Astaxanthin from Haematococcus pluvialis

 Astaxanthin

President & CEO of CCRES

 Astaxanthin

Astaxanthin, a member of the carotenoid family, it is a dark red pigment and the main carotenoid found in algae and aquatic animals. It is responsible for the red/pink coloration of crustaceans, shellfish, and the flesh of salmonoids. CCRES produces astaxanthin from the microalga Haematococcus pluvialis, the richest known natural source for astaxanthin.
Astaxanthin however, is more than just a red pigment, it is primarily an extremely powerful antioxidant. It has the unique capacity to quench free radicals and reactive species of oxygen and to inhibit lipid peroxidation. Studies have shown astaxanthin to be over 500 times stronger than vitamin E and much more potent than other carotenoids such as lutein, lycopene and ?-carotene.
Astaxanthin was found to have beneficial effects in many health conditions related to the Central Nervous System (CNS) disorders, skin health, joint health, muscle endurance, as well as to the cardiovascular, immune, eye and other systems.

Natural astaxanthin – molecule properties


Astaxanthin (3,3’-dihydroxy-?-?-carotene-4,4’-dione) is a xanthophyll  carotenoid,  commonly found in marine environments where it gives an orange-pink coloration to several sea-species.

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CCRES  Haematococcus pluvialis

Astaxanthin has two chiral centers, at the 3 and 3 positions. The main astaxanthin stereoisomer (3S, 3S’) found in the microalga Haematococcus pluvialis is the main form found in wild salmon.

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CCRES  Haematococcus pluvialis

 Astaxanthin consists of geometric isomers (trans and cis). the cis isomers display higher bioavailability and potency in humans This isomer is abundant (up to 20%) in the natural astaxanthin complex produced by the microalga Haematococcus pluvialis.

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CCRES  Haematococcus pluvialis

The astaxanthin in Haematococcus pluvialis microalgae occurs in the esterified form, which is more stable than the free astaxanthin form.

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CCRES  Haematococcus pluvialis

Astaxanthin cannot be synthesized by animals and humans and must be provided in the diet. Natural astaxanthin has been part of the human diet for thousands of years.

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 CCRES  Haematococcus pluvialis

Astaxanthin, unlike most carotenes is not converted to vitamin A (retinol) in the human body.

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CCRES  Haematococcus pluvialis 

Natural astaxanthin has no "pro-oxidant" activity – It does not become an exhausted oxidant thanks to its unique molecule structure that is able to release the excess of energy as heat.

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CCRES  Haematococcus pluvialis

 Astaxanthin has been shown to actually cross the blood-brain and blood-retina barriers, meaning it can positively impact disorders related to brain and the central nervous system. 

 

 Astaxanthin

CCRES ALGAE PROJECT

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CROATIAN CENTER of RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES (CCRES)

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Biomass Based Fuel Supplements

 

The Department of Energy (DOE) has announced up to $15 million available to demonstrate biomass-based oil supplements that can be blended with petroleum, helping the United States to reduce foreign oil use, diversify the nation’s energy portfolio, and create jobs for American workers. 

Known as “bio-oils,” these precursors for fully renewable transportation fuels could be integrated into the oil refining processes that make conventional gasoline, diesel, and jet fuels without requiring modifications to existing fuel distribution networks or engines.

The Department expects to fully fund between five to ten projects in fiscal year 2012 to produce bio-oil prototypes that can be tested in oil refineries and used to develop comprehensive technical and economic analyses of how bio-oils could work. The proto-type bio-oils will be produced from a range of feedstocks that could include algae, corn and wheat stovers, dedicated energy crops or wood residues.

 Domestic industry, universities, and laboratories are all eligible to apply.

The results of the projects will inform future efforts directed at advancing bio-oil technologies and bringing these renewable fuels to market. A description of the funding opportunity, eligibility requirements, and application instructions can be found on the Funding Opportunity Exchange website under Reference Number DE-FOA-0000686.

The Energy Department’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) accelerates development and facilitates deployment of energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies and market-based solutions that strengthen U.S. energy security, environmental quality, and economic vitality. Learn more about EERE’s work with industry, academia, and National Laboratory partners on a balanced portfolio of research in biomass feedstocks and conversion technologies.

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CROATIAN CENTER of RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES (CCRES)

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CCRES promotes Nor Cal Biodiesel

Nor Cal Biodiesel currently offer two models to choose from: the BioPro190 and the larger BioPro380.

BioPro190

BioPro190 General Information and Specifications Dimensions: 21"w x 21"d x 67"h. Overall height adjustable +/- 2” Weight: 325 Lbs. (empty). Capacity: 50 gallons oil yields 50 gallons of finished fuel.                10 gallons methanol - yields approx. 10 gallons glycerin. Construction: TIG welded 304 stainless steel body; Powder coated carbon steel covers. Fittings: 304 stainless steel or glass filled polypropylene. Electrical: 110 VAC / 15 Amp Circuit. Controls: AUTO mode controlled by program logic controller;                Start button initiates completely automated process;                MANUAL mode controlled by switch actuation. Reaction Method: Acid-catalyzed esterification of free fatty acids                Then base-catalyzed transesterification of triglycerides; Wash Method: Triple-stage turbulent water wash.                1) Mist Spray, 2) Mist & Agitation, 3) Mist & Agitation Batch Time: Reaction Time – approximately 8 hrs;                Initial settling - 16 hrs;                Water wash – approximately 14 hrs;                Drying cycle - Approx 10 hrs: Total Processing Time: Approx. 48 hours start to finish. Items You Will Need To Get Started: 50 Gallons of new or used filtered vegetable oil or oil derived from animal fats 400 micron, or finer, filter to strain the oil 10 Gallons of methanol (racing fuel) For your safety and convenience, we suggest obtaining a methanol compatible and an oil/grease compatible transfer pump 1520 grams (3.41 lbs) Sodium Hydroxide - NaOH or 2350 (5.17 lbs) grams Potassium Hydroxide - KOH 190 mL (6.43 oz) Sulfuric Acid (93% Purity or higher) - Do not use common battery acid 50 Gallons of fresh, standing water 50 Gallon container or receptacle for “water in” 50 Gallon container or receptacle to collect the wash water – or connect directly to a drain. Air tight storage containers for methanol (typically, a 55-gallon drum), catalyst potash, and sulfuric acid Protective gloves, face mask, apron, and safety goggles (included) Transfer hoses, scales, and measuring cups (included) (1) 110-120 volt / 15 amp & (1) 220 volt / 30 amp AC power source

  BioPro380

BioPro380 General Information and Specifications Dimensions: 64"w x 34"d x 91"h. Overall height adjustable +/- 2” Weight: Approximately 675 Lbs. (empty). Capacity: 100 gallons oil yields up to 100 gallons (380 liters) of finished fuel Batch Sizes: - Capable of processing 50, 75, or 100 gallons of oil feedstock (190, 284, or 380 liters). Construction: TIG welded 304 stainless steel body; Powder coated carbon steel covers. Electrical: 220 VAC / 30 AMP & 110 VAC / 15 Amp Circuit. Dedicated Circuits are preferred but not required. Controls: AUTO mode controlled by program logic controller;                Start button initiates the automated process;                MANUAL mode controlled by switch actuation. Reaction Method: Acid-catalyzed esterification of free fatty acids                Then base-catalyzed transesterification of triglycerides; Method: Triple-stage turbulent water wash.                1) Mist Spray, 2) Mist & Agitation, 3) Mist & Agitation Batch Time: Reaction Time – approximately 8 hrs;                Initial settling - 16 hrs;                Water wash –(total three (3) cycles, approximately14 hrs;                Drying cycle - Approx 10 hrs: Total Processing Time: Approx. 48 hours start to finish. Items You Will Need To Get Started: 100 Gallons of new or used filtered vegetable oil or oil derived from animal fats (triglycerides Minimum 400 micron, or finer, filter to strain the oil 20 Gallons of methanol (racing fuel; 99.99% pure) 3040 grams Lye (Sodium Hydroxide - NaOH) or 4700 grams Caustic Potash (Potassium Hydroxide - KOH)* *Recommended 380 mL Sulfuric Acid (93% Purity or higher) - Not common battery acid 100 Gallons of fresh standing water (can also be connected directly to a pressurized water line) 100 Gallon container for water in (or connect to a clean, pressurized water source) 100 Gallon container for water out (or connect directly to a drain) Air tight storage containers for methanol, lye/caustic potash, and sulfuric acid Protective gloves, face mask, apron, and safety goggles (included) Transfer hoses, scales, and measuring cups (included) For your safety and convenience, we suggest obtaining a methanol transfer and oil/grease transfer pump (1) 110-120 volt / 15 amp & (1) 220 volt / 30 amp AC power source

 Since its introduction, the BioPro line of products have steadily found their way into the hands of many an independent souls.

 Click on the links below to read about

  World renowned Dr. Andrew Weil with his BioPro190 

CONTACT Nor Cal Biodiesel

Please feel free to contact  Nor Cal Biodiesel for additional information regarding our products or services.

 

 Nor Cal Biodiesel also welcome any comments or suggestions regarding  products, web site and overall experience regarding your initial interaction with Nor Cal Biodiesel.

General Inquiries and Sales Information info@norcalbio.com
Projects, Business Development or Specific Requests danny@norcalbio.com

Nor Cal Biodiese web site : http://norcalbio.com/index.html

For any additional information, please contact 

Danny Lesa, telephone 707-766-9782 

CROATIAN CENTER of RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES
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CCRES BIOMASS

CROATIAN CENTER of RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES 

(CCRES)

 

 BIOMASS

 

The organic or waste materials obtained from the plants and animals, is known as biomass. Since plants and animals contain energy, the biomass also contains energy. Plants get energy from the sun by the process of photosynthesis, while the animals eat plants; hence biomass is an important source of energy.

The energy obtained from biomass is called as biomass energy. The biomass energy is type of alternative or renewable energy since the plants and trees will keep on growing and generating the wastes continuously, so this source of energy will be available for unlimited period of time.

The various types of garbage collected in our cities are also a type of biomass. Though the living plants are not considered to be the biomass, the garbage left by them in the form of fallen leaves, dead trees, broken branches of the trees, wasted and leftover crops, chips and pieces of wood etc are all considered to be biomass. The bark and saw dust left from the lumber mills and even the tires and livestock manure can be considered as biomass.

The trash from the house and offices contains some paper products that cannot be recycled back to the other paper products but they can also be used as the biomass. Recycling such wastes for producing biomass fuel would reduce pressure on our landfills. It is unbelievable that all these materials that create lots of disposal problems can be used to generate energy that too in the form of electricity.

In US, California itself produces almost 60 million bone dry tons of biomass every year, of which almost five million tons is used to produce biomass energy in the form of electricity. The biomass collected in California comprises of lumber mills wastes, wooden waste collected from urban areas, residues from the agricultural lands and forests, and other livestock.

The wastes generated by the humans and animals like cows are also types of biomass. By using this type of biomass for producing energy it becomes easier to manage and control the landfills.

Biomass used as the Source of Energy

All the types of biomass contain one or the types of plants and animals wastes. When the biomass obtained from plants it is burnt it catches fire instantly or after some time and releases a lot of heat. During burning the chemical energy stored within the biomass is converted into heat energy. The heat produced during the burning of biomass can be used for a number of applications like heating water, heating the rooms, producing steam, cooking the food, and for other domestic and industrial applications.

Some decomposing garbage, and wastes from humans and animals can also be used as biomass to produce methane gas, which can be used directly as the fuel. Methane is an important part of natural gas, which is used extensively as a cooking gas and also for running a number of vehicles like cars and trucks. The methane gas obtained by this method is also called as the landfill gas or biogas.

The Fuels Obtained from Biomass

Besides using the biomass for producing heat, it can also be used to produce fuels. The fuels produced from the biomass are called as biofuels. The biofuels can be used independently to or in combination with the other fuels like gasoline and diesel. Some of the popular biofuels made from the biomass are ethanol, biodiesel and natural gas.

Ethanol is produced by fermentation of sugar which can be found in sugarcane, grains like corn, sorghum and wheat, and other sources like potato skins, rice, sugar beets and yard clippings. The biodiesel can be produced from vegetable oil and animal fat feedstock. In this age of escalating fuel prices, biodiesel is one of the most popular types of alternative fuel for the vehicles. Biodiesel is mixed with traditional diesel in certain proportions to power the vehicles. The biodiesel is a clean fuel and does not produce any pollution. The natural gas can be obtained from the biomass like cow dung, human wastes, and livestock wastes. Methane, which is important part of the natural gas, is produced from the biomass.

Benefits of Using the Biomass Energy

Here are some of the important benefits of biomass energy:

1) Biomass energy is obtained mainly from the plants, animals, human wastes and garbage which would have otherwise created dirty environment and lots of disposal problems. When converted to biomass energy most of the wastes get burnt completely or they get converted to useful manure. Thus using biomass energy helps keeping our surroundings clean.

2) Biomass is a renewable source of energy that would last as long as there is plant, animal, and human life on the earth.

3) Biomass helps producing indigenous fuels and helps reducing dependency for fuels on other countries. 

CCRES 

special thanks to   

Escapeartist, Inc

 CROATIAN CENTER of RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES 

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CROATIAN CENTER of RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES 

(CCRES)

 Sources of Alternative Energy

 

Alternative energy or renewable energy is important for creating clean energy future not only for the individual nations but the whole world. It offers excellent alternatives to the fossil fuels to reduce the emissions of carbon dioxide and greenhouse gases. The sources of the alternative energy are inexhaustible and one can rely on them for long-term basis Here are some important sources of alternative energy:

 

1) Solar energy:

The energy obtained from the radiations of the sun is called as solar energy. Sun is the massive source of energy releasing radiations since billions of years non-stop. The radiations emitted by sun are vital for all the plant, animal and human lives on the earth. At present solar energy is being tapped successfully for a number of applications.

Solar cooker is small box type equipment used for cooking of the food without requiring any additional fuel. There are number of variations of solar cooker with different efficiencies and different sizes. Solar water heaters are used extensively for heating water that can be used for bathing, domestic use and industrial purposes. It saves lots of electricity costs and the burning of other fuels like wood, coal, LPG etc. Another very important application of the solar energy is the photovoltaic or PV cells. The PV cells comprise of the solar panels that absorb solar energy and store them in the batteries. The energy from the batteries can be used for different domestic as well industrial applications

Besides these, there are number of other applications of solar energy like solar street lights, solar lanterns, calculators, mobiles etc. Solar energy is available abundantly in countries like India, China, US and others. It is considered to be one of the most resourceful sources of energy for future.

2) Wind energy:

The energy obtained from naturally flowing wind in the atmosphere is called as wind energy. Wind energy is available extensively in specific geographical locations without any costs. The wind in motion carries kinetic energy and it can be converted into mechanical and electrical energy. Presently wind energy is widely used for the generation of electricity.

To tap the energy from wind turbines are used. The wind turbine comprises of large blades looking like the fan. The blades are attached to the hub, which in turn is mounted on a shaft When the moving wind comes in contact with the blades it causes the rotation of the blades, which in turn causes the rotation of the shaft at low speeds. This shaft is connected to the gear box and causes slow rotation of the input gears and fast rotation of output gears and shaft. The output shaft rotates in an alternator that produces electricity. To get sufficient amount of grid power, large number of wind turbines are required at a specific location, which is called as wind farm or wind power plant.

3) Hydropower:

The power obtained from the flow of water is called as hydraulic power or hydro power or water power. The alternative energy from water can be obtained in a number of ways, the most popular being the hydroelectric power plants. In these power plants huge dams are built across the flow of the river. The water is stored in the dam at large heights and it carries potential energy. When the water flows down the potential energy is converted into kinetic energy. The flowing water comes in contacts with the large water turbines and makes them rotate in the transformer that produces electricity. Hydroelectric power plants are important source of electricity in a number of countries including US, China, India, Russia, and others.

Alternative energy obtained from the tides of the oceans is called as tidal energy. The waves in the waters of the oceans can also be utilized to produce electricity.

4) Geothermal Energy:

The heat energy obtained from the deep layers of earth is called as geothermal energy. The heat is produced continuously in the deep layers of earth, which can be utilized for various purposes like heating water, operating the heat pumps, producing electricity etc. Large amount of heat is generated in the core of earth and it gets conducted through the surrounding layers of rock. It comes to the surface of the earth in various forms like lava, hot springs etc, while other heat is stored below the surface of the earth. This heat is the geothermal energy and is available in unlimited quantity.

5) Biomass energy:

Biomass is the organic material obtained from the plants. The plants absorb energy from the sun by the process of photosynthesis so the energy is store in them. The biomass is the garbage leftover by the plants in the form of fallen leaves, broken branches, dead trees, wood chips, wasted crops etc. A number of other garbage and waste materials can be considered to be biomass. The energy obtained from the biomass is called as the biomass energy.

When the biomass is heated, the chemical energy within it is converted into heat energy, which can be used for heating water, producing steam, cooking food etc. Biomass can also be used to produce the methane gas, which can be used as the fuel. Rotten garbage and human waste can also be considered as biomass that can be used to produce methane, which is called as landfill gas or biogas. Biomass can also be converted biodiesel, which can be mixed with the traditional diesel fuel to run the vehicles.

CCRES 

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Escapeartist, Inc

 CROATIAN CENTER of RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES 

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Indirect land-use change (ILUC) means that if you take a field of grain and switch the crop to biofuel, somebody somewhere will go hungry unless those missing tonnes of grain are grown elsewhere.

Economics often dictates that the crops to make up the shortfall come from tropical zones, and so encourage farmers to carve out new land from forests.

Burning forests to clear that land can pump vast quantities of climate-warming emissions into the atmosphere, enough in

theory to cancel out any of the benefits that biofuels were meant to bring.
The European Commission has run 15 studies on different biofuel crops, which on average conclude that over the next decade Europes biofuels policies might have an indirect impact equal to 4.5 million hectares of land – an area the size of Denmark.
Some in the biofuels industry argue that the Commissions science is flawed and that the issue could be tackled by a major overhaul of agricultural strategy to improve productivity or by pressing abandoned farmland back into action. Waste products from biofuels production can also be fed to animals, they say, so reducing the pressure on land resources.

Conventional biofuels like biodiesel increase carbon dioxide emissions and are too expensive to consider as a long-term alternative fuel, a draft EU report says.

The study ‘EU Transport GHG [greenhouse gases]: Routes to 2050’ estimates that before indirect effects are counted, the abatement cost of reducing Europe’s emissions with biofuels is between €100-€300 per tonne of carbon.

At current market prices, this would make their CO2 reduction potential up to 49 times more expensive than buying carbon credits on the open market at €6.14 a tonne.   

But the EU’s authors conclude that it “it is not possible (and useful) to determine cost effectiveness figures for [conventional] biofuels” because their indirect effect - measured in cleared forests and grasslands (‘ILUC’) - make it a CO2-emitting technology.

The latest report will feed a growing unease about the reasons for the EUs original biofuels policy - justified in environmental terms - and the way it has developed since.

“The truth is that policy makers inside and outside Europe are doing biofuels for other reasons than environmental ones,” said David Laborde, a leading agricultural scientist and author of key biofuels reports for the European Commission.

“It’s a new and easy way to give subsidies to farmers, and it’s also linked to industrial lobbies that produce these biodiesels, and also what they will call energy security,” he told EurActiv.

“They want to diversify the energy supply, and keep their foreign currencies instead of buying oil from the Middle East. They prefer to keep it for something even if it is not efficient or even green,” he added.

The 10% target

In 2007, the EU first set a 10% target for the use of blended biofuels in transport by 2020.

Although the target was re-sourced from ‘biofuels’ to ‘renewable energy’ in 2009, analysts say that 8.8% of the EU target will still be provided by biofuels, and up to 92% of that will come from conventional biofuels like biodiesel.

Industrial associations disagree, putting the EU’s ratio of sugar-based ethanol, one of the best-performing biofuels, to biodiesel, one of the worst, at 22%-78%.

But both the original announcement and the Renewable Energy Directive two years later conditioned biofuel use on subsequently neglected criteria of cost-efficiency, sustainability and, where available, the use of second generation fuels.  

“I don’t think we are there on cost-effectiveness,” said Géraldine Kutas, Brussels representative of the Brazilian Sugarcane Industry Association (UNICA).

“There are no monetary provisions to support this in the directive, and second generation biofuels are still a promise. They are not commercially available yet,” she said.

Even trying to address the issue of indirect sustainability criteria for biofuels had gummed up the EUs policy-making process, she acknowledged. 

French farmers

Research by EurActiv has uncovered evidence that the EU’s original biofuels target was set as much for industrial and political reasons, as environmental concerns.

Claude Turmes, the European Parliament’s rapporteur responsible for steering the Renewable Energy Directive into law, said that business lobbies had influenced his negotiations with the then-French Presidency of the European Council.

“There were two lobbies, the sugar farmers lobby and the German car industry who tried to prevent the EU’s CO2 and cars legislation,” Turmes (Greens/Luxembourg) told EurActiv.

“The origin of the 10% renewables in transport target was the fact that these two lobbies joined forces to impose it on the Commission.”

EU insiders spoken to by EurActiv agreed, saying that biofuels had been a quid-pro-quo demanded for the imposition of ‘greener’ measures in the directive that would encourage wind and solar energy, and cut emissions. 

European sugar farmers had suffered in the 2006 Common Agricultural Policy reform which reduced the guaranteed sugar price by 36% and opened up the European sugar market to global competition.

A guaranteed market for agrifuel made from sugar-based ethanol held out some prospect of compensation. And the strength of the French farmers lobby made removing the 10% target “an absolute no go area” for Paris, Turmes said.

“The farm industry was obviously interested in biofuels, biochemicals and the bio-economy more generally,” Kutas added.

But Europe’s sugar farmers profited far less from the EU’s biofuels policy than growers of feedstocks for biodiesel, better suited to the continent’s diesel-based auto fleet.  

Car industry

EU officials say that the car industry was also instrumental in pushing for the biofuels target to be included as a compromise to bridge the gap between the 130g of CO2 per km that the EU wanted as a target for 2012 and the 140g that the car industry was prepared to offer.

“It was no secret,” a source told EurActiv. “It was very clear what they were lobbying for and it went all the way up the Commission”.

As a result, officials in the EU’s energy directorate responsible for biofuels did not treat research which questioned the fuel’s environmental credentials in the same light as that which supported it, multiple sources confirm.  

The EU’s biggest error was “that we started to make a policy without knowing the effect it would have,” Laborde said.

“We are now discussing the land use effect after saying for ten years that we need biofuels to reduce emissions,” he went on. “It was a serious mistake.”

Indirect emissions proposal

Brussels is due to publish a proposal measuring the indirect emissions caused by biofuels later this year, distinguishing between low-emitting biofuels such as ethanol and high-emitting ones like biodiesel.

But the EU’s decision-making process has been paralysed by the ongoing dispute between its energy directorate – which does not want ILUC factors considered – and its climate directorate, which does. And there are other problems too.    

Both the Renewable Energy and Fuel Quality directives contain ‘grandfathering’ clauses exempting all existing biofuels installations as of 2014 from further legislation until 2017.

As the biofuels industry’s existing capacity is already on the cusp of meeting the 10% target, according to a new report by the environmental consultants Ecofys, this would create massive overcapacity.  

The Institute for European Environmental Policy has calculated that on current trends, land conversion of between 4.7 million and 7.9 million hectares would be needed to accommodate the extra biofuels production, an area roughly the size of Ireland. 

But the introduction of any ILUC factor would probably rule out high-emitting conventional biodiesels, the majority of Europe’s biofuels production.

That would create a political backlash in EU states such as France and Germany, and potentially tear up the compromise which allowed the Renewable Energy Directive to be passed in the first place.  

For now, the proposal remains stuck in the corridors of an EU that appears equally frightened of the political consequences of admitting a policy mistake and the environmental consequences of denying it.

CCRES special thanks to 

Brussels Network Office:

International Press Centre

Boulevard Charlemagne, 1 b1

B-1041 Brussels

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Biomass as an organic renewable energy source

The U.S. Department of Energy has just released this video to educate people on the research, industry and government’s efforts to develop biomass as an organic renewable energy source; employing agriculture and forest residues, energy crops, and algae to take the place of conventional fuels like gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel.

CCRES Algae Team

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