Tag Archives: development
EU Vote Bursts Bubble On Biofuel Future
DARAGH MCCULLOUGH – 29 AUGUST 2013 A recent vote by EU politicians makes the future of the nascent biofuel sector here even more precarious than it already was. A decade ago we were told that the world had entered a new post-peak oil era. With dwindling supplies, countries needed to take action to secure new sustainable sources of energy. Ireland was as good a case for bioenergy as anywhere, spending €6bn annually on imported energy. Everybody wanted a slice of that action. So ambitious targets obliging us to have 20pc of our total energy requirements coming from renewable sources by 2020 were signed into law. The Government pumped millions into schemes to incentivise farmers to grow new biomass crops such as elephant grass and put up oil-pressing plants. To the delight of the sceptics, much of this endeavour appears to be unravelling at the seams. Yes, wind-farms continue to be constructed and solar-panels adorn more and more roof-tops. But hundreds of acres of elephant grass, or ‘miscanthus’ to give it its proper name, have already been ploughed in by disillusioned farmers. The more enterprising individuals that invested millions in briquetting and oil-pressing plants have lost their shirts on the enterprises as market reality kicked in. Fossil fuels are becoming more expensive, but we are becoming more efficient at using them and extracting them. The actual end-game in terms of supplies is still so far off that the market still doesn’t price it into the equation. Irish farmers discovered to their cost that the rest of the planet is also able to generate masses of biomass – and ship it in here at a fraction of the cost that the Irish farmer needs to make a profit. Waste by-products such as palm kernals and cocoa shells are available for virtually nothing. The countries that produce these often can’t produce beef or milk at the same cost that we can in Ireland. Farmers and policymakers momentarily lost sight of what they had – a real competitive advantage in producing. At the same time, policymakers are still confused as to whether growing crops to fuel our cars actually makes sense. As a result, after their initial wave of enthusiasm, European politicians are slowing coming around to the idea that promoting the production of biomass and biofuels may not be the best use of our taxes. “Biofuels increase the demand for crops, which can encourage, at a global level, putting land into production, land that might not otherwise be used. And greater demand can lead to higher prices for food, hitting the poor hardest,” said Ireland East MEP Mairead McGuinness . As a result the EU recently voted to cap the amount of biofuel that can come from food sources at 5.5pc. But experts in Teagasc still believe that there is a future in the sector for those willing to take the risk. “We had to start somewhere in our search for alternatives to fossil fuels,” said renewable energy specialist Barry Caslin. “Growing miscanthus and oilseed rape crops to simply burn for heat is first generation stuff. Algae, waste digesters and enzymes are part of the second generation, and at some point we will be growing fuel in sustainable ways that is competitive with fossil fuels,” he said. In the meantime, Mr Caslin believes that Ireland is losing out on investment, jobs and economic growth if the Government doesn’t continue to support the advancement of the sector. It’s a classic case of the chicken and egg. Should we continue subsidising the development of renewable energy sources or should we wait until the market can support the development of the sector itself? Time will tell. Irish Independent Continue reading
The Sustainable Approach – Powering Africa Through Biomass Energy
Countries within the great African continent are blessed with enough resources to see them benefiting from biomass energy. Biomass is an important source of energy and the most important fuel worldwide after coal, oil, and natural gas. Bio-energy, which is derived from biomass, is expected to be a pivotal resource, which will contribute to global sustainable development. Dr Segun Adaju, the Project Manager of the Bank of Industry/United Nations Development Project (UNDP), Access to Renewable Energy (AtRE) Project, notes thus: “Biomass is a clean renewable energy resource derived from the waste of various human and natural activities. It excludes organic material, which has been transformed by geological processes into substances such as coal or petroleum.” The energy of biomass is extracted from three distinct sources, the largest energy source of biomass being wood (contributors include the timber industry, agricultural crops and raw materials from the forest); the second largest source is waste energy (main contributors are municipal solid waste and manufacturing waste); and the third largest source is alcohol fuels ‑ derived mainly from corn. Accordingly, in the developed world, biomass should become more important for dual applications such as heat and power generation. This is so since most countries within and across the African continent have a lot of resources for biomass energy; the continent is blessed with an environment and geography that supports the growth of anything. Importantly, biomass energy is especially relevant for Sub-Saharan Africa where over 80 percent of the population relies upon wood, crop and animal residues for meeting their household needs (mainly cooking). Notwithstanding extensive plans for electrification and provision of fossil fuels, a vast majority of households in Sub-Saharan Africa will still depend on biomass resources for their energy needs for at least the next two decades. It is also critical to note that African countries have adequate biomass resources for biomass energy because there is waste like sawdust and/or wood chips, which should not waste away. These countries can convert them into energy by simply putting the waste into small devices called bio-digesters, so that they can digest those waste through bacteria and the rest, scientists know more about that. Since African countries have so many resources (biomass energy resources), developing biomass industries in the continent will have more impact and it will ease some problems affecting the development of the continent. For instance, developing biomass industries in African countries will create more jobs; it will create adequate energy and it will solve the problem of how do we deal with waste. To effectively use resources for biomass energy, policy makers in African governments need to know the technologies that are available and how to apply them. There are also many technologies that can be imported and used to develop local (African) technologies. More so, to tap into these resources, the first thing is for African governments to create awareness so that people know that the waste they are even generating in their houses is actually money and it is a material to generate energy. Crafting of policies is a crucial step if the continent is to effectively utilise its resources for biomass energy. Adaju concurs: “We need government’s support in terms of policy so that we can be able to use our resources to generate our needs. It is not all the time we have to import what we want to consume or use so we need government’s policy to encourage production, and to support entrepreneurs.” The World Bank’s Director for Sustainable Development in the Africa Region, Jamal Saghir, said partners now need to foster mainstreaming of biomass into national economic policies. “The development of biomass energy is closely linked with forestry, agriculture, indoor air pollution and health, environment and climate change, rural electrification, and gender development,” he said. “And all these linkages have to be explicitly recognised and harmonised to have a unified sustainable approach.” This means Africa must embrace biomass energy and utilise it as a developmental tool. One of the major reasons why unemployment is high in the continent and why manufacturing companies are shutting down is because of energy is insufficient. If African countries have adequate energy, there will obviously be more employed people. Without doubt, biomass is an important source of energy and the most important fuel worldwide after coal, oil, and natural gas. Continue reading
US ready for action on Syria
US ready for action on Syria Allan Jacob / 27 August 2013 The United States on Monday said its forces in the region were ready for any military action on Syria if ordered by President Obama as UN chemical weapons experts got to work in the stricken country, interviewing and taking blood samples from victims of an alleged gas attack last week. “I can confirm that the US Navy has assets in the region prepared to support any decision by the president,” said Commander Bill Speaks from the Office of the Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, in response to questions by Khaleej Times . Khaleej Times can also confirm that the Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group arrived in the region last week after transiting through the Suez Canal. US 5th Fleet spokesperson Lt. Marissa Myatt said it was a routine deployment and the Group would replace another nuclear-powered carrier, the USS Nimitz . What is significant is that it will be the first time in a year when two carriers operate in the region. UN chemical weapons experts visit a hospital where wounded people affected by an apparent gas attack are being treated, in the southwestern Damascus suburb of Mouadamiya on Monday. -Reuters ‘‘We’ve trained hard and we’re ready to operate alongside our coalition partners to conduct maritime security operations to ensure stability and build trust and confidence throughout the region,” said Rear Adm. Kevin Sweeney, commander of the Group. The USS Harry S. Truman Strike Group is accompanied by guided-missile cruisers USS San Jacinto and USS Gettysburg ; guided-missile destroyers USS Bulkeley and USS Mason ; a strike fighter squadron; an airborne early earning squadron; an electronic attack squadron; a helicopter sea combat squadron and a helicopter maritime strike squadron. This development comes in the wake of talks between military leaders from the United States, Europe and the Middle East in Jordan for what could be a council of war should they decide to punish Syria for the worst reported chemical weapons attack in 25 years, agencies reported. Last week, hundreds of people died in Damascus suburbs in what appears to have been the worst chemical weapons attack since Saddam Hussein gassed thousands of Kurds to death in 1988. Meanwhile, UN investigators crossed the frontline from the centre of the capital, which remains under Assad’s control, to inspect the Mouadamiya suburb, one of at least four neighbourhoods hit by poison gas last Wednesday before dawn, Reuters reported. The UN said one vehicle in its convoy was crippled by shooting by “unidentified snipers”, but mentioned no injuries. They continued on after turning back for a replacement car. “I am with the team now,” a doctor who uses the name Abu Karam told Reuters by telephone from Mouadamiya. “We are in the Rawda mosque and they are meeting with the wounded. Our medics and the inspectors are talking to the patients and taking samples from the victims now.” Wassim Al Ahmad, an opposition activist, said members of the Free Syrian Army umbrella rebel organisation and the opposition’s Mouadamiya Local Council were accompanying the inspectors on their tour of the suburb. “The inspectors are now examining victims being treated at a makeshift hospital in Mouadamiya and are taking blood samples from them,” Ahmad said. Video filmed at the site showed inspectors in black and blue body armour and blue UN helmets walking through a street as curious onlookers came up to watch. They shook hands with men who appeared to be rebels wearing camouflage vests, and were accompanied by doctors and local residents. The group descended into the basement of a building where they were told injured survivors were being treated below ground to protect them from more shelling. Another video showed an inspector interviewing a patient and taking notes. Activists say at least 80 people were killed in Mouadamiya when the district was hit with poison gas. Hundreds of people were also killed in three other rebel-held districts – Irbin, Ain Tarma and Jobar. An opposition activist said a large crowd of people gathered to air their grievances to the UN team. There was also a plan for the experts to take samples from corpses. (With inputs from agencies) allan@khaleejtimes.com Continue reading
