Biofuel, a solution or a new problem?

Recently I’ve read an article in National Geographic and it was about developing and using biofuel to replace the fossil fuel. It is actually quite interesting knowing that instead of using gasoline we can use ethanol to power automobiles. In Brazil for example car manufacturers install a flex machine where a same car can use either regular gasoline or ethanol. Not to mention that ethanol produces less pollution than gasoline, so it’s a cleaner and more efficient fuel.

Of course biofules also come with their own problems, one of the major one is that crops that would be better use to fight world’s hunger should not be used to create fuel. Since what is the point if in one country people use an efficient fuel while in another people are dying of hunger. Other problem is that the way biofuel is produced now is still not very efficient.

If we take a look back in history it is not the first time ethanol is used to fuel a car. Many car engine creators actually used ethanol to fuel the engine at the first place, however since fossil fuel was simply cheaper to use they all turn to it. I remember when I was still a kid seeing a news on TV where a car in Germany was using cooking oil to power the engine, back then it seemed very impressive to me. So why didn’t we switch to biofuels earlier?

It’s simple at the end of the day the rule of basic economics prevails, a simple law of supply and demand. So as long as the biofuel prices are higher than fossil fuel nobody would buy it. That’s the reason scientists are trying hard to create more efficient process in making biofuel so the prices can be more competitive.

All of this is interesting and looks promising, with cleaner and more efficient fuel we can also reduce pollution that is one the causes of global warming. However somehow I have a feeling that this solution is in fact coming from focusing on the problem.

Why do I think so? Well we are trying to find another substance that we can ‘burn’ in our engines instead of thinking on how to develop an engine that runs on another source of energy, for example electricity.

I’m no expert and I don’t know what kind of problems does electrical engine face. I do know that one of the problems is the power storage and the time it takes to recharge the batteries. But look around us there are so many inexpensive ways to harvest electricity from the resources we have an abundance and are free. There is wind, sun, rivers, tides you name it.

Imagine if every house hold or small community would produce their own electricity for home use and to power their vehicles we would not even need to depend on the power plants any more. Of course we would have to invest in the equipment to generate power but think that after that we would not have to pay for the electricity and also reduce the fuel cost that we spend now. At the same time also cutting down on pollution.

So if you ask me, instead focusing on how to develop a more efficient way to produce biofuels we should focus on developing a better electrical engine. What do you think?

Read More......

Howard to save Indonesia's forests?

Last night I heard an amusing news on Metro TV. Mr.Howard, Prime Minister of Australia stated his government is setting up a fund of US$160 millions for the purpose of saving Indonesian forests. I thought I heard wrong but the news report repeated it several times so it's confirmed.

So what's with Mr.Howard's sudden interest towards Indonesia's forest? It's true there is much to be done to save the forests in Indonesia before it's total obliterated by irresponsible and corrupted hands. If you have read my previous post Deforestation, Indonesia's latest record? that should be all clear, actions to save the forest are needed and needed quickly before it's too late.

However Mr.Howard interest in the issue comes from a different angle. Up until recently Mr.Howard didn't care much regarding environmental issues including the main one which is the global warming. That is proven in the past by the fact that Australia along with USA refuse to sign the Kyoto Protocol, regarding reducing carbon dioxide emission. Mr.Bush says that “our economy is more important (than the rest of the planet)” and I guess Mr.Howard must share the same vision.

For anyone who would like to know and understand more regarding global warming, you really need to see the former US vice president Al Gore's documentary movie “An Inconvenient Truth”. The movie which won an Oscar in 2006 for the best documentary movie explains everything about global warming and what needs to be done to stop it. Hopefully Mr.Gore will run again for the president of United States, win and actually do something about the issue.

Back to Mr.Howard, few years back I had a nice chat with an Australian man. I forgot his name but he mentioned that he was a journalist and a really nice person. Anyway the conversation come to the environment issue and he asked me if I knew which country was the highest per capita producer of carbon dioxide? I replied “US”, but he said I was wrong and that the correct answer was in fact Australia. Repeating his word “we are the ones ...” filled with irony. I was surprised to learn that, so no wonder why Australia doesn't want to sign Kyoto Protocol.

So Mr.Howard's interest in saving Indonesia's forest are no other than political. He doesn't really care about the issue, however the recent polling in Australia showed that majority of population (or should I say voters) regard global warming as an important issue, while of course elections are just around the corner. So this is just another effort to get reelected.

What I found really strange is instead of doing something about the global warming issue within Australia, like say issuing new laws to reduce the carbon dioxide emission or measurements to prevent forest fires that now also happen in Australia. No he prefers to save the forests in Indonesia, hey why not in case it doesn't work he can always blame Indonesian government and if that's the price to get reelected definitely.

Saving forests throughout the world including Indonesia is important, stopping the further global warming even more. If we don't start doing something soon than in 50 or so years this planet may not be suitable anymore for any living creature including ourselves. Is that the legacy that we want to leave behind?

Read More......