Fuel or food?
Submitted: Monday, Jul 24, 2006 at 12:23
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drivesafe
This may sound a bit over the top but I was just watching Land line, on ABC TV and at the end of the program they gave out the crop estimates for the following year, both for here and overseas.
During the report it was mentioned that 1/3 of the total corn crop in the USA was going to ethanol production and again Brazil has announced a massive increase in it sugar production, all for ethanol production.
My thoughts are that in the not to distant future, say during a large drought, either here or in one of the other major serial crop growing nations, crops initially intended for food production, will bought up by cashed up fuel companies and used for fuel production.
In a worst case scenario, who is going to mandate how much of an existing crop must be kept for food and what effect will this type of situation have on the cost of food.
We are being held to ransom at the fuel bowser now and the end product is only coming from non editable fossil fuel.
What happens when there are competing interests fighting for these crops. We will then be held to ransom for the food we eat as
well.
On top of all this, what will happen to third world nations that depend heavily on food handouts now.
Reply By: Member - andrew B (Kununurra) - Monday, Jul 24, 2006 at 12:36
Monday, Jul 24, 2006 at 12:36
Its an issue a few farming friends of
mine have brought up a few timew. I have heard that Mugarbie (spelling) in Zimbarbwe has the military taking over farms forcibly and growing corn to fuel his regieme at the cost of food for the poor. It will be interesting to see what may happen with this. It may
well stop a lot of subsidies paid to farmers (especially in the US and Europe) and may make farming a much more viable proposition, especially in drought proof areas like up here in the Ord irrigation scheme.
It feel it will deminish food donations to 3rd world countries as any excess can be made into fuel.
I wonder if it will take some of the wealth and power out of the arab countries, who without oil would have a lot of sand!
The next few years will be very interesting to say the least, some good and some bad will come of this. Maybe the big oil companies won't have the huge monopoly, as the
infrastructure etc to produce biofuels are no where near what is required to
mine oil and refine it.
Hopefully will all work out in a positive way
Cheers Andrew
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Follow Up By: drivesafe - Monday, Jul 24, 2006 at 13:30
Monday, Jul 24, 2006 at 13:30
I hope it does all workout but on the other hand, we may end up having wars over food.
Not to far fetched when you consider what’s happening in the Middle East right now and the effect it is starting to have on already high crude prices.
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Follow Up By: Member - Jeff M (WA) - Monday, Jul 24, 2006 at 17:53
Monday, Jul 24, 2006 at 17:53
Good thing I like chicken then hey.:-P
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Reply By: Scubaroo - Monday, Jul 24, 2006 at 13:22
Monday, Jul 24, 2006 at 13:22
Saw that as
well.
I reckon companies like Monsanto will be investing some major dollars into GM research trying to improve the oil yields of grain crops for ethanol production, and we will see more oil palm production in tropical areas. Oil palms have a ridiculously high old yield per ha. It would be interesting to see if they are viable for northern Australia, but there would be an enormous local environmental impact for a worthwhile-sized development.
It's a certainty that much of our existing farmland will be diverted to the production of fuel crops, and that overall production will need to increase to meet the joint food/fuel demand. I don't think anyone's going to have any qualms about genetically modified crops for fuel, but given the current drought conditions (look at the crop forecasts for WA this year), one has to wonder if Australia is ever going to be able to become energy crop self-sufficient.
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Reply By: Member - Oldplodder (QLD) - Monday, Jul 24, 2006 at 16:26
Monday, Jul 24, 2006 at 16:26
Just a thought I have not had a chance to ask anyone.
Could the top grade crop harvests go into food production and the lower grade harvets be used for fuel?
I remember damaged crops on the
Darling Downs being dumped.
Might be a chance for some farmers to get a better return.
That is if it is worth shipping.
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Follow Up By: Member - andrew B (Kununurra) - Monday, Jul 24, 2006 at 17:41
Monday, Jul 24, 2006 at 17:41
There is a hell of a lot of produce dumped if Australia, make ethanol out of grapes!...'Great Southern premium ulp'....I think there is a lot of options out there. I can really see the Ord valley bocoming the oil field of Australia. Plenty of land,
water, close to a port. Building a refinery for bio fuels in Whyndham would give that town a much needed shot in the arm. Interesting times ahead..
Cheers Andrew
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Reply By: Tim HJ61 (WA) - Monday, Jul 24, 2006 at 20:57
Monday, Jul 24, 2006 at 20:57
I've pointed out before that the impact of increasing fuel prices, whether you call it Peak Oil or not, is the economic impact across the world. It's not about 'running out' of oil, it's exactly about the point drivesafe is making, that there are significant decisions about how we use resources and the significant impact on economies.
I think somewhere along the way we've forgotten the 'reduce' bit from the 'reduce, reuse, and recycle' mantra.
Tim
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Follow Up By: Member - JohnR (Vic)&Moses - Monday, Jul 24, 2006 at 22:39
Monday, Jul 24, 2006 at 22:39
All those systems are about to be driven in different economies Tim. I know where there are by-products that just need the right nudge forward towards an energy future.
Electricity by solar and wind may be seen to be expensive in 10 years time with geothermal on the rise. Supposed to be able to match coal in cost. Many here have passed the boreholes up the Strzlecki Track that provide the test bed in Australia
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Follow Up By: Member - andrew B (Kununurra) - Tuesday, Jul 25, 2006 at 09:48
Tuesday, Jul 25, 2006 at 09:48
I saw some show on the ABC a while back that claimed the geothermal energy in SA is the equivelant of the Kuwait oil fields - wonder if george w is interested in them as
well....sorry bout the sarcasm
Cheers Andrew
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