Comments on: Update on Biox Corp. and progress of Hamilton biodiesel plant http://www.cleanbreak.ca/2006/01/13/update-on-biox-corp-and-progress-of-hamilton-biodiesel-plant/ Trends, happenings and innovations in the clean technology market Mon, 15 Mar 2010 18:42:32 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Anonymous http://www.cleanbreak.ca/2006/01/13/update-on-biox-corp-and-progress-of-hamilton-biodiesel-plant/comment-page-1/#comment-189 Anonymous Fri, 21 Jul 2006 05:45:42 +0000 http://www.cleanbreak.ca/2006/01/13/update-on-biox-corp-and-progress-of-hamilton-biodiesel-plant/#comment-189 I think it's pretty clear that neither soy nor corn are the most appropriate crops for oil production, and no doubt contribute to some of the confusion regarding energy balance. In North America, probably the best commerical crop for oil production would be canola, with oil yields more than twice that for soy by acre. Jatropha is probably one of the highest oil per acre producers, but grows in tropical conditions which may limit the land available for growth. As for using new oil for bio-diesel - why not? Fine, the economics of it will shift dramatically, but perhaps allowing traders and businesses to determine how a nation operates is a little on the facist side to begin with. I didn't vote for the CEO of Exxon or Shell, or any of the traders on the floor of the NY or Toronto stock exchanges. I think it’s pretty clear that neither soy nor corn are the most appropriate crops for oil production, and no doubt contribute to some of the confusion regarding energy balance. In North America, probably the best commerical crop for oil production would be canola, with oil yields more than twice that for soy by acre. Jatropha is probably one of the highest oil per acre producers, but grows in tropical conditions which may limit the land available for growth.

As for using new oil for bio-diesel – why not? Fine, the economics of it will shift dramatically, but perhaps allowing traders and businesses to determine how a nation operates is a little on the facist side to begin with. I didn’t vote for the CEO of Exxon or Shell, or any of the traders on the floor of the NY or Toronto stock exchanges.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.cleanbreak.ca/2006/01/13/update-on-biox-corp-and-progress-of-hamilton-biodiesel-plant/comment-page-1/#comment-188 Anonymous Sun, 14 May 2006 14:37:13 +0000 http://www.cleanbreak.ca/2006/01/13/update-on-biox-corp-and-progress-of-hamilton-biodiesel-plant/#comment-188 What are the vegetable oils that Biox plans to use for its biodiesel facility? There appears to be a debate whether soy or corn are suitable for biodiesel in the context of their yields, and whether crops like jatropha are better candidates...also, what is Biox's position on algae-based biodiesel? Vic, <a href="http://www.castoroil.in" rel="nofollow">Castor Oil Online</a> What are the vegetable oils that Biox plans to use for its biodiesel facility? There appears to be a debate whether soy or corn are suitable for biodiesel in the context of their yields, and whether crops like jatropha are better candidates…also, what is Biox’s position on algae-based biodiesel?

Vic, Castor Oil Online

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.cleanbreak.ca/2006/01/13/update-on-biox-corp-and-progress-of-hamilton-biodiesel-plant/comment-page-1/#comment-187 Anonymous Fri, 17 Feb 2006 17:39:16 +0000 http://www.cleanbreak.ca/2006/01/13/update-on-biox-corp-and-progress-of-hamilton-biodiesel-plant/#comment-187 Biodiesel from waste bio-oils? Certainly- it makes energetic and emissions-reduction sense to do so, provided that the producer has no on-site use for heat which they could satisfy by merely burning the waste oil in a boiler. But biodiesel from fresh raw soybean oil? You'd have to put on several pairs of rose-coloured glasses to see an environmental benefit to farming foodstock oil and using it to make transportation fuel! Once food producers and deep-friers start to see commercial biodiesel facilities spring up, their waste oil will go from a low-value, limited market agricultural by-product used as a feed supplement for animals to a "feedstock" for the production of biodiesel fuel. As this occurs, the price of this "waste" will increase, and the economic viability of biodiesel will suffer. Such is the fate of all wastes put to beneficial use I'm afraid- the market makes sure of that. Once we pay the full, true and fair cost of the energy we use in all its forms, we'll have a hope of making intelligent choices in regard to what forms of energy we use for what purposes. Investments in conservation will make too much sense for businesses and individuals to ignore. Until then, we'll continue to be energy addicts, energy gluttons and energy morons from a public policy perspective. And our politicians will continue to grasp for the mythical "technological fix" which will make the whole thing go away so we can keep doing what we've always been doing. Biodiesel from waste bio-oils? Certainly- it makes energetic and emissions-reduction sense to do so, provided that the producer has no on-site use for heat which they could satisfy by merely burning the waste oil in a boiler. But biodiesel from fresh raw soybean oil? You’d have to put on several pairs of rose-coloured glasses to see an environmental benefit to farming foodstock oil and using it to make transportation fuel!

Once food producers and deep-friers start to see commercial biodiesel facilities spring up, their waste oil will go from a low-value, limited market agricultural by-product used as a feed supplement for animals to a “feedstock” for the production of biodiesel fuel. As this occurs, the price of this “waste” will increase, and the economic viability of biodiesel will suffer. Such is the fate of all wastes put to beneficial use I’m afraid- the market makes sure of that.

Once we pay the full, true and fair cost of the energy we use in all its forms, we’ll have a hope of making intelligent choices in regard to what forms of energy we use for what purposes. Investments in conservation will make too much sense for businesses and individuals to ignore. Until then, we’ll continue to be energy addicts, energy gluttons and energy morons from a public policy perspective. And our politicians will continue to grasp for the mythical “technological fix” which will make the whole thing go away so we can keep doing what we’ve always been doing.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.cleanbreak.ca/2006/01/13/update-on-biox-corp-and-progress-of-hamilton-biodiesel-plant/comment-page-1/#comment-186 Anonymous Mon, 16 Jan 2006 18:55:07 +0000 http://www.cleanbreak.ca/2006/01/13/update-on-biox-corp-and-progress-of-hamilton-biodiesel-plant/#comment-186 "Anybody can be insane" -- may I quote that!? That's brilliant, I'm really tired of David Pimental's recursive data laundering. Glad to see saner minds are prevailing. “Anybody can be insane” — may I quote that!? That’s brilliant, I’m really tired of David Pimental’s recursive data laundering. Glad to see saner minds are prevailing.

]]>