That would be more corn on the same land. Everybody wins.

USDA report last month acknowledges ethanol’s impact on worldwide grain, but says it had little to do with any political strife and other such issues:

“In fact, the rice price rise occurred in a year of record global rice production, larger supplies, and a buildup in stocks. For rice, the most important factors behind the price increase in late 2007 and early 2008 were export restrictions by major suppliers, panic buying by several large importers, a weaker dollar, and record high oil prices.”

June 24th, 2009 at 2:53 pm
“A World Bank 2008 report estimates that biofuels have increased food prices by 75%.”
http://www-wds.worldbank.org/ servlet/ WDSContentServer/ WDSP/ IB/ 2008/ 07/ 28/ 000020439_20080728103002/ Rendered/ PDF/ WP4682.pdf

June 24th, 2009 at 2:24 pm
“12V, The World Watch Institute has been tracking grain, poverty, etc for decades:”

Looks like a good site for information, I’ve bookmarked it and will spend some time reading the reports

ecostew Says:

June 24th, 2009 at 2:53 pm
“A World Bank 2008 report estimates that biofuels have increased food prices by 75%.”

I’ve found lots of links to the media but no link to the actual report. Have you got a link? I’d like to read it.

David B. Benson Says:

June 24th, 2009 at 6:13 pm

“12 volt and ecostew — Biomass to biofuel has a fairly small impact of food prices, anywhere in the world. The run-up in food prices last year was entirely due to the world’s corn (i.e., grains) supply falling below a 60 day reserve. Similar price run-ups have occurred each time that has happened; the World Watch Institute knows all about that.”

And this is my point. If reserves continue to fall and more corn is diverted from export then what effect will that have on world prices? It’s a supply and demand situation and the poorer Nations could be hardest hit.

From what I’ve been reading the amount diverted to fuel production In the states currently is about 25% so it would be only 15% more diverted according to the numbers. That doesn’t seem like much but if (and I realize this is an “if”) food production world wide doesn’t keep up with demand due to a varity of reasons not the least is global warming then this decision could have consequences elswhere.

If you have some links to show what your saying I’d be happy to read them. I have the UN report from /07 but it doesn’t delve much into this situation.

Good to see that Ontario is testing biomass. As some one who lives in this province It gives some hope but with the record of this provincial goverment in power generation so far i’m not exactly holding my breath. The plant closure date has been pushed back once so far since it was first announced while consumption is still rising. Let us hope the will to convert continues to a sutable solution.

!. Entergy had been planning to convert its Little Gypsy power plant in Louisiana from natural gas to coal and petroleum coke, claiming this would lower consumer electricity costs. After a protracted legal battle, the advent of the Obama administration and the likelihood of tighter regulations induced Entergy to put off the conversion for three years.

http://www.sourcewatch.org/ index.php?title=Little_Gypsy_Repowering

2. Meanwhile, Ontario is on track to convert its four coal-fired plants to alternate fuels (maybe biomass), since the province will ban coal for power-plant use in 2014.

http://dcnonl.com/article/id34111

There are several sizable projects in South Asia and Southeast Asia to grow Jatropha to produce biodiesel. While the Jatropha oil needs some minor processing for use in diesel engines, there is an alternative for stationary ones; modify the engine to burn the virgin oil. I know of a project in India where the latter is done to provide a village or two with electric power in the evenings.

As for the United States, see the latest issue of Scientific American for the article on grassoline.

I assume you are differentiating between biomass and food crops.

Biomass to biofuel? Please provide an example of where this is actually working. I am not referring to Iogen, who still will not release data on their plant efficiencies. Just curious. Because if someone has come up with an economical route to make biomas into biofuel, I haven’t seen it. Hopeful.