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A Long Overdue Biofuels Diary

by: Jill Richardson

Mon Mar 30, 2009 at 07:50:44 AM PDT

I've got a backlog of biofuels news to share. There's so much out there and I just keep procrastinating on reporting it. Maybe because biofuels aren't edible and, thus, they are less interesting. To start you off, Mother Jones talks about why biofuels are the rainforests' worst enemy. More news below.

Jill Richardson :: A Long Overdue Biofuels Diary

European Tariffs on U.S. Biofuels
Europe is implementing anti-dumping tariffs on American biofuels. (Here is a second story on the European tariffs from EnviroWonk.) One effect of this, it seems, are layoffs in the biofuels industry. Not to make light of their situation, but maybe the newly laid off employees can find some REAL green jobs?

Biofuel Lobbying
Talk about being on the wrong side of an issue. Governator vs. Ethanol: Ethanol lobbyists "stormed Sacramento" to oppose CA's plans for reducing carbon emissions from transportation.

Tom Laskawy also reports on the Biomass 2009 conference. He calls it "biomess," which sums it up in a nutshell. And yet, American politicians are (inexplicably) totally in love with biofuels. Laskawy has more to say about ethanol over at Obama Foodorama, where he comments on Vilsack's request to increase the "blend wall" that limits how much ethanol goes in our gas.

Partners in Crime?
A big oil company, Valero, bought several ethanol plants for pennies on the dollar. And... that's not the only news about Big Oil getting into the ethanol game.

Ethanol's Climate Problem
Apparently ethanol's got a problem: it gels up in the cold. Naturally, scientists are looking for a solution. My suggestion? Abandon biofuels altogether.

Alternatives to Corn Ethanol?
I'm not a fan of corn ethanol. Unless your name is Archer Daniels Midland, it's a really stupid idea. Of course, headlines about alternatives abound. In addition to algae, some are even suggesting "Energy" cane and orange peels.

Tags: ethanol, biofuels, (All Tags)

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A Long Overdue Biofuels Diary | 8 comments

There's also a push to grow eucalyptus trees (4.00 / 3)

and other high-pulp trees for biofuels...which would be a bad deal for many reasons.

OT: This is a wonderful blog, Jill! I've poked around before, but really spent some time last night and you've done such a good job.

by: CanyonWren @ Mon Mar 30, 2009 at 15:48:37 PM UTC

by: you @ soon

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thanks! it's good to see you here (4.00 / 3)

I enjoy your comments over on dKos - you are always welcome here :)

"I can understand someone from Iowa promoting corn and soy, but we are not feeding the world, we are feeding animals and soft drink companies." - Jim Goodman

by: Jill Richardson @ Mon Mar 30, 2009 at 15:49:58 PM UTC

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by: you @ soon

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Thanks so much, Jill (4.00 / 2)

And, thanks for the invite:) Very happy to have you on my daily list of perusals.

ps--Diary is posted, fyi.

by: CanyonWren @ Mon Mar 30, 2009 at 16:02:22 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

and kudzu, too (4.00 / 3)

It would help solve 2 problems at once.

This article discusses some of the pluses and minuses of biofuel from kudzu.

I wish I knew half what the flock of them know
Of where all the berries and other things grow,
Cranberries in bogs and raspberries on top
Of the boulder-strewn mountain, and when they will crop.
--"Blueberries" by Robert Frost

by: wide eyed lib @ Mon Mar 30, 2009 at 16:03:45 PM UTC

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by: you @ soon

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ha! (4.00 / 2)

that is SO TRUE.

"I can understand someone from Iowa promoting corn and soy, but we are not feeding the world, we are feeding animals and soft drink companies." - Jim Goodman

by: Jill Richardson @ Mon Mar 30, 2009 at 16:05:35 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Now that's something I could support (4.00 / 2)

As long as they don't mass-pharm it...there's enough kudzu in the south and southeast from what I hear.

by: CanyonWren @ Mon Mar 30, 2009 at 16:14:16 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

I find it ironic (4.00 / 1)

that when people talk about using kudzu, they worry about using it up and there not being any more.

I haven't noticed people in the south who hate the stuff having any success in that department.

"If God were to appear to starving people, he would not dare to appear in any other form than food." - Mahatma Gandhi

by: Miep @ Mon Mar 30, 2009 at 18:51:34 PM UTC

[ Parent ]