Australian biofuel imports hurting SE Asian rainforests
Photo of "Australia" by reinn. Licensed under Creative Commons license 2.0.
As anyone who has seen episode 2F13 of The Simpsons (aka Bart vs. Australia) knows, introducing foreign species into an environment can have dangerous effects. A real-world situation - not really all that similar, but I like to reference the Simpsons whenever possible - in Australia shows the sad connection between environmental destruction and the way some biofuels are produced.
The Australian reports that Australia's large-scale biofuel imports are exacerbating the "widespread destruction of tropical rainforests in Indonesia and Malaysia." Orangutans and other endangered species are directly affected by the deforestation, but cheap biodiesel from Southeast Asia remains popular Down Under. Australia has dealt with the negative effects of growing crops for biofuels by banning two types of plants that had been intended for biofuel production in 2006 because of fears they would turn invasive. Therefore, domestic production is now mostly limited to companies that use tallow and recycled cooking oil as the feedstock. For now, according to one source, Australia remains the "dumping ground for palm oil-based biodiesel." Looks like Better Place, the evMe and the Holden Volt can't come soon enough.
[Source: The Australian]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
ale 6:12PM (1/26/2009)
I would like to clarify, that it is not only Australia that has exacerbated this used but many countries as well specifically in this region alone. Palm oil is not the future for biofuels, much like the corn (not cornhusk: that's a different story) of the U.S. or for that matter the sugar cane of Brazil. By using these definite resources, we are limiting ourselves. Action needs to be taken in the form of legislature to investigate, Indonesia and Malaysia as well all of the SE for different sources of fuel feedstock, like the cellulose fibers from all of the scrap and nonfood pieces of the multimillion (probably billion) dollar operations that supply us and the world with good product. Palm oil as well as cutting down rainforests to grow plant product practices need to be examined and reconsidered... Biodiesel is a great thing, but it doesnt help if we get it from um.. ____ sources...
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Steve-O 7:46PM (1/26/2009)
I like this comment by ale above. We need to realize biofuels in general are a great way to power our personal transportation for years to come, IF managed and created in the best ways. Glad to see that type of comment as opposed to the general bashing of biofuels so common with this type of blog post.
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noz 3:47AM (1/27/2009)
What biofuel advocates can't understand or cannot answer is how is using biofuels going to solve emissions problems? They may reduce emissions a little but not enough on a global scale.
And frankly, we've not even come close to replacing global demand for fuel with biofuels and we are already running into huge ecological and environmental barriers. None of which is properly addressed...contrary to what some others in other posts have claimed.
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Fidel 10:57PM (2/01/2009)
I would like to agree with all the comments above. I would however like to point out that palm oil is predominantly being used in food, industrial and commercial applications. Just have a look at a moisturiser container and you'll see compounds that are clearly derived from palm oil. So if you all feel so angered by the use of palm oil in fuel, then why are you not equally angered by the use in cosmetics? We have had the "fuel versus fuel" debate, maybe we also need the "vanity versus food" debate.
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RLTJ 10:45AM (3/06/2009)
As we know coconut oil is raw material for countless industrial products like detergents and cosmetics. Prices of fossil fuels have become unusually high in relation to everything else. Coconut oil if turned to biodiesel will pay more for agriculture. I think it is inevitable, either bio-fuels will pull down prices of fossil fuels, or it's the other way around.
Third world countries like the Philippines and Indonesia count on biofuels to boost their economy that is mainly agricultural.
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Just-Bill 1:48AM (2/28/2009)
So many naysayers,
It's too bad so many individuals have criticisms and no solutions. Or they argue for completely unrealistic or technically unachievable. Such as, electric cars which is great for cars, but is impractical for purposes of cargo (trucks, ships, trains) cars are of a lesser importance. Jatropha is looking like it could be a great option. The electricity in many cases is also typically produced from large coal or diesel generators. In fact if we could implement a biodiesel solution maybe we could replace the coal plants, which I think we all would agree is the worst possible solution for creating energy. As a professor in India is finding out moisture rich soils (like those needed for food crops) are unfriendly to the plant and it thrives in more arid soil that typically supports little plant life. Hmm, maybe making the world greener. Of course this will happen in one of the third world countries where they need it most and where there is a less restrictive environment in order to establish a low cost solution that can later be regulated to death by our bureaucratic civilized countries where the largest corporations (oil companies) can sabotoge the efforts of the entrepenuer in order to save their stranglehold on the world. After all if you were a multibillionaire oil baron wouldn't you spend whatever money it took to keep your fortunes.
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Just-Bill 1:53AM (2/28/2009)
Sorry looks like my comment about Jatropha got misplaced it should be just before the sentence regarding the professor in India.
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