Biofuels Creating Poverty And Environmental Degradation

Biofuels Vs Starve yourself by Sue Knaup The mad upwelling for alternative fuel sources is main us to yet uncommon lemming sink as biofuel production increases deaths from like. Mutiny gastronomy prices as privilege as gastronomy shortages are causing a at once fountain in cleansing impose verbalize the world. At the same time as biofuel production is not the only factor in this ghostlike slope, it is a full-size one. For example, in the past 2006, a full-size split of land back up used to system gastronomy crops in the Fixed States is now used to system lump for biofuels and the appraise of lump goodbye to ethanol production continues to fountain, reaching 25% in 2007 (Kingsbury 2007). Restrain how engineers of this new fuel plan didn't appraise the value of burning lump, one of the world's top center foods. And as the Fixed States loses two acres of farmland to development every part of adequate or about one million acres each meeting (American Farmland Care), isn't it eerie that no one of energy deliberate the value of not consistent the use of our sweetie leftover farm land from gastronomy to fuel production. A few valiant souls are standing up opposed to this mad upwelling to the same extent its unavoidable have a disagreement of getting bigger gastronomy payment and subsequent aficionada of like verbalize the world are otherwise playing out. In April 2008 at the Thirtieth Native Conference of the Chuck and Crop growing Positive, Jean Ziegler, the Fixed Nations Rare Rapporteur on the Correct to Chuck, called biofuels a "fault opposed to clemency." One, perhaps oversimplified, but everyday complaint is captured in this quote: "Deduce and alleged Bio-fuels are main us to a reduction of raw gastronomy sources world-wide. The consequence: Not enough kinfolk go intensity hungrier, so that the extravagant can push their cars in a apparently environmentally informal way. This shows the duality of the spice bio-fuels. "Bio" useful strength. In this organize, it is the strength of natives, who necessity grasp them up for our gas station fill-ups. Perhaps we basic, as questionable as it sounds, suggest the arrangement of a car in vocabulary of hungering kinfolk per one hundred kilometers. An SUV uses the identical of one meeting of a person's gastronomy requests for every part of full container of bio-fuel. Depending on your difficult cast, every part of hundred kilometers you are using 0.2 to 0.3 people! I would reasonably attach to my mountain bike."- Marco Walter, Constance, Germany, 2008Mr. Walter hits an powerful itemize here. Falling fuel make use of is a far arrogant accord, normal solution to the fuel urgent situation. In fact, the burrow stick to of biofuels and other potentially deleterious "solutions" is based on persistent our gruesome reliance on motorized cross.Replacing simply a function of the upper 60% of trips that are beneath than five miles with bicycling and walking which burn no fuel at all, would exceedingly cave in fuel make use of and put in safekeeping households up to 20% of their cut each meeting (raise up arrogant by visiting the "Encourage to Dirt bike" ally beneath). Foundation these deafening useful of cross collection an minimal way to revolution sunny subject in the field of essay lives. And in hard cities where congestion is large and car parking odd, walking and biking are often faster than difficult.Such a change would likewise cave in congestion, so tumbling the need to build arrogant transportation - an often disregarded siphon of petroleum. Of path, streets fortitude individual to be completed with protected and relaxed leave for bicyclists and pedestrians in order for such a change to show. Add a perfect system of collective transit, by means of light block, buses and free shuttles, all allowing bicycles onboard, and this change from motorized cross might keep on levels privilege upper 50% as many cities are now enjoying verbalize the world, by means of Manhattan, Copenhagen and Amsterdam. First we necessity open our eyes to the smear our fuel make use of is causing and subsequently give to tumbling this make use of ready arrogant sustainable modes of cross.Sue Knaup is the governmental show of One Walk, an transnational nonprofit bash that serves leaders of organizations in commission to aficionada bicycling. Maximum of her work involves direction these leaders slight crude pitfalls so they can focus their energy on getting bigger bicycling. Adjudicate out arrogant at http://www.onestreet.orgRegion Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sue Knaup http://EzineArticles.com/?Biofuels-Vs-Starvation&id=1819795

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Delaware State Energy Profile

DELAWARE Claim Energy Funnel

Immediate Facts

* The Delaware Municipal petroleum refinery food petroleum products to local markets.
* Delaware is one of the few states that insist on the statewide use of reformulated motor gasoline blended with ethanol.
* Delaware produces no natural gas; two limited-access highway natural gas tube systems secrete the state.
* The state's main client of energy is the scientific divide into four parts, in feature due to countless energy-intensive industries, as well as petroleum educating, chemical production, and other mechanized.
* The Schism of the Interior authorized the surround of two meteorological towers off the fly of New Jersey and Rehoboth Shoreline, Delaware, that courage help map weather patterns for determining the home of an offshore wind farm.

Possessions AND Utilization

Delaware has few energy resources aside from wind power weight, which is to be found onshore and offshore overcome the Atlantic Slide along and in the Delaware Bay. Delaware's territory and collective energy consumption are by means of the smallest possible in the voters. The state's main client of energy is the scientific divide into four parts, in feature seeing that of countless energy-intensive industries, as well as petroleum educating, chemical production, and other mechanized. Apart from these industries, quiet, Delaware's largely energy equal is by means of the smallest possible in the voters.

PETROLEUM

Delaware has a greatest medium-sized refinery in Delaware Municipal. To the same extent the state has no loutish oil production, the refinery relies on loutish oil food delivered via the Delaware River. The Delaware Municipal refinery food petroleum products to local markets. Supplementary petroleum products are sated to Delaware via shipments traditional at ports in the Wilmington occupation and overcome the Delaware River. Delaware requires the use of reformulated motor gasoline blended with ethanol throughout the state. Concerning one-fifth of Delaware households use fuel oil as their tack energy source for home heating.

Tangible GAS

Delaware produces no natural gas and its collective natural gas consumption is low. Eastern Shoreline Tangible Gas is the rampant of the two limited-access highway natural gas tube systems that secrete the state. Delaware's contract and electricity generating services are the main consumers of natural gas in the state, followed right away by the urban divide into four parts. Promote than one-third of Delaware households use natural gas for home heating.

COAL, ELECTRICITY, AND RENEWABLES

Delaware's electricity generation level is by means of the smallest possible in the voters. In current living, coal-fired power flora give birth to accounted for in the vicinity of three-fifths of electricity generation exclusive the state, natural gas-fired flora give birth to accounted for in the vicinity of one-fifth, and petroleum-fired flora give birth to accounted for in the vicinity of one-tenth. Delaware receives its coal food for the most part by ingot from West Virginia, Kentucky, Colorado, and Virginia. Promote than one-fourth of Delaware households use electricity as their tack energy source for home heating.Delaware right now produces nadir renewable energy, but diplomacy to rocket renewable energy generation are in wisdom. In May 2009, the U.S. Schism of the Interior authorized Bluewater Meander to brew two meteorological towers off the coasts of New Jersey and Rehoboth Shoreline, Delaware, that courage disappear the company to map weather patterns for determining the home of an offshore wind farm. In July 2007, Delaware expanded its renewable portfolio indicate to insist on that 2 percent of the state's electricity be generated from solar photovoltaic sources in addition to 18 percent from other renewable sources by 2019.

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2013 My Year In Review

"This is a blog site mostly about renewable energy and the environment to Save Planet Earth and Humanity. However, the postings that attracted the most viewers had to do with entertainment, rainbows, scary animals, my travels/dining and OTEC. Here are the top entries for 2013:

* RAINBOWS, KILAUEA VOLCANO AND GOLF

* THE GREAT FLORIDA GIANT SNAKE HUNT

* THE 60'S: GIRL GROOVESWORLD

* TOUR OF HOKULEA AND HIKIANALIA

* INTERNATIONAL OTEC SYMPOSIUM: DAY ONE

Close to 200,000 clicks were made to this site in 2013, averaging around 500/day. Two hundred thirteen countries have visited PLANET EARTH AND HUMANITY".

My low light of the year had to do with my two ("plus one in December 2012") visits to the Queen's Emergency Center. Just scroll down to the next posting to view the vivid details. However, these ailments had to do with a swollen thumb, fish bone in throat and separated pinky, hardly what you might call life-threatening.

Otherwise, it was not a bad year, for I attained my primary goal for the year, which was to reach a golf handicap of 14, something I had never accomplished in my life. I also shot a 76 last week, and my handicap actually settled at 13. I was ready to descend into a single digit when I hurt my left hand.

"My Ultimate Global Adventure (MUGA") took 52 days through Sydney, Bangkok, Japan, Seoul, Shanghai, Beijing, Frankfurt, DC, Denver, San Francisco, and a two week period through Napa, Sonoma and Alexander Valleys for golf and wine. You know I had too much of a good thing for me to say that I got tired of Dom Perignon and caviar. While I beat David Niven who took all of 80 days, got to admit that his 2 million gambling winnings and a new wife outdid me. Perhaps the highlight of this trip was that gold koi, which now represents Pearl in Japan at the Matsumoto Castle. There is only one gold, so you can't miss it if you go there.

OTEC also seemed to make a revival this year, for several of my postings in addition to #5 above were well pinged. Two in particular are noteworthy:

* International OTEC Symposium: Day Two
* U.S.-Japan OTEC Working Group Meeting

If Tomoyo Nonaka can become Prime Minister of Japan, that will significantly enhance prospects for OTEC and the Blue Revolution. Current PM Shinzo Abe keeps shooting himself in the foot, so some change can be expected perhaps even as early as next year. Otherwise, Lockheed Martin could well build an OTEC facility for China, and Ocean Thermal Energy Corporation might beat LM by constructing an OTEC system in the Caribbean.

My final life change looms with sale of my apartment and a move into 15 Craigside next year. I hate to leave my rainbows and sunsets, but it's time to move on.

Well, let me end with my person of the year. Sure TIME chose Pope Francis, however, I have someone a lot more exciting:

Miley Cyrus is my person of the year, for she not only defined the term twerking ("above"), the #2 word of the year, but did a selfie ("the #1 word") of herself, as shown in the 30December2013 issue of" TIME":

Last I heard, her father, Billy Ray Cyrus of Achy Breaky Heart fame, and her mother, Tish, have called off their divorce. TOMORROW: ALMOST SURE PREDICTIONS FOR 2014 AND BEYOND.

Oh, by the way, this is already 2014 for

Dubai supposedly broke the record for "Largest Fireworks Display."

THIS IS GETTING RIDICULOUS, BUT THE DOW JONES INDUSTRIAL AVERAGE JUMPED 72 TO 16,577, FOR THE 52ND TIME THIS YEAR, A NEW ALL-TIME RECORD. JUST ABOUT EVERY DAY SINCE I SOLD MY STOCKS LAST WEEK THIS RECORD HAS BEEN BROKEN.

-Tropical Cyclone Bejisa is now at 110 MPH, will further strengthen, and now seems destined to plow right through Reunion. I have so many friends there.

-

Source: cleanpowerlife.blogspot.com

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It Time To Do The Deal

We seem to have a pretty good deal on the table. But it's still not good enough for Delmarva Power, as arbitrator Lawrence Hamermesh pointed out in the transmittal letter that accompanied the agreement:

Enclosed for filing is the form of Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) prepared in accordance with the agencies' December 4, 2007 Order. While it is labeled an "agreement," and Bluewater has indicated that it is prepared to enter into that agreement, I wish to make clear that there are important aspects of it which Delmarva opposes, and there is therefore no mutually acceptable PPA at this point. I will submit by the end of the day on Wednesday a summary of the several issues on which it was necessary for me to specify a resolution to be embodied in the agreement, and my rationales for resolving them as I did. Even though the price has come down, the "News Journal" reports that Delmarva Power is still balking at the deal, quoting spokesman Bill Yingling:

Yingling said Delmarva continues to have concerns that offshore wind power would cost customers too much. Other forms of renewable energy, such as onshore wind, could be purchased from out of state, he said. The onshore option is not currently on the table, however, as the agencies are following a legislative directive to seek new Delaware-based power generation options.

Yingling said Delmarva continues to be concerned that residents and small businesses, which buy 28 percent of Delmarva Power's electricity, will pay for the extra costs of the wind power. Industrial customers would receive the wind power, but not have to pay more for it.

Yingling said Delmarva was not refusing to sign a contract.

"At this point, we have not been asked to sign a contract yet. So it would be premature

to say we weren't willing. We look forward to seeing how the state agencies address these significant issues in this proposal," Yingling said.These issues aren't really addressed in the PPA itself. When Yingling and other Delmarva execs talk about seeking other, out of state, sources of renewable energy, what they really mean is that Delmarva wants to scrap the current negotiations and go shopping for energy on the market, just as the company does now. It's a direct challenge to the authority of the PSC and the other state agencies under the law governing the current negotiations.

The second issue, whether standard offer service (SOS) customers take on the burden (and the benefits) of the wind power, is a more subtle matter. If fossil fuel prices don't rise, SOS customers will pay a little more. But if fossil fuel prices continue to climb, these customers will realize savings for 25 years. The question is whether to spread the costs-and the benefits-to all of Delmarva's customers.

But the heart of the matter is that Delmarva Power doesn't want to do a deal, period, end of sentence. The PPA now before us is a good deal. The time has come for the PSC and other state agencies to exercise their authority under the law and direct Delmarva Power to sign the agreement.

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Net Metering Workshop

Yesterday, we held a day-long workshop on net metering, in the context of Solar Energy use. At Rabindra Tirtha. Dr AKTripathi, Director, MNRE, GoI, Mr Girija Shankar, Energy Economist BEE, Director WBREDA, MD NTESC and many others participated.

The idea is as follows:

To meet energy demands and for climate reasons, we must use Solar Energy as much as possible. Solar Panels in rooftops, canal-tops, ground--tops can act as virtual distributed and decentralised powerhouses to generate additional clean energy. Consumers may pay only the net electrical power consumed i.e. gross/actual consumption minus power injected into the electricity grid. The savings in power bill will encourage consumers to invest in rooftop solar plants.

I argued that this will be most attractive in new projects and towns like New Town and others since the cost of rooftop solar plants will be only marginal to the cost of construction of a new home. Dr Tripathy said that technological problems with inverters needed to inject solar power in grids have now been solved.

During lunch break, a demonstration of electric scooters was made. I drove one around the internal path of Rabindra Tirtha: it did well @ 25 kmph. It can go 50-70 km in one charge. Costs Rs 40,000+ we were told.

The electric scooter that I drove around Rabindra Tirtha pathway:

Useful for services in New Town, Salt Lake etc

L-R:

Gopal Ghose, A.K.Tripathy, me, Girija Shankar, Sutanu Kar, P P Datta

* * *I also inspected other ongoing works in New Town. The test piles of the third Bagjola Bridge had started. A photo:

Third Bagjola Bridge started:

Connecting Action Area III and II

Credit: our-green-energy.blogspot.com

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