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opinionAlso in this section:
Leis, Watch out! Posada Carriles is loose! Silié, Rio Group and European Union support Haiti Pilgrim, Biofuels a step forward Jackson, A flawed plan to deal with Panama City congestion Sirias, Inside the mind of a tormented writer
Biofuels --- the next step in a long walk! by Clarence E. Pilgrim One morning, while I was trapped in yet another traffic jam, smelling the unusually thick exhaust fumes of the vehicle ahead of me (resulting from the need to be serviced), I wondered aloud at the careless abandonment some continue to treat nature's biodiversity, the environment, our energy needs and even the quality of air that we breathe to keep us alive. This is just one act of pollution in a number of other negative actions which must be addressed by all of us, if we are indeed to make a change and protect our collective investment in the sustainability of the enviornment. Awareness through education is the first place to start. Showing that there are indeed better alternatives is the best guide towards a change for quality decisions rather than short-term expediency. Renewable energy sources such as biofuels are seen as a way to reduce harmful emissions and possibly minimize the Caribbean region’s (and the rest of the world’s) dependence on fossil fuels. Biofuels derived from such sources as coconuts, corn, sugar cane and other plants, can present a logical area for research, development and production as alternative fuels, either in part or whole, to petroleum and diesel, which are predominantly used in Caribbean vehicles. Take for example the popular coconut. Known to be the bearer of a refreshing drink and a popular guest on the kitchen table, this versatile energy producer has been used successfully as an alternative to petroleum in diesel engines. Coconut oil is extracted in high-pressure presses from copra, the dried flesh of the coconut. Rising gasoline and diesel prices have made the development of biofuels like coconut oil economically advantageous in some countries. In addition to known and popular food crops, other non-food plants that can thrive on marginal lands with minimal input of fertilizers and pesticides, like certain types of grasses, may also offer interesting prospects for supplying biofuels in our Caribbean lands. The direct source of the energy content of biofuels is the solar energy, captured by plants during the productive cycle of photosynthesis. Thus the employment of complete and carefully managed ecosystems will positively aid the task of energy production, which would inevitably result in reduced greenhouse gas emissions. Of course this would have the desirable net positive effect on climate change. Ethanol is an important biofuel in countries like Brazil. It can be made from corn, sugar cane, etc. It is a clean-burning, renewable energy. Its use in that country has greatly increased with the introduction of "flex fuel" engines, designed to run on ethanol, gasoline or any mixture of the two. Some environmental advantages for using biofuels compared with fossil-fuels include: · The Raw materials used for biofuels are renewable, unlike the non-renewable fossil fuel resources. · Biofuel is cleaner-burning, placing less stress the environment. · Plants grown for fuel production also provide the additional role of re-absorbing a quantity of the carbon dioxide released in fuel production. · Biofuels provides a wider choice of fuel sources But the realistic transitioning fully to biofuels would require careful planning, a concrete energy strategy and a strong political will by the Caribbean Community leaders. Lands will have to be allocated for traditional or even non-traditional crops, for the purpose of creating an “energy producing farm.” Nations like the Caribbean community with smaller economies and a lower energy consumption capacity, may have the advantage of being in a better position to diversify into this area. But only through supportive policies at both the international and regional levels can focused effort make an impact throughout the Caribbean states. Let us strive to protect what nature has given us, by using it wisely and efficiently, and take the next step in a long walk towards changing our present energy capacity to newer and better alternative sources.
Clarence E. Pilgrim is an educator and senior civil servant in Antigua & Barbuda
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