Bloom is off the biodiesel rose: Berkeley says "no" to soy biofuel
Often in the lead in progressive causes, the City of Berkeley started using biodiesel in more than 100 city vehicles six years ago. For a while, the biofuel came from recycled waste grease and everyone was happy. The source shifted to crop soybeans when not enough grease could be found but, due to new concerns about growing crops for fuel, the city has now decided that enough is enough. The City Council took delivery of its last shipment of biodiesel made from soy last month and will discuss formalizing its biodiesel policy this fall, taking land impacts around the world into account. The city had been burning biodiesel in trucks and other heavy machinery. Deputy Public Works Director Andrew Clough told Inside Bay Area that, "What seemed like a really good idea maybe isn't such a good idea as we thought because of all the considerations."
[Source: Inside Bay Area]Photo by joguldi. Licensed under Creative Commons license 2.0.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Owain Ozymandias Buck 8:24AM (6/09/2009)
Yep, let's go back to straight up petroleum diesel, because well, you know--it's so much better overall than biodiesel. While we're at it, let's be sure to broadly condemn and hurt future chances for these evil biofuels to ever be widely used.
Oil--An All American and Unsubsidized Free Market Product! And Clean Too!
----------------
I'm sorry, but American producers are not responsible for the rest of the world's land use policies. Even if we stopped all biofuels production, they would still be clearing off land in Brazil. It's a hungry world, you know.
Reply
jharlan 9:09AM (6/09/2009)
Let's preserve the status quo and be sure we are consolidating the power of the worlds giant corporations and the wealthy over the people. Back to burning imported petroleum will be best because we are not sure of the environmental impact of biodiesel. After all,government by corruption has served us well so far. Our giant corporations always have funds available to help elect promising politicians to office. Quid pro quo? Of course not!
I am just a little cynical because I have observed administration after administration fail to look after the public interest with a rational energy policy until we are now cornered. I guess we should take pleasure in the fact that Exxon is still doing very well!
Reply
Steve-O 9:39AM (6/09/2009)
An oil company bought some people off.
Reply
Jimbo 11:24AM (6/09/2009)
So instead of taking soybean oil and directly making biodiesel out of it, the city decides that it can no longer be used unless it is first turned into waste grease? Seems highly inefficient.
Reply
rob 11:34AM (6/09/2009)
I guess I sort of see their point. They wanted to use biodiesel since it came from a waste stream, but now they have to use "virgin" material. I think they are a bit naive in the source of the virgin material though. Back home in Iowa, there are still many elevators that are landfilling crops because it is spoiling before it can be used. Now add some of the other crop producing states.....
I think they should be worried when the "supply" of soybeans becomes an issue. Even in the big price run-up last year there was still some landfilling going on.
Reply
paul 11:36AM (6/10/2009)
What so funny is that a Biofuels gas station just opened in Berkeley!
http://www.biofueloasis.com/
http://www.berkeleydailyplanet.com/issue/2009-05-28/article/32972?headline=Biofuels-Oasis-Opens-in-South-Berkeley
http://www.yelp.com/biz/biofuel-oasis-berkeley
Reply