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Loading ...The CEC’s “Annotated Bibliography” on Environmental Impacts of Biofuels
Sunday, October 5th, 2008Normally I would not stick an annotated bibliography in the Temas Recommended Reading List, much less do a review of the “bibliography.” But the North American Commission on Environmental Cooperation (CEC) recently released an “Annotated Bibliography on the Environmental Effects of Biofuels” that I find a bit unusual and noteworthy. It’s more like a review […]
Brazil to Start Second Generation Biofuel Production by 2015
Saturday, October 4th, 2008Synopsis in English: The industrial director of Petrobras Biofuels recently declared that his company will enter into commercial production of second-generation biofuels by 2015. The company is conducting priority research in cooperation with Petrobras Research (CENPRES) into developing cellulosic ethanol utilizing wastes such as sugarcane bagasse. “This process will permit increasing production 60% using the […]
Minas & São Paulo Adopt a Green Purchasing Program
Sunday, September 28th, 2008Two of Brazil’s biggest markets — the states of Minas Gerais (MG) and São Paulo (SP) — each created in August a state program for sustainable public purchasing and contracting that, if done properly, can have a major impact on Brazilian markets — even more so if other states and the federal government follow their […]
CNPq vai investir R$ 22 milhões em biodiesel / CNPq to Invest R$22 Million in Biodiesel Production Research
Tuesday, September 9th, 2008Brazil’s National Council on Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) has announced that it will invest R$22 million to stimulate research into improving biodiesel production. The offering involves four different calls for proposals, and involves funds from the National Fund for Scientific and Technological Development (Fundo Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico – FNDCT), CNPq’s Agro-business […]
Biofuel from Sweet Potatoes
Saturday, August 9th, 2008Synopsis in English: Many people think Brazil’s interest in biofuel is limited to sugarcane ethanol. Not at all. They are looking at all the possible source materials. Just one example: the southern state of Paraná, a leader in Brazilian agriculture, is promoting the production of sweet potatoes among family farmers with a view to producing […]
Largest Biofuel Loan Yet by a Multilateral Bank
Wednesday, July 23rd, 2008Temas Note: This announcement is interesting to me for at least four reasons. First, as the title says, this is the largest biofuel loan package yet made by a multilateral development bank (MDB). [I doubt that record will stand, and probably will not even stand for very long.] Second, it underscores IDB’s commitment to, and […]
São Paulo’s New Bioenergy Research Program
Tuesday, July 8th, 2008Synopsis in English: The state Research Foundation of São Paulo (Fapesp) has just launched a special program Research on Bioenergy (Bioen) that aims at marshalling the state’s considerable public and private R&D resources to adavance and apply all knowledge linked to ethanol production. São Paulo leads Brazil in ethanol production, and Brazil rivals the US […]
The Carbon Footprint of Biofuels
Sunday, June 29th, 2008It is becoming increasingly difficult to find balanced discussions of any issue associated with biofuels. Biofuel proponents talk as if biofuels can solve all ills and can do little to no wrong (whether they have data to back that up or not), and their detractors tend to reject any notion whatesoever that they can be […]
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 […]