CONGRESSMAN [Roilo] Golez’s concern that biofuels will eat into food security — specifically, “making beer more expensive” — strains credulity.
Couldn’t he at least think of other, more plausible reasons besides worrying about a more expensive alcoholic drink?
– Perla Limbaga Manapol, Banga, Aklan, Philippines (via e-mail)
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December 20th, 2007 at 5:50 pm
We really don’t need to use vehicles at all. Cycling helps - and its a trifle better.
December 20th, 2007 at 2:06 pm
Rep. Golez has pointed out his concern. There is nothing wrong with that. No matter how we praise the biofuel as an alternative source of energy, it indeed affect food security, and may lead to environmental degradation.
December 20th, 2007 at 10:32 am
chris galon,
Regarding your comment:
… biofuels cultivation/production will require mechanized farming method, fertilizer, water irrigation and processing plants all of which will contribute to enormous drain of energy and power source more than it can produce itself…
*****
Not necessarily, if you are familiar with “tuba-tuba”, that is what is called jatropha. It is a hardy biofuel producing plant which can grow where food crops grow poorly. I’ve seen farm hedges of this plant that grew without fertilizer and was just naturally watered by rainfall. The trick here so that fertilizer need not be used is to space the planting of this tree properly and not to use intensive farming techniques.
To add, cross planting of shrubs which produce nitrogenous leaves (I forgot the name of the plant but this can be researched) between these biofuel plants would serve as natural fertilizer and at the same time its leaves may be used to feed livestock.
Proper farm management is simply needed. We should be weaned from the traditional commercialized farming practices of First World countries who’s main aim is to find market for their fertilizers which actually pollute our water table and oceans not to mention potentially destroying our land due to acidity (to name a few).
Your suggestion for the development of other alternative energies like wind, solar and geothermal is sound however and can be developed in parallel to biodiesel production.
As a further suggestion; there are already electric jeeps in Metro Manila, this should be expanded and electric tricycles should be developed as well.
There are already very efficient electric motorcycles already in the US, it is a simple technology transfer of off-the-shelf products to develop this for use here in the Philippines or convert them to electric tricycles for that matter.
December 20th, 2007 at 9:54 am
maculot,
Please properly review the information regarding biodiesel as you might misinform the public,
Please check out this link:
http://www.biodiesel.org/pdf_files/fuelfactsheets/emissions.pdf
Excerpt:
Biodiesel is the first and only alternative fuel to have a complete
evaluation of emission results and potential health effects
submitted to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
under the Clean Air Act Section 211(b). These programs include
the most stringent emissions testing protocols ever required by
EPA for certification of fuels or fuel additives. The data gathered
complete the most thorough inventory of the environmental
and human health effects attributes that current technology will
allow…
The ozone (smog) forming potential of biodiesel hydrocarbons is less than
diesel fuel. The ozone forming potential of the speciated hydrocarbon
emissions is 50 percent less than that measured for diesel fuel.
Sulfur emissions are essentially eliminated with pure biodiesel. The
exhaust emissions of sulfur oxides and sulfates (major components of acid
rain) from biodiesel are essentially eliminated compared to diesel.
Criteria pollutants are reduced with biodiesel use. Tests show the use of
biodiesel in diesel engines results in substantial reductions of unburned
hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, and particulate matter. Emissions of
nitrogen oxides stay the same or are slightly increased.
Carbon Monoxide — The exhaust emissions of carbon monoxide (a
poisonous gas) from biodiesel are on average 48 percent lower than
carbon monoxide emissions from diesel.
Particulate Matter — Breathing particulate has been shown to be a
human health hazard. The exhaust emissions of particulate matter
from biodiesel are about 47 percent lower than overall particulate
matter emissions from diesel.
Hydrocarbons — The exhaust emissions of total hydrocarbons (a
contributing factor in the localized formation of smog and ozone) are
on average 67 percent lower for biodiesel than diesel fuel.
Nitrogen Oxides — NOx emissions from biodiesel increase or decrease
depending on the engine family and testing procedures. NOx
emissions (a contributing factor in the localized formation of smog and
ozone) from pure (100%) biodiesel increase on average by 10 percent.
However, biodiesel’s lack of sulfur allows the use of NOx control
technologies that cannot be used with conventional diesel.
Additionally, some companies have successfully developed additives
to reduce Nox emissions in biodiesel blends.
Biodiesel reduces the health risks associated with petroleum diesel.
Biodiesel emissions show decreased levels of polycyclic aromatic
hydrocarbons (PAH) and nitrated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
(nPAH), which have been identified as potential cancer causing
compounds. In Health Effects testing, PAH compounds were reduced by
75 to 85 percent, with the exception of benzo(a)anthracene, which was
reduced by roughly 50 percent. Targeted nPAH compounds were also
reduced dramatically with biodiesel, with 2-nitrofluorene and 1-
nitropyrene reduced by 90 percent, and the rest of the nPAH compounds
reduced to only trace levels.
December 20th, 2007 at 12:05 am
Indeed, biofuels can help alleviate some of the burden of the rising global oil price. But let us consider this, in order for this plants to grow, it needs vast quantities of water. Yes, WATER. Water is very limited nowadays and it is more valuable than satisfying the needs of gas guzzling cars today.
Although fuel is important, there should be balance in everything. Let us not do something that we would regret.