Domestic Fuel

In past posts, I’ve written (or re-published) about how countries like Brazil are taking a leadership role in global biofuels development. I came across an article recently in the Business Daily that discusses how Brazilian biofuels experts are working with Kenya to boost their biofuels development.

While there are still global concerns about biofuels relationship to food, especially food security, Kenya is moving forward with its increased production of sugarcane for ethanol. Brazilian experts are helping the country improve sugarcane production as well as aiding them in the development of ethanol production facilities strategically located throughout the country.

Back in July, a pact was signed between the two countries that ensures cooperation in the development and promotion of both ethanol and biodiesel. The pact includes the exchange of expertise and training support.

“These joint consultations and efforts will enable Kenya to tap our 85 years of experience and expertise to discover her potential in biofuel production,” a Brazilian foreign affairs ministry official, Mr Luciano Sousa, said in Nairobi after a meeting with Kenyan experts last week.

Today, more than 100 countries have some energy policy that requires the development and use of bioenergy, and according to Brazilian biofuel expert Daniel Machado da Fonseca, Brazil’s biofuels model can be replicated in these countries.

“One of the highlights of this pact is to assist countries map out the biofuel zones to ensure that its commercial production does not pose a threat to food security,” said Machado.

Kenya is not the only country that Brazil has signed a pact with. They are also working with Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia, the Sudan, and Mozambique to help them develop their biofuels programs.

There is a highly controversial provision being added to California’s ballots this November called Prop 23. The proposition, which is backed by several oil companies, is asking for the state to suspend California’s 2006 Global Warming Solutions Act that calls for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) to 1990 levels by 2020. Supporters of Prop 23 want the suspension to be in place until unemployment drops to 5.5 percent in four consecutive quarters. The state is currently looking at double-digit unemployment numbers of 13.2 percent, one of the worst in the nation.

The supporters of Prop 23, led by Texas refining giants Valero Energy Corp. and Tesoro, Inc., are claiming that this piece of legislation will cost businesses and consumers billions of dollars in higher energy costs over the next decade. Environmental organizations are fighting back arguing that this is an attempt to kill California’s green energy policy.

Yet those who oppose the bill are claiming that the passage of this proposition would jeopardize a half million clean tech jobs, 12,000 companies and billions of dollars of private investment in California. They also contend that the state’s global leadership in clean tech would succumb to nations such as Asia and Europe. To date, more than 250 businesses and organizations have vocally opposed Prop 23.

In a new report, “Going Backward,” released by the Clean Economy Network (CEN), Prop 23 would suspend efforts to increase electricity produced from renewable sources as well as stifle energy efficiency standards for homes and office buildings. The report says that this effort, if passed, would increase healthcare costs due to pollution as well as raise electricity bills by up to a third over the next 12 years.

“Prop 23 should be viewed for what it is: a mechanism for regulatory and investment uncertainty that only benefits its backers – big out-of-state oil companies Valero and Tesoro – while putting the economic health of the rest of California at risk,” said Jeff Anderson, Executive Director of CEN. “Sending jobs and investment overseas is a no-win proposition for all Americans and must be defeated.”

In an environment that has lost most private investors, those who oppose Prop 23 fear that what little money is left will dry up. There is also concern that if California backs off of its current climate change and alternative energy legislation, that it will signal other states to follow suit. The result, they say, would be detrimental to our country’s efforts at creating comprehensive energy and climate policy in the U.S.

A new global organization called The Sustainability Consortium, has been formed to improve the sustainability of consumer products and Novozymes has become a member. The group membership consists of both government and non-government organizations, businesses, environmental organizations, and academics who will work together to impact future products and supply networks designed to address environmental, social and economic imperatives. Novozymes joins the ranks among several other well-known U.S. companies including Wal-Mart, World Wildlife Fund (WWF), Dell, Disney, and BASF.

“Novozymes is recognized for being among the best in sustainability development and their expertise in bio-innovative products and solutions will be a tremendous value and addition to the efforts of The Sustainability Consortium,” said Dr. Jay Golden, co-director of The Sustainability Consortium.

While Novozymes is best known in the biofuels space for their break-through cellulosic ethanol enzymes, the company actually works in more than 40 industries worldwide. According to the company, they use the power of bioinnovation as a means to help increase product quality and yields while reducing consumption of natural resources including water and energy.

“Society must find new ways to meet the needs of a growing population while reducing our impact on the environment,” said Claus Stig Pedersen, head of sustainability at Novozymes. “In short, we must produce more with less. Our goal in working with The Sustainability Consortium is to help develop the tools, metrics and strategies that will create more sustainable consumer products for the future. Today Novozymes is a supplier and partner to many different consumer product value chains, and this is a unique opportunity to help make them more sustainable.”

For the past 15 years, Novozymes has been developing an expertise in the study of life cycle assessment (LCA) a tool to measure the environmental impacts of products throughout their life span. Their intent is to both share and improve this expertise through their work with The Sustainability Consortium.