agrofuel

Agrofuels (also called biofuels) are produced by converting biomass energy to liquid fuels, eihter by fermenting sugar and starch crops (sugar cane, sugar beet, maize) by yeasts to produce ethanol, or by taking the oil of (naturally) oil-producing crops (oilseed rape/canola, soy, algae, jatropha) and burn it directly or process them into biodiesel.
So called “second generation crops” such as trees (poplar, eucalyptus) or switchgrass are genetically modified to contain higher cellulose level for ethanol production.
In addition cellulosic agrofuel enzymes are developed.

tweets

Wednesday, 6 May 2009

ifrik: thick report FoodFirst report on #agrofuels in the Amricas: http://www.foodfirst.org/en/node/2426

Wanted: Experiences with agrofuel production

[img_assist|nid=216|title=|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=100|height=43]The production of agrofuel crops and its effects on biodiversity and livelyhoods were a highly contested issue during COP9 of the Convention on Biological Diversity in Bonn in May 2008. Numerous sessions took place, often till late in the evening and a final compromise was only found around 1:30 in the night in a closed meeting between a few countries.

Submitted by Antje on 11 Aug 2008.

EU lowers agrofuel targets

[img_assist|nid=222|title=|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=100|height=43]Thanks to a lot of hard work of NGOs and civil society organisations, the EU Envrionmental Committee decided to drop its agrofuel targets from 10 to 4%. Together with a decision in the UK this shows that the uncritical hype to replace fossil fuels by crops without changing much about fuel and energy use ist over, and that there are serious doubts whether the production of agrofuels can be sustainable and fair.

Submitted by Antje on 8 Jul 2008.

GM crops against rising food prices?

[img_assist|nid=178|title=|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=100|height=43]The British premier Gordon Brown wrote a letter to his G8 colleagues, calling for the use of GM crops to be reconsidered for the sake of resolving food shortages, since food prices are steeply rising due to competition for crops as agrofuels. GM crops to comabt hunger? Does this sound familiar? And do we really need more examples to explain that hunger is not a problem of in-efficient crops, but a problem of access to food?

Submitted by Antje on 15 Apr 2008.

Transgener Treibstoff

[img_assist|nid=111|title=|desc=|link=none|align=right|width=100|height=43]Die Klimadebatte beherrscht die Medienwelt. Weg vom Öl ist die Devise. Neben dem Wiedererstarken der nuklearen Idee findet sich vor allem die Formel zur verstärkten Nutzung nachwachsender Rohstoffe und dabei insbesondere zur Nutzung von Kraftstoffen auf Pflanzenbasis in den hoch gehandelten Vorschlagslisten. Da dürfen gentechnisch veränderte Pflanzen als Heilsbringer natürlich nicht fehlen.

August 2007

A. Lorch, GID 182, Juni 2007.

GM agrofuels

[img_assist|nid=111|title=|desc=|link=none|align=right|width=100|height=43]Since it became common knowledge that fossil oil supplies won't stretch endlessly, a hectic search started for other sources of oil. Especially the debate about so-called 'biofuels' or 'agrofuels' was high on the agenda in the last months, even though problems become obvious. GM agrofuels will also bring their own problems.

August 2007

A. Lorch, GID 182, June 2007.

Moratorium & GM crops: What's there to know about agrofuels?

[img_assist|nid=111|title=|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=100|height=43]With climate change high on the agenda, agrofuels are suddenly the focus the search for new energy sources because replacing fossile fuels with agrofuels would mean continues business for oilcompanies without the need to change infrastructures like gas stations. But there are a number of serious inherent problems mainly the loss of food security and an increase in monocultures.

Submitted by Antje on 2 Aug 2007.

Moratorium & GM crops: What's there to know about agrofuels?

[img_assist|nid=111|title=|desc=|link=none|align=right|width=150|height=65]With climate change high on the agenda, agrofuels are suddenly the focus the search for new energy sources because replacing fossile fuels with agrofuels would mean continues business for oilcompanies without the need to change infrastructures like gas stations. But there are a number of serious inherent problems mainly the loss of food security and an increase in monocultures.

Submitted by Antje on 2 Aug 2007.