Subscribe to My Feed
Loading ...Costa Rica’s Biofuel Program
Friday, June 6th, 2008Costa Rica has committed itself to a full roll-out of ethanol blended gasoline and biodiesel by October of this year. The ethanol will be sourced from sugarcane (using Brazilian tech) and blended at the El Alto plant of the state-owned refinery in charge of the implementation of the biofuel program, Refinadora Costarricense de Petróleo, S.A. […]
CNPq to Invest R$22 million in Biofuel Research
Sunday, November 4th, 2007Brazil's National Council on Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) has announced that it will invest R$ 22 million to stimulate research that aids improvements in the production of ethanol and biodiesel in Brazil. The resources will be tapped from CNPq's existing Sectoral Funds for Petroleum and Natural Gas (CT-Petro), Agro-business (CT-Agro) and Biotechnology (CT-Biotechnology). Two […]
The Outlook for Biodiesel in Central America
Sunday, October 14th, 2007The UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC/CEPAL) recently released a report* it commissioned from a consultant that evaluates the prospects for biodiesel development in Central America generally, and individually in Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras. All four nations have expressed strong interest in replacing imported fossil fuels with locally […]
Locomotives Run on Biodiesel
Tuesday, September 25th, 2007Last May the Doce River Valley Company (Companhia Vale do Rio Doce – CVRD) announced plans to use biofuels in its locomotives. I knew that was economically significant news, since in addition to being the world's second largest mining company, CVRD is Brazil's largest logistics operator, owning three railroads — Estrada de Ferro Carajás (EFC), […]
Cidadania Ambiental
Thursday, September 20th, 2007It is an honor and pleasure to introduce this guest poster. Arnaldo Jardim is a civil engineer with many years of public service in Brazil, first in state executive posts (including Housing Secretary) and then as a State Deputy in São Paulo (SP), and currently as a Federal Deputy. While State Deputy he headed the […]
A Call for a Reality Check on Biofuel
Tuesday, September 11th, 2007If you listen to their proponents, biofuels are the answer to many environmental, energy and economic ills and can do no wrong. They are destined to unseat OPEC and free us all from hydrocarbon dependence. If you listen to their detractors, biofuels are a sham that may bring environmental disaster and servitude to multinational corporations, […]
Amazonas “Visionary” on Climate Change?
Friday, September 7th, 2007In June Amazonas became the first Brazilian state to adopt a state law on climate change, together with one creating a State System of Conservation Units (UCs). The laws were widely praised by nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) working on environment and conservation issues. A Greenpeace spokesman even declared them to be “almost visionary, but perfectly capable […]
Guyana to Host Caribbean Bioenergy Seminar
Saturday, July 28th, 2007To fully understand the antecedents for this seminar, check out prior posts on the IDB’s strategy for biofuels, the OAS’ renewed commitment to sustainable energy, and Guyana’s biofuel protential. From the Guyana Government Information Agency (GINA): Government to convene high-level bio-level seminar In light of recent reforms and growing interest in the production of bio-energy, […]
Banco do Brasil Adopts Its Own Agenda 21
Tuesday, June 26th, 2007Photo: Valter Campanato/ Agência Brasil Synopsis in English: With much fanfare in the Brazilian media, Brazil’s oldest (founded 1808) bank and one of its largest and most profitable, Banco do Brasil (BB), announced on 30 May the launch of its very own “Agenda 21” (Agenda 21 is the name of the plan of action resulting […]
Sustainable Agriculture as a Key to Protecting the Mesoamerican Reef
Wednesday, June 20th, 2007Synopsis in English: WWF has concluded an agreement with major Honduran producers of palm oil — specifically Palmas de San Alejo and AGROTOR, subsidiaries of the JAREMAR Group — to adopt specified good agricultural management practices in order to reduce the impact their production has on the nearby huge Mesoamerican Reef (MAR). The agreement has […]