Biofuels

Royal Dutch Shell is stepping up investment in research into “second generation” biofuels, putting more money into its joint venture with Iogen, a Canadian biotech company, in spite of having made only slow progress so far. Shell is raising its holding in the Iogen Energy joint venture to 50 per cent from 26.3 per cent and is making what it called a “significant” additional investment in

Biofuels have caused world food prices to increase by 75 percent, according to the findings of an unpublished World Bank report published in The Guardian newspaper on Friday.   The daily said the report was finished in April but was not published to avoid embarrassing the US government, which has claimed plant-derived fuels have pushed up prices by only three percent.   Biofuels, whi

Vinod is putting his millions behinds his words... With ethanol plays like Versasun (VSE), Pacific Ethanol (PEIX) and Archer Daniel's Midland (ADM) off highs, those investors might want to watch. Disclosure ("none" means no position):Long ADM ↑ Grab this Headline Animator Visit the ValuePlays Bookstore for Great Investing Books Enter your Email Preview | Powered by Fee

The Economist print edition - Jun 19th 2008 Original URL BURIED in the news a few weeks ago was an announcement by a small Californian firm called Amyris. It was, perhaps, a parable for the future of biotechnology. Amyris is famous in the world of tropical medicine for applying the latest biotechnological tools to the manufacture of artemisinin, an antimalarial drug that is normally extracted fr

Oil 2.0? Renewable petroleum? Silicon Valley may become the next Saudi Arabia by using genetically modified bacteria that produce fuel. These genetically modified bacteria are fed feedstock such as agriculture waste or wood chips; and then through the fermentation process they are able to produce or excrete fuel. The next question is can the bug [...]

DOE -  Cited a new report from New Energy Finance that concludes producing 7.2 billion gallons of biofuels are "only" responsible for a 17% increase in global food prices. Noting - "The increasing price of fossil fuels caused 35.2% of the increase in grain prices." The report concludes that population growth and fossil fuels prices placed the greatest pressure on grain prices, and that growth

This isn't really home improvement related, however, it is an environmental issue and one I find extremely interesting.Over the last few days I've been reading about all kinds of new biofuels that scientists are discovering. I was pointing out the other day (Are Carbon Credits A Good Idea?) that it's nice to finally see research money being spent on alternative energy sources. I think things are f

Location: Teagasc Johnstown Castle, Wexford, with close contact with Environmental Research Institute, University College Cork Core Brief: - To conduct a Life Cycle Analysis of grass production in... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

Robin Pomeroy and Alister Doyle Planet Ark - 6/6/2008 Original URL ROME - The rapidly growing global bio-energy industry escaped unscathed from a food summit on Thursday, but its wings must be clipped to stop fuel-from-food stoking world hunger, the UN envoy on the right to food said. The conversion of foodstuffs like maize, sugar, soy and palm oil into biofuel was one of the most cont

Thomson Financial News - 06.04.08 Original URL BRUSSELS (Thomson Financial) - European Commission spokesman Johannes Laitenberger on Wednesday defended the EU's biofuels policy, arguing that its impact on food prices is 'negligible', but conceded that there is a need for a 'thorough reflection' on how to make biofuels sustainable. The European Union has set a target that biofuels will account

By Matthew Knight CNN - June 2, 2008 Original URL The British countryside is transformed in the Spring by swathes of rapeseed. LONDON, England (CNN) -- It wasn't so long ago that biofuels were being heralded as the savior of the planet and a thoroughly green solution to our climate woes. But fair winds have been replaced by persistent storms of criticism. But is it justified? Principal

Phil Stewart Planet Ark - 2/6/2008 Original URL ROME - Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said on Sunday he would seek to convince world leaders gathering in Rome this week that ethanol is not to blame for global food inflation threatening millions with hunger. Brazil is the world's largest ethanol exporter and a pioneer in sugar-cane based biofuels, making it a target of

Location: Teagasc Johnstown Castle, Wexford, with close contact with Environmental Research Institute, University College Cork Core Brief: - To conduct a Life Cycle Analysis of grass production in... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

In case you've been sleeping on this front, the battle to frame the biofuel debate is in full force. Oil companies are pointing to biofuel production's role in rising food prices as proof of its dark underbelly. Producers are denying that claim, and pointing to biofuel's role in reduced oil consumption as proof of its benevolence. A recent report from the US Department of Agriculture suggests that

In the past year, as the diversion of food crops like corn and palm to make biofuels has helped to drive up food prices, investors and politicians have begun promoting newer, so-called second-generation biofuels as the next wave of green energy. These, made from non-food crops like reeds and wild grasses, would offer fuel without the risk of taking food off the table, they said. But now, biol

Here is another UK report I wrote for The Helix, Australia's premier science education magazine since 1986.UK Biofuel Debate:The UK has embarked on an audacious new scheme to lessen the country’s fossil-fuel dependency and to minimise climate change. But not everyone is in favour.From April 15, all petrol and diesel sold in UK pumps must contain at least 2.5% biofuel. The target is set to rise t

Abengoa inaugura hoy la séptima edición de la Conferencia Mundial sobre Biocarburantes ‘World Biofuels 2008′. Biocombustibles La Fundación Focus-Abengoa y F.O. Licht inauguran hoy la séptima edición de la Conferencia Mundial sobre Biocarburantes ‘World Biofuels 2008′, que se desarrollará en el Hospital de los Venerables de Sevilla hasta el próximo jueves. En el [

EU May Tighten Rules on BiofuelsThe reputation of these alternative fuels has changed from savior to villain and Europe is considering new regulations Link - Fri, 09 May 2008 10:05:00 GMT - Feed (1 subs) Sent using SendMeRss.com. Visit here to unsubscribe from "2-business" via X2 in Google. Recommended Feeds/Actions Subscribe DealMeRSS.com - Great Deals Delivered Every Day

“Biofuels have turned out to be a lose-lose-lose proposition. Once touted by the Greens and the biofuel industry as being able to reduce the demand for oil and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, biofuels have accomplished neither goal and have no prospect of accomplishing either in the foreseeable future.” —Steven Milloy Blogger’s Note: A year ago, [...]

The Brazilian president has rejected criticism that his country's production of biofuels has forced a surge in global food prices and harms the environment. Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva accused critics of being driven by economic and political interests, and failing to highlight soaring oil prices and increased demand as a factor in pushing up food production costs."Don't tell me, for the love of God, that food is expensive because of biodiesel," he told reporters."Food is expensive because the world wasn't prepared to see millions of Chinese, Indians, Africans, Brazilians and Latin Americans eat. We want to discuss this not with passion but rationality and not from the European point of view."Lula made his comments following a week of protests in Brazil and Europe against the fuels made from

Burmese Biofuel Policy a Debacle: Report: "The 48-page report, 'Biofuel by Decree: Unmasking Burma's Bio-energy Fiasco,' was produced by the Ethnic Community Development Forum, a self-described alliance of seven community development organizations from Burma.Though not directly political, the groups are all associated with the exile-based opposition to Burma’s military government.The fiercely critical report, which says the biofuel policy hurts an already ailing agriculture industry, comes as biofuels draw intense scrutiny over whether their benefits in replacing petroleum fuels offset the resources they take from food production.The forum said the report is based on government documents and press accounts, as well as 131 interviews carried out in all seven states of Burma between Novem

Biofuels, biofuels, biofuels it’s everywhere these days. You find politicians making headlines on it, environmental groups protesting against it, scientists publishing various reports on the helpful/harmful nature of the fuels, car companies advertising their ‘biofuel compliance’. Phew! That’s a lot of them! So, I decided to see for myself what these biofuels are about. You’ll [...]

Biofuels become popular nowadays, Biofuels create big hopes for car driver, fuel price is become higher and higher.Many car driver screaming with that crazy gas price, the gas price will make the car driver’s wallet empty every day. And Biofuels come for the gas alternative than fossil fuel. But is that true biofuels are have [...]

I am of the opinion that a solution to a problem that creates a new problem of greater or similar proportion is, in fact, not a solution. This most certainly applies to biofuels, one of humans most ill-conceived "solutions" to climate change to date (right up there with nuclear energy, the focus of the Seminal's special topics issue this month). Environmentalists have warned for years that pursuing biofuels would spark global food shortages, as farmers around the world face pressure to convert their land from growing food to growing biofuels crops such as soy, corn, and sugarcane. Food shortages, they predicted, would in turn lead to rising food prices, mass hunger and starvation, and violence, on a scale that — when combined with the other negatives of biofuels — would complet

I just saw another interesting article from GMANews.TV. It’s actually the conclusion of a two-part special. The first one focused on “Arroyo brother-in-law to use biofuels law to evade CARP?” Now, this one, focusing on "Ethical lapses mark passage of Biofuels Law, says report," is just as interesting as the first. And I kid you not! Read on, friends! There is perhaps no lawmaker as enthusiastic about biofuels as Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri. Zubiri was still congressman for the third district of Bukidnon when he became principal author of the House bill that eventually became Republic Act 9367 or the Biofuels Act. He campaigned hard to get other lawmakers to support the measure that he earned himself the nickname “Mr. Biofuel." His official page in the Senate website describes him

A special report from GMANews.TV caught my attention. "Arroyo brother-in-law to use biofuels law to evade CARP?," is one interesting read. And I kid you not! Read on, friends!One of those engaged in this move is presidential brother-in-law Ignacio “Iggy" Arroyo who hurdled last month most of the government requirements needed to convert his family’s 157-hectare Hacienda Bacan in Isabela, Negros Occidental into agro-industrial uses, mainly for the production of ethanol. If the conversion pushes through, farmers charge that Arroyo will succeed in evading the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program, which covers rice, corn and sugar lands. It will nullify the claims of 67 farmer-beneficiaries who have been waiting for more than a decade for the Department of Agrarian Reform to award the

Julian Borger, diplomatic editor The Guardian - Saturday April 5 2008 Original URL Ban Ki-moon speaks out amid global food shortage 33 countries facing unrest as families go hungry The UN secretary-general, Ban Ki-moon, has called for a comprehensive review of the policy on biofuels as a crisis in global food prices - partly caused by the increasing use of crops for energy generation - threatens to trigger global instability. "We need to be concerned about the possibility of taking land or replacing arable land because of these biofuels," Ban told the Guardian in Bucharest while attending this week's Nato summit. But he added: "While I am very much conscious and aware of these problems, at the same time you need to constantly look at having creative sources of energy, incl

To make ethanol, you want to make vinegar first, according to ZeaChem. The biofuel start-up, which has moved from Colorado to Silicon Valley, says it has come up with a method of making cellulosic ethanol that results in close to 40 percent more fuel per ton of wood chips than competing processes. By 2010 or so, the company hopes to be producing ethanol commercially for 80 cents a gallon at wholesale. That could translate to anywhere from $1.10 to $1.50 at the pump, depending on a host of factors. Read the full story at News.com. From Laura B. wmrc.uiuc.edu

Increased demand for biofuels is driving up food prices and accelerating climate change, as rainforests are destroyed to grow fuel. But with strong global sustainability standards, we can ensure that biofuels help, rather than hurt.This weekend, the twenty biggest economies, responsible for more than 75% of the world's carbon emissions, will meet in Chiba, Japan to begin the climate change discussions leading up to the G8 summit this summer. Before the summit, let's send our leaders messages urging the adoption of global standards for biofuels.Go to Avaaz and send a message to the head of your country.News piece on the harms of biofuels.

High oil prices, energy security considerations and fears about global warming have helped revive interest in renewable energy sources like biofuels, which burn cleanly and can be produced from plants.But there are a few catches, particularly regarding biofuels like corn-based ethanol: the more corn is used in ethanol production, the less is available for food-a reality that partly accounts for the recent run-up in world food prices. Moreover, most of the 6 billion gallons of ethanol produced annually in the United States comes from corn, but there's not enough corn available to make it a viable long-term source.MIT Professor Gregory Stephanopoulos lead a discussion of the various ways scientists and energy policymakers are seeking to overcome these limitations and make biofuels from renew

Camilla Cavendish Times Online March 7, 2008 Original URL At first sight, biofuels are hugely exciting. They seem to offer a way to wean transport systems off oil. The city of Curitiba in Brazil, for example, has been famously running on sugar cane for years. The dream of a cleaner world, running on plant-power, is deeply attractive. But the current generation of biofuels cannot save the planet. In individual cities and towns, they can make a difference. But at any scale, the dream dwindles. The picture is complicated because there are many different types of biofuel, and their effects differ depending on where and how they are grown. Brazil has an agricultural surplus and uses relatively little energy in fertilising, extracting and purifying the ethanol from sugar cane. This is

Read via greencarcongress.com The report—Breaking the Chemical and Engineering Barriers to Lignocellulosic Biofuels: Next Generation Hydrocarbon Biorefineries—is one of the outcomes of a workshop on the topic held last June with more than 70 leading biofuels scientists and engineers. The workshop was sponsored by NSF, the Department of Energy (DOE) and the American Chemical Society; it was chaired by George W. Huber, University of Massachusetts-Amherst. The report identifies the basic research needs and opportunities in catalytic chemistry and materials science that underpin biomass conversion and fuel utilization, with a focus on new, emerging and scientifically challenging areas that have the pot

The biofuels sector has seen increased activity over the past few years. Recently, it has been in the eye of a veritable media storm. While Governments across the world have put in place mandates and subsidy schemes to encourage production of biofuels, there have also been a number of cautioning voices, warning of the [...]

By Tim Hirsch - Environment reporter, Brasilia BBC - 22 February 2008 Original URL   Strict benchmarks will help weed out unsound practices Biofuels: Quick guide Biofuels should only be produced if they meet strict environmental standards, an international group of lawmakers have concluded. The legislators said the fuels also had to deliver significant savings of greenhouse gas emissions. If such criteria were met, they said there should be an urgent review of the tariffs that currently block imports into markets such as the EU and US. The forum was hosted by Brazil, one of the world's biggest biofuel producers. Biofuels have become a highly controversial issue, with claims that the rapid expansion of energy crops could threaten global food security, and add further pressure t

This is a selection of recent popular blog artciles aggregated on Greenedia.com, where you will find the best blogs from the world of green media, as well as video uploads, podcasts, and blog authoring. How Biofuels Increase Carbon Emissions Science Blog offers interesting criticism of the use of biofuels by way of a report from the University of Minnesota and the Nature Conservancy that says use of biofuels can actually speed up global warming where natural ecosystems are converted to biofuel farmland. The existing flora, it turns out, is better at processing carbon dioxide in the atmosphere than the stock used for ethanol and biodiesel, worsening the climate change balance. The article cites a classic example in the Amazon rain forest, where farmers are being encouraged to clear cut ex

South Park parodied hybrid car owners creating clouds of 'smug', but do they really have anything to be smug about? In the battle against man-made global warming and reducing pollution ethanol powered cars, not hybrids, are touted the way to go and politicians and the environmentally conscious alike are jumping on the bandwagon.There is no doubt that ethanol burns far more cleanly than diesel or petrol - we could radically reduce the pollutants in our atmosphere by switching. Or can we? You see, to create ethanol, crops need to be grown. Because ethanol is not as potent as petrol, more ethanol is burned per kilometre. It takes between 75-90% of the energy yielded from ethanol to actually grow it - ploughing, harvesting, processing and shipping all add up - and ethanol still releases a lot of carbon dioxide. Then there's the environmental destruction caused by the conversion of land to biofuel production. This either takes forests or fallow land, or removes land from the general agri

The growing promotion of environmentally-friendly biofuels is raising questions for Africa: are such fuels a threat to food security or a golden opportunity to cut down on fossil fuel bills. Some 300 experts from the continent and further afield in the Americas and Europe, gathered earlier this... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

The Sydney Morning Herald has an excellent article discussing how the impact of climate change, overpopulation and the increased use of agriculture to develop biofuels will dramatically alter the world's food prices and production. A revolution in world food prices driven by population growth, economic development, climate change and biofuels is set to make life even worse for the world's poorest people.For decades food production has outstripped population growth and real food prices have declined, but the world appears to be swinging back into an era where demand will be greater than supply for years to come.A report on the food predicament says the world's undernourished will still number 772 million in 2020 and higher food prices will cause the poor to shift to even less-balanced diets, with adverse impacts on health in the short and long run. In sub-Saharan Africa, the number of undernourished is expected to rise from 273 million in 2020 to 410 million by 2080.A global tempera

Lowongan kerja 24, November, 2007Indo Biofuels Energy is one the nation’s leading commercial biodiesel refiners, developing technology for cleaner air and energy in dependence. We are operating a commercial-scale biodiesel refinery fuel that meets or exceeds SNI-04-7182-2006, ASTM D-6751, prEN14214 and DIN 51606 specifications.Indo Biofuels Energy is developing proprietary technology solutions for sustainable energy. By Offering innovative and competitively priced high-quality fuel through our large-scale biodiesel processing plant, we are leading a biofuel revolution.We also are offering the extensive and integrated continuous module system biodiesel processing plant for the contribution to the development of sustainable energy alternative production in Indonesia.We are committed to enhancing Indonesia energy economies, the environment, and human health by continually improving the technology for future of all biofuels.PRODUCTION SUPERVISORRequirements:-Working experience in any fac

LOWONGAN KERJA JURUSAN TEKNIK KIMIA, INDUSTRI DAN MESIN 23 NOPEMBER 2007 INDO BIOFUELS ENERGY, PT Indo Biofuels Energy is one the nation’s leading commercial biodiesel refiners, developing technology for cleaner air and energy in dependence. We are operating a commercial-scale biodiesel refinery fuel that meets or exceeds SNI-04-7182-2006, ASTM D-6751, prEN14214 and DIN 51606

The head of the UN Environment Programme has warned that the biofuel market could crash if suitable environmental standards aren't established. According to the BBC, "Achim Steiner... said there was an urgent need for standards to make sure rainforests weren't being destroyed." The story also picked out Indonesia's tropical peatlands for special mention of what it terms "biofuel folly". (Nice phrase, I'll have to remember that one!) Mind you, Steiner was making those comments in response to an independent group of scientists who critisied the stance taken by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) on biofuels, which was described as "naive". "One of the scientists, Tad Patzek from University of California Berkeley, US, said: "In the long-run, the planet cannot afford to produce biofuels because we're going to run out of the land and water and environmental resources. In addition, because of the land use changes, drying up peat-swamps, burning tropical forest, thes

First off, the Seminal is Protesting in Professional Attire today in cities around the nation. Come and join us! A UN representative has called the global overemphasis on biofuels a “crime against humanity,” saying it seriously threatens global food supplies and prices. Nobel Prize-winning scientist James Watson has decided to retire amid denunciations for his comments about the intelligence of black people. Peace talks scheduled to begin today in Libya between rival factions in Darfur are delayed because two main rebel groups decided not to show. “The US army says as many as 20% of its soldiers and marines have suffered ‘mild traumatic brain injury’ (mTBI) from blows to the head or shockwaves caused by explosions. The condition…has been designated as one of four ’signature injuries’ of the Iraq conflict by the US department of defence.” — The Guardian From the Blogosphere… David Horowitz is feeling a little unwelcome, a

Suecia y Brasil firmaron en Estocolmo un Memorando de Entendimiento para promover el uso de la bioenergía e impulsar la creación de un mercado mundial de biocombustibles.El documento fue firmado por la ministra de Industria sueca, Maud Olofsson, y el ministro de Asuntos Exteriores brasileño, Celso Amorim, dentro de la agenda de la visita del presidente de Brasil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, a este país escandinavo.Brasil y Suecia se comprometen por el acuerdo a incrementar la colaboración entre investigadores y empresas de ambos países con vistas a desarrollar técnicas mejores y más efectivas para lograr una producción sostenible, señaló el Gobierno sueco en un comunicado.El memorando establece también que las dos partes estudiarán la posibilidad de ayudar a países en vías de desarrollo a promover el uso de energías renovables, incluidos los biocombustibles, así como su producción y utilización."Brasil es el primer productor mundial de etanol y tiene una larga experi

Suecia y Brasil firmaron en Estocolmo un Memorando de Entendimiento para promover el uso de la bioenergía e impulsar la creación de un mercado mundial de biocombustibles.El documento fue firmado por la ministra de Industria sueca, Maud Olofsson, y el ministro de Asuntos Exteriores brasileño, Celso Amorim, dentro de la agenda de la visita del presidente de Brasil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, a este país escandinavo.Brasil y Suecia se comprometen por el acuerdo a incrementar la colaboración entre investigadores y empresas de ambos países con vistas a desarrollar técnicas mejores y más efectivas para lograr una producción sostenible, señaló el Gobierno sueco en un comunicado.El memorando establece también que las dos partes estudiarán la posibilidad de ayudar a países en vías de desarrollo a promover el uso de energías renovables, incluidos los biocombustibles, así como su producción y utilización."Brasil es el primer productor mundial de etanol y tiene una larga experi

The turn towards the use of biofuels by most of the world today has been something evident and with Brazil agreeing to work in hand with the Filipino government, amassing a larger part of green fuel efficiency may yet be another significant achievement in the world’s drive for lesser greenhouse gases and more alternative green fuels to adhere to the transportation needs. This drive of the Philippines is a clear symbol of the Republic Act 9367 or the Biofuels act of 2006. The need to help the Filipino community become more aware of the growing oil and pollution problem is a given and with the help of the Brazilian government, hopefully this can be a good sign of better things ahead for green fuel and green development. Source: Philippines wins Brazil support for bio-fuel plan All Natural, biodiesel, biofuels, brazil, filipino community, Fuel Efficient, fuel efficiency, Green News, Green Transportation, Greenhouse Gas, greenhouse gases, green development, green fuel, green fuels, po

Biofuels have been pretty much praised for their advent since it has provided people to drive their cars using plants and other natural resources to produce them in lieu of oil and standard gasoline. While this phenomenon has indeed addressed the fuel efficiency and greenhouse gas issue, look a little bit further. Food and crops are still essential towards providing the basic necessities as illustrated by Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. Thus, while one issue is being addressed, a bigger topic of concern on survival is being run over. Hence, does it still stand the Biofuels have saved the day for green aware beings today? Read more of this article: Biofuels - a controversial fuel for the future alternative energy, biodiesel, biofuels, cars, conservation, crops, Eco Friendly, ecology, fuel efficiency, gasoline, Green News, Green Tutorials, greenhouse gas, maslows hierarchy of needs, natural resources, News, phenomenon, plants, Reduce, Renewable Resources, survival

While surfing one of my favorite sites on the web, Energy Bulletin, I came across this story:"Biofuels - July 26--Buy Feed Corn: They're about to stop making itF. William Engdahl, The Market Oracle That bowl of Kellogg's Cornflakes on the breakfast table, or the portion of pasta or corn tortillas, cheese or meat on the table is going to rise in price over the coming months as sure as the sun rises in the East. Welcome ladies and gentlemen to the new world food price shock, conveniently timed to accompany our current world oil price shock.  Curiously it's ominously similar in many respects to the early 1970's when prices for oil and food both exploded by several hundred percent in a matter of months. That mid-1970's price explosion led President Nixon to ask his old pal, Arthur Burns, then Chairman of the Fed, to find a way to alter the CPI inflation data to take attention away from the rising prices. The result then was the now-commonplace publication of the absurd &ldqu

The rapid growth of the world's biofuel industry is likely to keep farm commodity prices at high levels in the next decade as it will boost demand for grains, oilseeds, and sugar, a major study said on Wednesday. The study, co-written by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), said biofuels would have a major impact on the agriculture sector between 2007 and 2016. "Bioenergies have become a key factor in the functioning of agriculture markets," Loek Boonekamp, a senior OECD official, told reporters after the release of the study. "In the medium term we believe that they could lead to prices on international markets rising quite considerably, at higher levels than what we had predicted in former outlooks and above the average of the last 10 years," he added. Boonekamp said that farm prices, mainly grains, would likely rise by 20 to 50 percent over the next decade. He added that although the long-

The rapid growth of the world's biofuel industry is likely to keep farm commodity prices at high levels in the next decade as it will boost demand for grains, oilseeds, and sugar, a major study said on Wednesday. The study, co-written by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), said biofuels would have a major impact on the agriculture sector between 2007 and 2016. "Bioenergies have become a key factor in the functioning of agriculture markets," Loek Boonekamp, a senior OECD official, told reporters after the release of the study. "In the medium term we believe that they could lead to prices on international markets rising quite considerably, at higher levels than what we had predicted in former outlooks and above the average of the last 10 years," he added. Boonekamp said that farm prices, mainly grains, would likely rise by 20 to 50 percent over the next decade. He added that although the long-

On Capitol Hill, a Warmer Climate for Biofuels - Washington PostExcerpt:"The energy bill now under consideration in the Senate would bring that horizon a lot closer for the ethanol industry. The proposal includes requirements that the use of biofuels -- part corn-based ethanol and part fuels made from other feedstocks -- climb to 36 billion gallons by 2022, more than six times the capacity of the nation's 115 ethanol refineries.While many other provisions of the energy package remain controversial, opposition to the biofuels mandate has all but evaporated in Congress, a situation that would have been almost unthinkable just a few years ago. And though environmental, industry and farming groups can point to numerous unresolved concerns about biofuels' effects and feasibility, the ethanol lobby has never been stronger."http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/14/AR2007061402089.html?hpid=topnews

OPEC has warned western countries that their efforts to develop biofuels as an alternative energy source to combat climate change risked driving the price of oil "through the roof". Abdalla El-Badri, secretary-general of the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, said the OPEC was considering cutting its investment in new oil production in response to moves by the developed world to use more biofuels. The warning from OPEC, which controls about 40 per cent of global oil production, comes as the group of eight leading industrialised nations meets today with climate change at the top of its agenda. The US and Europe want to use biofuels to combat global warming and to strengthen energy security. OPEC has previously expressed scepticism about alternative energy but Mr El-Badri's comments mark the first clear threat that the OPEC might act to safeguard its interests in the face of a shift towards biofuels. "They are really concerned," said Julian Lee of the Centre for Glo

OPEC has warned western countries that their efforts to develop biofuels as an alternative energy source to combat climate change risked driving the price of oil "through the roof". Abdalla El-Badri, secretary-general of the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, said the OPEC was considering cutting its investment in new oil production in response to moves by the developed world to use more biofuels. The warning from OPEC, which controls about 40 per cent of global oil production, comes as the group of eight leading industrialised nations meets today with climate change at the top of its agenda. The US and Europe want to use biofuels to combat global warming and to strengthen energy security. OPEC has previously expressed scepticism about alternative energy but Mr El-Badri's comments mark the first clear threat that the OPEC might act to safeguard its interests in the face of a shift towards biofuels. "They are really concerned," said Julian Lee of the Centre for Glo

I work in the public health sector of Uppsala city and there is a policy that all cars leased should be green. The leasing contract of our current car, a Ford Focus flexifuel, is due to expire so we have to choose a new one. We got the FFF three years ago. The first two and a half years we used gasoline exclusively. Nice ecodriving, huh? We were told by the one responsible for the car at the time, that we shouldn't use ethanol because it would be too troublesome and she wasn't sure if it was OK to mix gasoline and ethanol. I didn't give this much thought until six months ago when I decided it was about time to see how the FFF would run on ethanol. It ran well even during winter conditions so we continued using ethanol. Now we are about to get a new car. This one will also be powered by ethanol (or gasoline) because ethanol is the easiest biofuel to obtain in Uppsala. Biogas can only be obtained at one place and not near our workplace.This biofuel thing is quite confusing, at first i

As the United States looks to alternate fuel sources, ethanol has become one of the front runners. Farmers have begun planting corn in the hopes that its potential new use for corn will be a new income source. What many don't realize, is the potential for other crops, besides corn, to provide an alternate energy source to fossil fuels. Scientists studied the greenhouse gas emissions and bioenergy of corn, hybrid poplar, switchgrass, and other crops to determine the efficiency of various biocrops in terms of energy consumption and energy output.The study, "Net greenhouse gas flux of bioenergy cropping systems using Daycent", was completed by Paul Adler (United State Department of Agriculture - USDA), Stephen Del Grosso (USDA and Colorado State University), and William Parton (Colorado State University). Results appear in the April issue of Ecological Applications. "Biofuels have a great potential to reduce our dependence on gasoline and diesel fuel," says Parton. "We have performed a u

In a 400-3 vote on Thursday the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill that would promote the development of alternative fuels. The bill also helps create the infrastructure in order to supply the fuels to consumers.The bill would require the government to carry out research on how to find ways to make it possible to bring the biofuels to the consumers without causing damage to existing delivery systems, pipes, and storage tanks.Another aspect of the bill is that it directs the government to find a way to test the sulfur levels in fuels along with cleaner-burning diesel fuels. The research would be done by the Environmental Protection Agency which would be given $10 million dollars to do so. It is obviously very important that we have the means in place to store and deliver the new biofuels. According to those that support the the bill, that is what they are trying to accomplish. "We can have all the biofuels to supply every car in our nation, but, if the infrastructure is n

The European Union (EU) wants to see 10 percent of Eurozone transportation powered by bio-fuels by 2020. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has come out in opposition, claiming biofuels’ ability to tackle global warming is strictly limited. Cooperate and develop this: the organization concludes that biofuels are only economically viable with large state subsidies (surprise!). What’s more, they reckon the mandated European bio-fuel surge could lead to “rising food prices and damage to forests and wildlife.” The OECD wants the EU to rescind its biofuels targets. Their alternative? Legislate energy-saving and more efficient vehicles. “You cannot feed people and soak up carbon and protect biodiversity and fuel cars,” says Brice Lalonde, the former French environment minister who chairs the OECD’s round table on sustainable development. C’est la verite.