he thought algae was such a good idea, why didn’t his company invest in algae-biodiesel operations. Plaza said the markets for large-scale biodiesel projects are dead… at least for the time being. His own company has had its share of problems as rising feedstock prices forced Imperium to cancel an initial public offering earlier this year.

Biodiesel, Ethanol, News

Brewing Green Beer in Paradise

John Davis

mauibrewing.jpgNo, I’m not talking about something for St. Patrick’s Day. A brewer in Hawaii is making beer using green methods… including using biodiesel in the process.

This story from HawaiiMagazine.com says Maui Brewing Co. has been making up some internationally-recognized beers for several years:

But since opening in 2005, Marrero has also worked to make his company one of Maui’s most Earth-friendly. He’s one seriously resourceful brewer.

All of his delivery trucks—including his and wife Melanie’s cars—run on biodiesel he makes with his Kaanapali brewpub’s used vegetable oil. The brewpub’s lighting is entirely energy-saving compact fluorescent. Marrero is installing photovoltaic solar cells that will soon generate all of the brewery’s electricity.

The article goes on to say that the company even donates leftovers from the brewing process to local pig and cattle farmers for feed.

Biodiesel

GenGreen

John Davis

gengreen.gifOnline social networking is looking green… at GenGreen.org. Now, net-savvy Americans who are committed to living a more sustainable lifestyle can connect with other eco-conscious enthusiasts online. Members can share information and ideas and get updates on the latest news and developments in greener living. Biofuels and alternative energy are a big part of the “sustainable living made local” network. One of the website’s current top headlines boasts harnessing wind power at home: “Techonology Smooths Way for Home Wind Power Turbines.”

Wind turbines, once used primarily for farms and rural houses far from electrical service, are becoming more common in heavily populated residential areas as homeowners are attracted to ease of use, financial incentives and low environmental effects.

No one tracks the number of small-scale residential wind turbines – windmills that run turbines to produce electricity – in the United States. Experts on renewable energy say a convergence of factors, political, technical and ecological, has caused a surge in the use of residential wind turbines, especially in the Northeast and California…

Click here to find the full article.

Energy, Wind

Report: Government Key to Green Investment

John Davis

Investing in green technology is still a good investment… with a little help from the government.

U.S. News and World Report says a new report by Laurence Alexander, Paul Clegg, and Michael McNamara at Jefferies & Co. says what is being done to be green, such as biofuels, wind, and solar technologies, is very good with demand remaining strong. But government money and support programs are still key to green success:

Wind
Investors need to keep an eye on the U.S. production tax credit, which doles out $0.019 per kilowatt hour of juice generated. It’s set to expire at the end of 2008, and analysts say the program’s extension “remains the single most important issue facing the wind industry today.” Past failures to extend the credit have had “a devastating effect.” In 2004, installations fell 77 percent from 2003 after the credit was revoked. Analysts don’t expect a repeat of that disaster but caution that “anything is possible” in an election year.

Solar
Here, tax and subsidy structures in Spain and the United States matter most. Both have existing plans being revisited this year; Spain in September and the United States by year’s end. The industry is hoping to make headway in breaking open the “potentially enormous” U.S. market, but even if those two major subsidy plans get trimmed a bit, Jefferies expects the overall size of subsidies available to rise.

Biofuels
Ethanol has been all the rage in the sector, but the resulting surge in the price of corn used to produce the stuff could change the future of subsidies in the sector. Technologies that can move biofuel away from the “food vs. fuel” debate like biodiesel, cellulosic ethanol, biobutanol, biochemicals, and bioplastics could get a boost, Jefferies says. But fledgling firms remain risky as turmoil in the broader markets hampers new investing.

Jefferies recommends owning wafer maker PV Crystalox, solar panel and battery stalwart Energy Conversion Devices, and biofuel maker Nova Biosource.

Biodiesel, Ethanol, Solar, Wind

Auburn Helping Alabama Town’s Biodiesel Efforts

John Davis

auburnu.jpgAuburn University, already helping Gadsden, Hoover, Montgomery, and Daphne, Alabama run their cities greener, is offering its help to another city wanting to reduce its dependency on oil.

According to this story in the Andalusia (AL) Star News, the town is the latest project for the school’s Natural Resources Management and Development Institute. School representatives were recently in Andalusia to talk to city officials to turn old restaurant and home cooking oil into biodiesel:

The fuel will then be used to power the city’s fleet of diesel vehicles, Mayor Jerry Andrews said.

Andrews said preliminary estimates show that the City of Andalusia can produce enough of the biodiesel products to cut in half its consumption of 60,000 gallons of diesel fuel a year. Other cities are producing biodiesel for $1 gallon, while the current price of diesel is $4 per gallon.

Initially, the city will collect used oil from local restaurants, but the long-term plan is to also provide small containers for reclaiming residential cooking oils.

“If we could recover one tablespoon of household oil per day, that would be four 55-gallon barrels we wouldn’t have to treat in our sewage system lines,” Andrews said.

Officials add the by-products, such as glycerin, can be used for things like soap and lotions.

Biodiesel

HS Team Brews Up Biodiesel Win

John Davis

merrimack.jpgA team of high school students is one of the top finishers in a college-level energy competition for its biodiesel project.

Merrimack New Hampshire High School’s Biodiesel Crew took second place in the prestigious Global Venture Challenge at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Knoxville, Tennessee. This story in the Merrimack Journal says the students were the only high schoolers in the event and beat out more than a dozen top-level colleges and universities to take the $7,500 prize:

“It was amazing,” said Andrew Paiz, 17, an MHS junior. “It was a great opportunity for all of us to present the prototype that we made for biodiesel, and we learned a lot.”

Junior Randy Perrine, 17, said the crew got a bit of an unexpected surprise as soon as the team arrived at the challenge.

“The first day of the competition we went there and we didn’t know this, but we were supposed to do a practice -presentation for just business owners in the area, so they could critique us,” said Perrine. “But we got it done and they gave us some really good advice.”
The group came prepared with its functional mini processor, which makes anywhere from 250 milliliters to four liters of biodiesel, according to Sean Muller, a chemistry teacher who works with the team.

The mini processor, called the “BioBuddie 2000,” was marketed by the team as an “educational product,” said Perrine, and the judges were impressed with the concept.

“Right now there are no education products available for biodiesel, so that was one of the things that made it unique,” said Perrine.

The next step for the students, they say, is to patent their invention and find a way so everyone can have a BioBuddie in their garage.

Biodiesel