Fuel

$3.39 per gallon I paid for gas today 5-19-07 in Lafayette, LA. I heard some stupid citizen/person being interviewed on the cable news last night say that gas prices are no big deal and that she is getting used to it. Stupid! Later in the day a local Lafayette news team interviewed a similar individual from River Ranch. How many interviews did it take the local news team have to do before they found some little girl that is okay with spending mommy and daddy’s money on gasoline? I do believe that if she was spending any of the $5.15 per hour that she is earning, she would then have a problem with the cost of fuel. If we become complacent big business will and is walking all over us just like they do with the UK, which is currently paying $5.64 per gallon of regular gas. We will eventually pay $10.00 per liter before we know it if we don’t speak up now. Speak up America write your congress men, write blogs, and post your local gas prices world wide on the web. Everyone in the world is invited to www.zz2p.com to post your local prices. Why is VENEZUELA only paying $0.14 per gallon, what does Venezuela have that the world’s super power doesn’t? They have the foresight to act now to keep fuel prices down. Venezuela has the refineries and plans to develop more by 2012. We “America” have a greedy bunch of Politicians and big business jerks running our country and using conservationists as an excuse not to build refineries. Technology has grown by leaps and bounds we no longer need fossil fuels to the degree we once did, “In 1996, electric cars began to appear on roads all over California. They were quiet and fast, produced no exhaust and ran without gasoline………..Ten years later, these cars were destroyed.” (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0489037/taglines.) You can see a short video about the electric car and get information about other low or no fuel vehicles at: http://www.sonyclassics.com/whokilledtheelectriccar The big oil companies put a stop to the electric car thing, they knew that they would loose billions to an era of vehicles that needed little maintenance and absolutely no gas. We the people are in control of our country. Don’t forget it, we elect and we impeach. The countries biggest mistake is that we have fallen short by letting the government have to much say in our daily lives. The government is over powering the people buy stepping into our lives and dictating whether or not we: buckle up, discipline our children, smoke legal cigarettes, making air travel a living hell by searching everyone but the target profile, Yes there is a target profile but according to the government that would be discrimination or racial profiling. Racial profiling wasn’t a problem when the FBI rounded up all the Arabic looking foreigners working in around the country after 9/11. Our current government deals in fear and as long as we are scared of our shadows they are able to do as they please with our country. Another problem that is compounding our current state of affairs is that of our growing welfare population corporate and otherwise keeps the greedy in office in order to keep their government checks coming in. Kick the government out of our homes so maybe they might have time to see how the American people are being screwed by big business. Speak up America your only crazy if you’re Okay with bending over for the man.

BIO-FUEL CROPS PRODUCING BIO-DIESEL

The company now boasts 22 employees, including scientists, farmers, international businessmen, industrial workers and of course family.

GreenEnergy`s corporate mission aims to bring large tracts of rural land under scientific but basic cultivation of bio-fuel feedstocks, bringing with it employment and entrepreneurial opportunities to potentially thousands of Vietnamese rural poor, while providing inputs for GreenEnergy`s core business, the refining and marketing of bio-diesel.

It is a win, win situation for everyone because not only does cultivation of this vegetable oil require only marginally arable, war damaged or barren land, this also means its activities do not compete with other food production which avoids putting upward pressure on food prices.

N.B (Vietnamese Government has identified seven million hectares as marginal, barren or war damaged land).

In addition GreenEnergy`s operations achieve a renewable and sustainable fuel source for Vietnam to continue its development with all the attendant social, economic and environmental benefits in producing clean energy.

Because of the scale and potential of the bio-diesel industry in Vietnam and indeed globally, where tens of millions of bio-fuel crops will have to be grown to substantially replace fossil fuels, a ‘second green revolution’ is possible, bringing with it true improvement in the lives of the rural poor and vegetable oils can play a
significant role in helping to ameliorate global warming as a key aspect of climate change.

Global warming, a key aspect of climate change, now clearly recognized as a result of a concentration of greenhouse gases (GHGs) in the atmosphere – has the worst impact on the climate.

Carbon dioxide, the most common of GHGs, is emitted during the burning of fossil fuels.

The Kyoto Protocol gazetted in February 2005 requires participating countries to cut carbon emissions.
Further to this, rising crude oil prices and the need to reduce dependence on imported oil has made it necessary for net oil importers to think of alternative energy sources. The precarious situation with fossil fuel supplies coupled with the ability of bio-fuels to lessen that risk, makes it feasible for the global economy to
revert its focus towards agriculture and those traditionally engaged in it, thus offering a potential boon to Vietnam’s rural sector.

Full bio-diesel use would reduce net CO2 by over 78% compared to petroleum diesel and up to 16% with the use of blends comprising 20% bio-diesel.

While both fuels are almost equally efficient at converting raw energy resources into fuels, bio-diesel has a larger part that is renewable. Similarly, bio-diesel is non-toxic and environmentally friendly as it produces
substantially less CO2, ensuring sustainable environmental practices.

GreenEnergy has recognized this mammoth task and has adopted a dual strategy for attaining its goals in Vietnam.

1.Public –Aggressive initiatives to “jump-start” the production side of bio-fuel feedstocks by forming a partnership with Vietnams Central Government and People’s Committees as well as aid agencies to help put large tracts of marginal land under bio-fuel crop cultivation quickly.

A memorandum of understanding and support was signed by the Peoples Committee of Binh Dinh Province and Green Energy Vietnam on the 8th of December 2006 and the 500 hectare Binh Dinh Research and Training Facility for the Cultivation of Biofuel Feedstocks has been established, known as BDF- FARMER ENERGY- a working laboratory devoted to developing the bio-fuel industry for the benefit of Vietnamese rural poor.

2.Private – Includes GEV investments to retain its ‘First Mover’ advantage by securing its proprietary feedstocks, expanding its physical plant refinery presence and continuing to build its integrated supply-chain, complete with forward contracted suppliers and customers.

It is in this first arena, Public Initiatives, that GreenEnergy sees co-operation with aid agencies.

Some of the substantial and sustainable benefits that the cultivation of bio-fuels crops can contribute to Vietnam are:
1. Real cash growth, raising the annual income of $820 to $1,300 U.S. for thousands of marginalized rural families.

2. Private homesteading for the rural poor.

3. Stress relief and barren or war damaged land reclamation.

4. Enfranchisement of poor, rural women.

5. Retention of scarce foreign currency reserves and
6. Independence from the uncertainties of global mineral oil markets.

The People`s Committee of the Province of Binh Dinh and GreenEnergy, Vietnam, in full realization of the enormous impact this Research and Training Facility will have for all of Vietnam`s rural communities, cordially
invites any and all organizations seeking positive change in the livelihood of rural Vietnamese to form an active Partnership in the development of this Research and Training Facility.

The Binh Dinh Facility wants to be a catalyst in harnessing this opportunity for all stakeholders and delivering:

. A path for the rural poor to climb out of their deprivation rather than fall further behind.

. A renewable, sustainable and viable alternative to fossil fuel for Vietnam’s surging economy and an industry that rejuvenates, rather than degrades the environment.

Introduction to the oil plant Jatropha.

The oil plant Jatrophas curcas (L) (Jatropha) or physic nut, is multipurpose and drought resistant, growing to a height range of 2 to 7 metres for the Asian species and it not only flourishes in tropical and sub-tropical climate zones but even in areas absent of water.

Because its leaves and stems are toxic to animals it is often used as a protective hedge around farm houses, gardens and fields.

It also reduces soil damage caused by erosion from wind and water and traditionally the seeds were harvested by women for medical treatments and local soap production.

In Thailand, Jatropha normally flowers twice a year, in dry and rainy seasons with seed harvesting conducted approximately 60-90 days after flowering and the oil plant has a productive life of 20 years.

Because the market is probably not yet mature enough for the plant to generate enough income solely from oil extraction, a holistic rural development approach has to be taken into account in order to exploit all potential uses of the Jatropha plant. This approach is known as the Jatropha System.

The system focuses not only on the use of the source as a fuel, but rather as an element, to activate a system combining ecologic, economic and income generating activities.

Consequently, the Jatropha System offers four main aspects of development aiming to better the livelihoods in rural areas, especially for women and farmers:

. Renewable energy- bio-diesel

. Erosion control and soil improvement

. Promotion of women and

. Income generation.

About one-third of seeds can be extracted as oil that has a similar energy value to diesel fuel. The oil is extracted by hydraulic pressure and then filtered through an intensive sleeve that can then be readily used without any complicated refinery process, directly available for small diesel engines as a substitution for
diesel oil, without engine modification.

This oil can power engines, such as water pumps, tractors, hand mowers, other farm machinery and rice milling machines and by using this domestically produced oil as a substitution for imported oil, significant cash
savings can be made.

GreenEnergy Ltd have already committed a considerable amount of time, money and resources to this environmentally sound an economically sustainable project in Vietnam and welcome further input from other interested parties.

It is also their belief that at an international level, stakeholders involved should perform a three pronged approach, with mutual knowledge, technology transfer, genetic development of high oil content in the seeds and exchange of Jatropha species, together with investment and trade linkage.

Individual Wind Turbines

Wherever they may be located, wind farms are now being seen as the modern equivalent to the old coal power plant. Scores of wind turbines all working in unison can now be seen both on and offshore throughout the world, but a wind turbine does not need a friend to be useful.

Wind farms are incredibly productive, as anything that combines a singular might will be. However, there is still a place for the individual wind turbine being used to power a specific area. One wind turbine alone can generate a lot of electricity. For example, a singular wind turbine in Reading, England generates enough power to satisfy the electricity demands of 1,000 homes nearby.

Individual wind turbines also have an advantage over wind farms in that they do not require a lot of space. Numerous wind turbines combined to create a wind farm will require acres of land on which to erect the turbines and their electricity generators; just one wind turbine obviously only needs a fraction of this space. For this reason, individual wind turbines are being considered a viable solution for urban areas, where there is not enough floor space to erect anything more than a singular turbine.

While it is unlikely the future includes the idea of every street having its own wind turbine generating close-by electricity, the idea of individual wind turbines is growing. We could well see a day when town planning includes the usual wind turbine to generate electricity, and from an environmental point of view alone, this is wonderful progress.

Onshore Wind Farms

A wind farm is an area which is host to several wind turbines, sometimes up to 100 individual turbines at a time. Rather than working as individual turbines, all of the energy collected by these wind farms is grouped into one larger generator of electricity; making such developments the power plant of the modern era.

The most common type of wind farm is the onshore wind farm. This essentially means where each wind turbine is anchored into land, usually on a grassy field or high on a hillside. Other forms of wind farms are possible; offshore wind farms are built in the sea, and airborne and near water wind farms are also increasingly common.

The reason for the onshore wind farm’s popularity is that they are easy to construct when compared with other options. Materials can be brought to the site, and while the transportation is expensive. When the component parts have arrived at the wind farm location, from there the erection of each turbine is relatively simple by modern engineering standards. Cranes are most typically used to winch the blades into place.

Onshore wind farms are most typically built in rural areas, though some cities are now building them close to urban areas. For example, a new wind farm in Glasgow, Scotland is only 20 miles from the centre of the city. While there are some aesthetic issues – particularly with local residents – this close proximity to where electricity is needed most means onshore wind farms can be extremely productive.

The Forgotten Environmental Effect of Wind Turbines

When people talk of the environmental effect of wind turbines and wind power, they often forget to mention the problems wind turbines cause to local wildlife. Birds are an obvious problem to wind turbines; as many turbines are erected at cruising level for birds, many ecological campaigners were convinced bird fatalities would increase due to intereference from turbines.

Wind turbines are usually painted white, so they seemingly blend with surrounding cloud. This, however, is what makes them such hazards to birds; who may not notice the turbines until they are fatally close to the revolving blades.

Statistics show that the effect wind turbines have on birds is negligible. That is, wind energy from turbines is no more costly to bird welfare than other forms of renewable energy production (such as nuclear power) and is actually 20 times less dangerous than traditional fossil fuel production plants.

While birds are safe, it is becoming apparent that bats are not. Nocturnal and blind, winged bats are becoming the silent victims of wind turbines as their usual navigational tools which help them avoid collisions are interupted by the rotating blades.

As well as collisions, bats have to deal with the low pressure caused by wind turbine tips. If they are lucky enough to avoid colliding with the tips themselves, the low pressure generated can cause a condition known as barotrauma. Bats lungs are damaged by exposure to this low pressure, and it can be fatal. Birds have more robust lungs and are not effected by this condition.

So while birds are doing well with wind farms, further research is required on the effects on the bat population. The most obvious solution is placing radar transmitters on top of turbines; bats avoid these, as they trigger their sonar navigational systems.