Recycling Green Waste into Black - Biochar

Biochar offers some strong positives for use in agriculture, and not only in boosting highly durable long lasting soil organic carbon.

There are many articles on the subject, and Wikipedia has a good overview - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biochar.  I have some previous blog posts as well on soil carbon and biochar.

The article below comes from the online edition Qld Country Life and due acknowledgement is made to them.

But it is a report on a forum in which the message is being delivered to Australian farmers that biochar is not some pie in the sky airy fairy technology.......it might be real, very soon and here.

It is true that delivering adequate carbon to larger farms is a difficult and costly issue with even the logistics expensive.  But systems similar to that below will evolve, and maybe quicker than peope realise.

Using pyrolysis is a reasonably well understood process system so marrying that into a field suitable system requires application and not inconsiderable $$.  But doable.

This is a reasonable step on an evolving process.

------------------------------------------------


Revolutionary recycling

       

14 Feb 2013

 

 

TO farmers in the Burdekin it may have looked like something out of a Dr Who episode - but it is possibly the forerunner to one of the most revolutionary machines to hit the agriculture industry in decades.

A farm may never use one, but research shows that the product the unusual looking machine produces – biochar - can increase the fertility of the soil, increase moisture retention and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Biochar is a form of charcoal and is produced by heating organic matter in a low oxygen environment. The process is termed pyrolysis which is “a thermochemical decomposition of organic material at elevated temperatures without the participation of oxygen”. Pyrolysis can even be achieved by microwaving.

Biochar has the potential to help mitigate climate change, via carbon sequestration. It can increase soil fertility, increase agricultural productivity and provide protection against some foliar and soil-borne diseases.

The man behind the biochar producing machine at the Ayr CFI forum is Dr James Joyce. Dr Joyce did his PhD on biomass gasification and, noticing a great biomass in sugar cane trash, set out to design a pyrolysis unit that met the criteria of low capital and operating cost, mobility, flexibility and ability to handle un-shredded cane trash.

The result to date has been a series of biochar machines of various sizes. His company BIG (Black is Green) presently has two machines in Canada, one in Hawaii, Germany and Wales and two in India.  The machine not only turns potentially methane emitting, green waste into stable charcoal or biochar, the heat it produces during the process can be used to generate electricity.

One problem he has come across is finding locations with a good supply of biomass where electricity generated can be uploaded into the main grid.  The machine can convert 1.2 – 1.5t/hr of green, agricultural or industrial waste (7000-10,000t per annum) into 0.2-0.3t/hr of biochar.

Currently there is a gate price of $700/t for biochar with most outlets selling biochar at $1000-$2000 per tonne.

In Europe 80 per cent of the biochar produced is being mixed into stock feed with experiments revealing impressive weight gains and health benefits in ruminant animals.

In India biochar has become extremely popular in home gardens from which owners not only feed themselves but obtain an income from selling the produce.

Whichever way you look at it, biochar production appears destined to become a major industry throughout the world for use as a soil conditioner/ fertiliser, stockfeed additive and as a way of mitigating greenhouse gas emissions. Investors in this technology are surely on a win-win situation.    

What is biochar?
Biochar is a stable form of charcoal produced from heating natural organic materials (crop and other waste, woodchips, manure) in a high temperature, low oxygen process known as pyrolysis. Biochars can be produced from a variety of organic sources or feedstocks.

Due to its molecular structure, biochar is chemically and biologically in a more stable form than the original carbon form it comes from, making it more difficult to break down. This means that in some cases it can remain stable in soil for hundreds to thousands of years.

The production of biochar via pyrolysis also yields bioenergy in the form of synthesis gas (or ‘syngas’). Syngas consists of a variety of gases which in turn can be captured and used to produce heat and power.

Not all biochars are created equal

There are many different types and qualities of biochar. The key chemical and physical properties of a biochar are greatly affected by the type of material being used and the conditions of the pyrolysis process (i.e. temperature and time).

For example, biochar made from manure will have a higher nutrient content than biochar made from wood cuttings. However, the biochar from the wood cuttings will be more stable over a longer period of time. The two different chars will look the same but will behave quite differently.

Similarly, biochars produced at higher temperatures (700°C compared to 400°C) are more porous and more adsorptive. These biochars have greater potential to adsorb toxic substances and could be used to help rehabilitate contaminated environments

Understanding the characteristics of a particular biochar is important to match it to the requirements of its end use.

Livestock Shipping within Indonesia to be Boosted

While Indonesia does not want to continue the live cattle trade between Australia and Indonesia, and is promoting self sufficiency there is currently a big black hole in the internal cattle transport within Indonesia, as well as some doubts that they can actually produce enough animals, even in the long term, to meet demand.

It will have to be by ship, between the eastern islands and west Java, and today in Darwin the Indonesian transport mnister who was here to see how Australia transports livestock, announced that new ships and ports were being built to handle the cattle.

Several large vessels able to carry 1500 head each plus port facilities at Sumba in NTT [ Nusa Timor Tenggara] and near Lampung in west Java, are planned.  Realistically, they are 18 - 24 months away, maybe longer.

Who knows how much the beef demand will increase during this time?

It was an absolute essential option if animals were to be moved from production areas in NTT [ mainly Sumba] to west Java where the demand is growing.  Also relevant is the issue of flooding around Jakarta, with the capital also possibly being moved elsewhere, which could also influence the live cattle trade centres.

It will be interesting to see how this develops, and how good will be the handling, transport and slaughter procedures.

cartoon copyright news ltd

Updated Reports Seem to Confirm Mad Cow Disease [ BSE] in Brazil

A convoluted story some 2 years in gestation it seems, yet recent reports from a number of sources would seem to confirm that Brazil has some BSE in the beef herd.

Recently a number of SE Asian and Middle East countries have essentially banned further imports of Brazilian beef, and more countries seem to be joining the list.

A bit of a disaster for Brazil with suspected cattle in Parana state, in the rich agricultural areas of the SW of Brazil.

There are numerous media reports, many from December 2012 onwards when first indications of confirmation seems to have reached the media.  A lot more since then.

What might this mean for both Australia and the US in relation to Asian markets?

A relevant media release is here -
http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2012/12/boys-from-brazil-kept-mad-cow-secret-for-two-years/

and here -
http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2013/01/three-more-countries-place-restrictions-on-brazilian-beef-for-bse-concerns/

http://beefmagazine.com/foreign-trade/world-s-response-brazilian-bse-case-measured?page=1

This story is evolving steadily, with more information likely over coming weeks.  The next report is from OIE, and is less alarmist, but I am sure that many countries will still close off beef from Brazil.

http://www.oie.int/for-the-media/press-releases/detail/article/bovine-spongiform-encephalopathy-bse-case-in-brazil-frequently-asked-questions-and-answers/

Brazil is hoping the next meeting of OIE will clarify their status - hopefully as low risk.  But markets are funny at times, with customers maybe preferring non Brazilian beef........no matter what.  Perception is an odd characteristic. 

Capturing CO2 with Nickel

Sounds as if serendipity is alive and well..........but the concept works and is cheap and easy.  If it works well once scaled up then the implications are potentially major.......think of all the power stations around the world! 

British researchers have discovered that sea urchins use nickel particles on their exoskeletons to effectively capture CO2 and turn it into a solid form, an intriguing finding that could offer an inexpensive way to capture and store carbon from fossil fuel-fired power plants.

Scientists from Newcastle University were studying how marine organisms absorb CO2 to make shells and skeletons when they discovered that sea urchin larvae have a high concentration of nickel on their exoskeletons, which helps them absorb CO2.  When the researchers added nickel nanoparticles to CO2-saturated water, they discovered that the nickel completely removed CO2 and turned it into calcium carbonate, a chalk-like mineral.

Current efforts to capture and store carbon dioxide from power plants involve either pumping it underground or using an enzyme called carbonic anhydrase to convert it to calcium carbonate.  But both methods are expensive, and the Newcastle researchers say that using nickel to capture and store CO2 bubbled through water could be a thousand times cheaper than employing carbonic anhydrase. “

 

It seems too good to be true, but it works,” said Lidija Siller, a physicist at Newcastle.

 

The research was published in Catalysis Science & Technology.

 

 

New Ideas - Where do Winds Come From?

Not only do trees fix carbon and produce oxygen; a new and controversial paper says they collectively unleash forces powerful enough to drive global wind patterns and are a core feature in the circulation of the climate system.

If the theory proves correct, the peer-reviewed international paper co-authored by Australian scientist Douglas Sheil will overturn two centuries of conventional wisdom about what makes wind. And it will undermine key principles of every model on which climate predictions are based.

The paper, Where do winds come from? A new theory on how water vapour condensation influences atmospheric pressure and dynamics, is not designed to challenge the orthodox view on climate science. But Sheil, a professor of forest ecology and conservation at Southern Cross University's School of Environment, Science and Engineering, says he is not surprised that is how the paper has been received internationally.

Boiled down, he says, bad science is protecting shoddy climate models.

The paper, lead authored by Anastasia Makarieva, sparked a long-running and furious debate about whether it should be published at all. At the end of a bruising assessment process the editorial panel of the prestigious journal Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics chose to publish and be damned.

This above is a brief extract from the Weekend Australian article on the subject.

It is controversial, but then so was Copernicus's assertion that the earth rotated about the sun, while Galileo also had a few controversial ideas and theories, since often proved true.  Science advances by new ideas being developed and then tested........let's wait and see what occurs as a result of this paper.

See more here - http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/climate/branching-out-on-climate/story-e6frg6xf-1226566999146

and the paper is here - http://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/13/1039/2013/acp-13-1039-2013.pdf  including a brief abstract.

and more comment here - http://tallbloke.wordpress.com/2013/02/02/makarieva-et-al-make-the-headlines-with-where-do-winds-come-from-paper/

Certainly generating a lively debate so far.  Data though, is plausible......will be more to come for sure.

China - Friend or Foe?

For Australia this is a very pertinent question.  We sell a lot of resources to China and import considerable amounts of finished goods.  There has been somewhat of a question mark about Chinese companies involved in electronics and communication equipment with one recently being excluded on security grounds from the new NBN network in Australia.  And there is a lot of chatter about the illicit cyber activities of China.

A recent US publication seems to state in no uncertain terms that China's territorial ambitions are somewhat worrying.

See below where part of the material is reproduced.

----------
The US trade publication Defense News last week posted a video on its blog from a US Naval Institute conference featuring an extraordinarily blunt assessment of China's maritime strategy and ambitions from US Navy Captain James Fanell, Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence and Information Operations for US Pacific Fleet. The moderator describes Fanell as the 'top intelligence officer' in the Pacific Fleet, which means he is advising some of the US military's senior decision-makers on China's military strategy and capability.

Fanell's language is, well, bracing. He calls China 'hegemonic' and says it displays 'aggression'; he claims China 'bullies adversaries' and that it has become a 'mistrusted principal threat'. Watch Captain Fanell's presentation from about 21 minutes into the above video, or read below for some more select quotes:

• '(China's) expansion into the blue waters are largely about countering the US Pacific fleet.'
• 'The PLA Navy is going to sea to learn how to do naval warfare...Make no mistake: the PRC navy is focused on war at sea, and sinking an opposing fleet.'
• On China Marine Surveillance, which supervises and patrols China's claimed maritime territory: 'If you map out their harassments you will see that they form a curved front that has over time expanded out against the coast of China's neighbours, becoming the infamous nine-dashed line, plus the entire East China Sea...China is negotiating for control of other nations' resources off their coasts; what's mine is mine, and we'll negotiate what's yours.'
• 'China Marine Surveillance cutters have no other mission but to harass other nations into submitting to China's expansive claims...China Marine Surveillance is a full-time maritime sovereignty harassment organisation'.

'In my opinion, China is knowingly, operationally and incrementally seizing maritime rights of its neighbours under the rubric of a maritime history that is not only contested in the international community but has largely been fabricated by Chinese government propaganda bureaus in order to "educate" the populous about China's rich maritime history, clearly as a tool to sustain the Party's control.'
-----------------

Northern and Western Australia has embraced Chinese businesses [mostly state owned enterprises] to invest in resource development, including land development.  Are we adequately assessing the longer term risks versus the shorter term gains, especially in light of assessments such as that above?

Many say it is the same as Japanese investment in the period 1960 - 1980.  But in those times, it was private capital, not government capital that was taking the risk. 

The issue of Chinese investment is something to consider, especially in light of security assessments and I have no doubt that the debate will continue. 

With Chinese New Year rapidly approaching, and a strong Chinese influence in the development of the NT over the past 150 years, we have definitely benefitted from the people of Chinese ethnicity in the NT as well as in cities like Darwin, and there is a strong Chinese influence locally......for the better. 

BUT......private citizens are not the same as a government, in most people's view.  

Bribery and Corruption Rampant in Indonesian Beef Trade

Late last week this story hit the local headlines in Australia, with the detaining of Indonesian nationals in Jakarta apparently attempting to bribe Indonesian government officials over the beef quotas recently established.

It seems it has been around frozen beef quotas, not live cattle but, if you have done business in the country it is known that corruption and bribery have been relatively common.  Sure, attempts are made to eliminate bribery, but more recently, these anti-corruption practices  are starting to reach into relatively high places.

The ABC and the Sydney Morning Herald have run articles on the topic, and, being away overseas, I missed them.

See below is the SMH article -
-------------------
AN INDONESIAN company with deep links to the Australian beef industry has been caught red-handed offering bribes to an Indonesian politician, apparently to circumvent the country's strict quota on beef imports.

A number of Australian exporters use the company, Indoguna Utama, to ship beef to Indonesia, and one company, Mulwarra Export in Sydney, is part-owned by Indoguna's founder, Elizabeth Liman.

Two directors of Indoguna, Juardi Effendi and Arya Abdi Effendi, were arrested by Indonesia's Corruption Eradication Commission at a city hotel on Wednesday with 1 billion rupiah ($101,000) in cash in the car boot.

They are alleged to have been on their way to deliver a bribe to Lutfi Hasan Ishaaq, the president of the Islamic political party PKS.

Indonesia's agriculture minister, Suswono, represents the party in President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's government.

Anti-corruption officers sealed the office of the head of Mr Suswono's department, the director-general of livestock and animal health, as part of the investigation.

Mr Suswono imposed strict beef import quotas in the wake of Australia's short-lived ban on live cattle exports in 2011, on the pretext that Indonesia wanted to become self-sufficient in beef.

The quota, applying to live cattle as well as boxed beef, gutted the export trade with Australia and has resulted in shortages of beef in Indonesia, soaring prices and the inclusion of pork in traditional beef meatballs.

The commission's deputy chairman, Bambang Widjojanto, said the bribe was an attempt by Indoguna Utama to get access to a larger import allowance.

The arrests raise the question whether the quota - 32,000 tonnes of boxed beef this year - has become simply a bribe-raising exercise for PKS, which is part of Indonesia's governing coalition, with two cabinet ministers, including the communications minister.

Indoguna Utama lists five Australian exporters as ''partners'', including Andrews Meat in the Barossa Valley, Jack's Creek Wagyu Beef in Queensland, and Western Meat Packers Group in Western Australia. Mulwarra Export's owner, Greg Darwell, told Fairfax Media on Thursday that Elizabeth Liman was a passive minority investor in the company. He said he knew nothing about the bribery allegations, and they surprised him. ''I personally, in the 16 years that I've been owner and runner of Mulwarra, have not directly seen any corruption,'' he said.  His company's exports to Indonesia had dropped by 20 per cent under the quota but, he said, it had picked up markets elsewhere, and was growing.

Another Australian exporter, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said it was ''common knowledge'' bribes were ''part of the trade up there, on a daily basis, quota or no quota''.  ''They're going to desperate measures to get beef into the country,'' the exporter said.

A spokesman for the Corruption Eradication Commission, Johan Budi, said its investigation would not extend to any Australian companies, and he did not yet know if the agriculture minister would be questioned.


Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/national/beef-importer-with-australian-links-caught-in-quota-bribe-case-20130131-2dnh6.html#ixzz2JuFyh6JN

-------------
This is fairly serious stuff, but the implications are even more sinister with overtones that the beef quota might have been manipulated downwards in broad terms, to elicit bribes from importers, to get around the system.  That might be described as fairly serious organised high level corruption.

Most market analysts believe that Indonesia cannot produce enough beef themselves to meet market demand - by a long way, and for quite a period of time yet.  Even if production went up domestically [ rather than by feeding imported animals] sheer logistics would be inadequate to move animals from eastern areas where beef production is increasing, to the volume demand markets of west Java.

It is a sensitive issue, and local beef prices in Indonesia have risen substantially since curbs were placed on importing both live cattle and frozen beef - with particularly greater rises in low quality meat cuts, those used and favoured by many Indonesians.

This story has quite some way to go yet, I am sure.

Innovation LIVES in Australia

Too often the catchcry has been that Australia is not innovative.  It lacks leading edge action in fields such as electronics and even solar where Australia was once considered a leading edge player or in similar advanced engineering and science fields.  Never mind our leading edge technologies in agriculture!

This may not be as true as many would think.

The opinion piece below by the regional manager for STMicroelectronics a significant world player, is very different and he is adamant that Australia IS an innovation leader in many ways.  BUT - not in necessarily mass market stuff, but in advanced areas where features are more important in a smaller market, that places emphasis on features, ease of use and time saving.  These are more important in non major, but higher cost markets.

Read for yourself -
http://www.electronicsnews.com.au/features/opinion-innovation-distinctively-australian?utm_source=SilverpopMailing&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Electronics%20Newsletter%20-%20send%20-%3E%201/02/2013%2012:10:09%20PM&utm_content=

There are areas such as RFID use, in agriculture and cattle identification and management as well as transportation systems and logistics, where Australia is prominent, not to mention the company Dyesol as  a leader in solar optics and PV from dye pigments.

It is nice to hear from someone outside the Australian public that looks at things somewhat differently, that it is not all doom and gloom for advanced technologies and, more importantly, their deployment in real world use.  That last issue is an advantage when you are smaller - sometimes a tad easier to get started and then progress to full use.  Think Qantas with automated checkin, automated weighing, telemetry, watering and medication systems in rangeland grazing or even the new self serve immigration gates now more widely used around Australia [ at least for Australian and NZ passport holders].  These are all world leading deployments of the technology.

Asian Monsoon May be Predictable - Early

A lot has been done to advance the predictions about the NW monsoon across Australia.  BUT - this year it seems to be definitely off - but forcasters did indicate that there were no strong signals, so that makes for tricky predicting.

Of more importance has been the machinations of the Asian monsoon which has enormous influences on the agriculture and urban life in the region.  For example, the recent flooding in Jakarta, and seasonal typhoons in the area.

The correlations are not fantastic - with 65% indicated, but refinements are certainly possible.

The news article is worth reproducing  - and for the interested read the full report.  AND -watch out out for more.

Asian Monsoon Predictions Take Great Leap Forward

There are few other weather phenomenon which effect a country's agriculture, economy, and people greater than the Monsoon. The monsoon is defined as a seasonal reversing of wind accompanied by a significant change in precipitation. For many parts of the world, and particularly south Asia, the monsoon provides much needed rainfall. However, the amount of rainfall and number of tropical storms brought about by each year's monsoon has been extremely difficult to predict. Scientists from the International Pacific Research Center at the University of Hawaii at Manoa have made a breakthrough for predicting the summer monsoon rainfall over East Asia as early as the spring of that year.

The East Asian monsoon affects parts of Indo-China, Philippines, China, Korea, and Japan. The researchers found that this monsoon and its related storm activity are controlled by fluctuations in the western Pacific Subtropical High (WPSH), a major circulation system centered over the Philippine Sea.

If the WPSH is strong during the summer, the rainfall tends to be above average in East Asia and there tend to be fewer tropical storms that make landfall.

Using computer modeling, they found out that summer fluctuations in the WPSH are over 65% predictable by the spring. Things that make the WPSH stronger than usual include dipolar sea surface temperature anomalies in the ocean. This happens when unusually warm Indian Ocean hits the unusually cool western North Pacific water. If this occurs, there will be greater summer monsoon rainfall over East Asia and the Ganges Valley in India.

"Our findings create a promising way for predicting monsoon rainfall and tropical storm days during the East Asian summer," concludes lead author Bin Wang, meteorology professor at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and faculty at the International Pacific Research Center. "As a first step, we use global general circulation models to predict the fluctuations in the WPSH, and then in a second step, we use this forecast to predict rainfall and storm days in regional analyses. We have done hindcasts from 1979 to 2009 using this approach and have found substantially improved skills over the use of dynamical climate models in predicting the East Asian Summer Monsoon rainfall and tropical storm activity."

This study has been published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

[ reproduced from ENN, 25 Jan 2013]

Overpopulation Needs to Taken Seriously

Causes need champions.  Whether it be Band Aid and Bob Geldof for the famine work that commenced around the Ethiopian famine in 1984, or even more recent examples of Bono and other celebrities as motivators of supporters and even drivers of the cause, across a wide spectrum of activities.

Overpopulation of our planet has always been a tricky issue in how to deal with it.  Is it real, will it affect the economic development and untimately the political ascendancy of countries or individuals, or will " I " be disadvantaged - a serious idea according to some.

Recently a US celebrity [ Alexandra Paul ] gave a talk to a TEDx meeting at Topango in California.  So who is she you might ásk as I did [ but I am not a TV or film media watcher]?  Check yourself here - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexandra_Paul
  
Alexandra explains correctly that modern man first showed up on earth 200,000 years ago. By 1830 there were 1 billion people on the planet. Therefore, it took 200,000 years for humans to put the first billion humans on earth. The second billion we added in just 100 years. Now, we add 1 billion people every 12 years. And in 2011, the human population reached 7 billion people.

To give you an example of how fast the population grows, Bangladesh had a hurricane a few years ago that catastrophically killed 139,000 people. As a point for comparison, the population growth in Bangladesh is 139,000 new births every 2 ½ weeks!
In her talk, Alexandra says “forcing people to have fewer children doesn’t work. The fastest, most efficient way to stabilize the human population is to send girls to school and Empower women. And give everyone access to, and education on, birth control".

The talk concludes with her encouraging everyone not be afraid to talk about the overpopulation issue: "It is not about taking rights away, it is about giving opportunities to women, children and future generations".

A video of the talk - click here for video link.

Some consider that we are moving towards an unsstainable population on the planet Earth.  Others are less sure but whatever - discussing the issue and advocating sensible options is vital.  There is no doubt that history would indicate that the solution advocated by Alexandra Paul does have cred, and is increasingly the norm even in those regions of so called less development.  But part of that is also management of many simple diseases.  My own experience of working in less affluent regions is that most families have had some form of child mortality that was caused by easily fixed problems including gastro, measles, whooping cough and similar diseases that are preventable or can be fixed, as well as malaria and dengue [ at least manageable in simple ways to reduce problems].  

Where schooling for girls and education for women in general occurs then family size is regulated, and so population is moderated.

Is it a no brainer to work more towards the goal of female education?

 

Waste Not, Want Not

This adage is best interpreted as - wise use of one's resources will keep one from poverty. For example, to throw out good food—waste not, want not. This proverbial saying was first recorded in 1772 but had an earlier, even more alliterative version, willful waste makes woeful want (1576).

The adage of waste not, want not was generally popularised around food resources.  For that area, it is very true, and maybe some of the current discussions around food waste [around 50% of food is wasted] might do well to remember this very simple concept.  Food wastage is so often related to excess food being present and overeating, at least in western society, and simply remembering this old maxim might allow some better thinking to emerge, with resources, particularly financial ones being better directed.  Think before buying or using more food…….will it be wasted?  Plus some simple options that need to be thought about, such as using leftovers.  Their reuse is unlikely to hurt you and most likely will save money.

But the same maxim also has relevance in business.  Lean business principles have moved beyond the factory floor to become an organizing set of principles and practices applicable to all business operations and activities, including entrepreneurial start-ups. Every idea in your company can benefit from a lean approach, be it a product, process, service, or strategy.  Cut waste, in effect.  Sustainable principles in business in effect also rely on cutting waste.  And that cuts costs.

The Australian focused Do Something web site [ www.dosomething.net.au ] has recently been highlighting reducing use of paper, particularly for small business – driving  a more sustainable approach to business but also offering ideas how paper use can be reduced and business efficiency improved with electronic filing seen as a big potential improvement, due to electronic searching capabilities. Waste not, want not principles in action.  And improving not just the bottom line but that elusive triple bottom line.

How can you and your business implement waste not, want not principles?     

California Carbon Allowances and Market Trading

Carbon allowances are now available for sale in California. Companies that emit more than 25,000 tons of carbon-dioxide equivalent a year (CO2e) in the power, oil, and industrial sectors will now have to turn in permits for every ton they emit this year and the years to come. Things are moving fast in California right now, so here’s a primer on what’s happening and what to expect for the coming months.

Are people really buying carbon permits?

Yes. Currently, California Carbon Allowances (CCAs) are trading for about US$15 a ton on the secondary market. Point Carbon reported a big spike in volume traded since January 1st, as a lot of new companies have entered the markets and are cutting their teeth on West Coast-style carbon trading.

The Governor’s California budget, released on January 10, shows that the state expects to raise $200 million for budget year 2012- 2013, and $400 million the following year. Auctions let private companies buy allowances directly from the state. As explained in an earlier post, the permits auctioned have a minimum (reserve) price of US$10.71 per ton, but in reality those permits could sell for a higher price if a lot of compliance entities decide to buy allowances rather than reduce their emissions.

What happens next?

Companies are due to surrender their carbon allowances only in 2014, which gives them time to become more familiar with the program and gives time to the market to settle on its "fair price." The program has two lawsuits pending against specific provisions, but none that would threaten the very existence of the market at this point.
 
Australia
This is relevant for the naysayers in Australia too, with the projected carbon price now reduced to A$15 per metric tonne in Australia.

It does seem that the developed world is slowly but inexorably moving to a carbon price.

Have you reconciled that you will have to moderate your carbon consumption too?

Marine Transport Goes Gas

The Christmas break is over and once again, back to the grindstone that is the terrible four letter word - work.  Hope all readers are refreshed and enjoyed Christmas festivities.  Seems that Christmas reaches into many non Christian areas of the world now as well.

----------------------------------------------------------

Marine transport has traditionally used bunker oil.  But that might be about to change as world gas supplies both increase in size and reduce in price.  Darwin is among areas where gas is produced, and production is expected to increase here over the next few years.  But non traditional sources, especially in the USA, are increasing quite rapidly.

This is expected to have major ramifications for using gas in powering marine transport systems.  Both for new vessels and retro fitting of gas tanks to existing vessels.  Using gas could radically reduce costs of fuel for large ocean vessels, an issue that has long been a problem for these vessels.

Read a detailed report here -
http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=36976850#editor/target=post;postID=4523160370317925528

Interested to read some thoughts on this issue.

Sandalwood Oil - Potential Cure for Warts

The hot, north west of Australia seems to be in the middle of a potential new medical breakthrough.

A US company has demonstrated that sandalwood oil, might be a possible cure for warts.  Warts - which most people have somewhere on the body including the genitals, are caused by a virus.  Early trial results indicate that sandalwood oil, applied topically, over a period of a few days, seems to cause the wart to blacken and drop off, with the sandalwood oil apparently moving into the body and removing the virus in the bloodstream such that the warts go away ........not to return.

Much more trial work is needed before any commercial development is approved, but it could rapidly increase the demand for sandalwood oil from current uses - mainly perfumery and similar areas into the medical area. With potential demand increasing quite dramatically.

It is also an area where the oil, rather than any extracts would be used, because of the complexity of the product and a tricky issue to actually identify any very specific molecule as the active agent.  It might  be syngeristic effects anyway, involving a few or many compounds in the oil - and there about 300 of them present.

Sandalwood oil is now produced in and around Kununurra, and production is also being extended to the Katherine area of the NT.  Growing the tree commercially is a tricky project as it is a hemi-parasite requiring both nursery production followed by growth in the field.  A nursery is shown in the photo.  Sandalwood is grown in association with several host plants both in the nursery and in the field, and these vary in different parts of the world where it is produced.  As well as indian sandalwood in the north west, some native sandalwood is also harvested in temperate areas of WA.

It could be a very interesting development, and potentially a considerable profitable industry for the north west region of Australia.

Donkeys Guard the Sheep

Wild dogs, or dingoes here in Australia, cause havoc with sheep production in areas where they are common.  They have also been known to cause losses with young calves.

Many graziers were in despair at how they could control these predators, which were causing at times very significant losses with new lambs.  Baiting is common, but can cause losses of working dogs, as well as other non target species, including native birds.  It is also expensive and hard to organise on much larger areas, typical of the large western area sheep stations.

A new form of biocontrol has emerged.............get a donkey!!!

I jest not.......it has been shown that having a donkey in a flock of sheep almost totally prevents the attacks by dingoes on lambs.

The first of an expected emerging trade in what are actually feral donkeys in the NT, has seen several donkeys sent to a Queensland sheep station in the far west to act as a deterrent to attacks by wild dogs.

And more donkeys are expected to be sent interstate over coming months.

The grazier has already noted less problems and the donkeys have settled in well, already much quieter than when they arrived.

It might sound weird.......but it seems to work.

The Emerging Carbon Economy in North Australia

The print media is all over this today, with syndicated versions of the press release on line and in print at many regional newspapers.

It could be a good thing - but there is work to do beforehand, and it will not happen overnight.

There are some issues also worth considering, that are not in the report.  Algae production has started at Karratha - growing algal cultures and harvesting for conversion to biofuel or other materials including animal feeds is promising.   So is use of duckweed especially in wastewater ponds, or any nutrient rich water source, even irrigation tailwater [ ther ewill be more of that] to clean it of nutrients before it re-enters downstream rivers.

Northern Australia has and is suffering from disinvestments in agriculture [broadly interpreted term] over many years.  There are few if any crops specifically with varieties developed for the region [ sugar may be an exception] and with major seed companies now dominating this sector I cannot see them investing in the region as the market is so small.

It may be possible to identify crop varieties from eg Brazil, or possibly through varieties developed in international centres eg IRRI or ICRISAT and used in Asian or African / Indian areas, but some work will be needed to identify them.  And governments have little appetite to spend those $$ at the moment.
While it is possible that the beef herd could expand significantly, the Australian government has not helped over recent years with their activities in curtailing the live cattle trade.  Yes, new abattoirs are coming, but they may not necessarily quickly allow for herd increases.  And can these animals be more methane efficient anyway?  If feed quality went up - maybe, and that often involves more legume in the diet - will we see more of a pangola / leucaena finishing system?  It works and that was demonstrated in the 1970s at Kununurra.

Do not hold your breath........but actively offer ideas.

The media release by the Federal government is below but the report is more difficult to find.  Try the link here for the report, and there is a summary also available -

http://www.regional.gov.au/regional/ona/carbon-economy-for-northern-australia-2012.aspx

The report is brief, 20 pages and easy to download.

Media release

Tapping the carbon market of northern Australia could provide a valuable new revenue stream for the region – once key obstacles are removed, according to a government report.

Reduced greenhouse gas emissions from fire and livestock, sequestering carbon in soils and vegetation, and the production of renewable feedstock for aviation biofuel are three of the main opportunities identified in The Emerging Carbon Economy for Northern Australia report.

"These opportunities will provide northern farmers the potential to reap a billion-dollar return," Regional Australia Minister Simon Crean said.

"CSIRO found the benefits of the carbon economy will not be confined to climate change action, but could generate environmental and livelihood benefits," he said.

 

The region covers some 300 million hectares north of the Tropic of Capricorn. Mr Crean said the federal government would work with state and local governments to help regions "embrace the carbon economy" by generating credits that they can sell to big emitters under its carbon market.
While the report identifies possible areas of income generation – such as a potential of $200 million dollars a year in abatement of carbon emissions through better savannah-burning management and $240 million from the livestock industry – it also specifies how much work still needs to be done.

For instance, the property rights to carbon would need clear ownership rules, while the scale of carbon stocks in the soil and its potential enhancement "warrant continued scientific enquiry", the report said.

Similarly, while indigenous groups have been able to earn carbon credits for savannah-burning under the government's Carbon Farming Initiative (CFI), the report found "practical barriers to wider implementation of this method remain".

Likewise, the government is yet to approve a methodology allowing farmers to earn credits under the CFI for methane abatement efforts in the livestock industry. The northern beef herd counts some 13 million animals.

The biofuel potential could amount to 5 per cent of the jetfuel use in Australia, although that assessment also is based on "early stages of investigation", the report said.

The Coalition has vowed to scrap the carbon tax and planned emissions trading market if it wins office, although it has signalled it may continue with some of the government's carbon farming program.


Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/business/carbon-economy/northern-australias-carbon-market-potentially-vast-report-finds-20121129-2ahnv.html#ixzz2DfTApk3T

Chinese Win Right to Develop Ord Stage 2

One of the worst kept secrets is now public knowledge - The Chinese company has been the winning bidder for Ord Stage 2 to develop the irrigation extension, and will develop a sugar mill and sugar farming.

It is a 50 year lease, not a sale.

It is expected that further development of the Wyndham port will occur, as the obvious export point for the sugar.  There are other complementary issues - co-generation of electricity, probable bioethanol production, along with the farming and general developent of the area.

AND......it begs the question.......will the NT side of the border be the next to be developed??  That is still probably 5-7 years away, maybe even 10 years, but it is a logical step to take.

The ABC has quite an article on the web site - http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-11-20/chinese-company-wins-ord-stage-2-tender/4381920

But I expect there might be a lot more detail to be available later today.

A big development issue for the north to get a tick.  It has been a long time coming!

UPDATE - As expected, more information is becoming available on this story, with this link providing more details from the ABC WA country hour web site: http://www.abc.net.au/rural/news/content/201211/s3636837.htm


 

 

 

 

 

 

New Abattoir for the Kimberley - Second for North Australia

Now not one, but a second abbattoir in north Australia.  It is not really a surprise as a processing facility for cattle has been mooted in the Kimberley region for several years.  It now seems as if it is actually going to get built.

It would be an additional facility to the one proposed for near Darwin, and owned by AA Co, which has already commenced construction, or is just about to start.

This week apparently will see construction start on a $20 million abattoir in the Kimberley with 50 per cent of produce destined for the Asian market.  This is an interesting strategy, as it seems to imply that some product may go onto the Australian market - read north Australia - where all beef is currently imported from southern areas [except for a few small local facilities eg Gumbulanya in the NT supplying local aboriginal areas].

A joint venture between Yeeda Pastoral Company and Kimberley Pastoral Investments said that an agreement had been secured to supply free-range beef to Singapore.  Beef prices in Singapore are very high - around S$60 per kg for scotch fillet steak, which is roughly double Australian prices in equivalent $$.  And all is deep frozen - no chilled beef at all.  The bigger market is probably for cheaper cuts for asian meals, but maybe not necessarily ground beef.

Jack Burton of Yeeda Pastoral Company said the abattoir would be built between Broome and Derby and estimated that by 2014, 55,000 head of cattle would be processed at the site each year.  There is no indication whether it would operate seasonally or year round, but the latter is assumed.  The Darwin facility will be a year round operation, except for a brief maintenance period [4-6 weeks expected].

Burton said the new facility would help process heavier cattle which have been unsuitable for export since Indonesia introduced weight restrictions in 2010.  “This would never be for the replacement of live export, but for cattle that don’t suit live export,” Burton said.

The announcement has been supported from the local Kimberley pastoral industry as well as by the local and state government.  WA Agriculture Minister Terry Redman said he was pleased to see confidence in the industry.  "I’m looking forward to the day we cut the ribbon on that facility and see this become the sharp point for agriculture in the north," Redman said.

The facility is expected to be built by late 2013, which would be slightly ahead of the larger facility proposed for Darwin.

There has not been an abattoir functioning in the Kimberley since the Broome meatworks closed in 1994.

Big Future for NZ XSTOL Aircraft

A relatively new  NZ aircraft has made some very positive steps to being a very useful aircraft for low maintenance and remote regions use.

This is the aircraft known as a P-750 XSTOL, which shows some links with the old Fletcher FU-24, a stalwart, tough agricultural aircraft of the 1960s, used as a crop duster.

With recent sales to both Russia and China and interest from African countries as well as positive sales developments in both NZ and Australia the future does look quite bright.

More details are on their web site - http://www.aerospace.co.nz/aircraft/p-750-xstol/description

The ability to operate in a variety of modes including passenger and freight configurations, even within a single route and on an outwards / return run has some strong positives for many smaller operators in remote areas.  Couple that with an apparent low maintenance schedule, and what appears to be a tough aircraft capable of operating on very short and rougher runways - often typical of remote regions, and certification for RPT operations would seem to be an attractive package.

It has a low stalling speed and can operate in place of helicoptors for survey work.  There has been design work go into factory incorporated alterations that can allow easy changes for cameras and sensors for geophysical work [for which the mining industry has a big demand] and similar types of work often carried out in rural areas - including water bombing.

While it is a single engine aircraft, it is getting some strong endorsements in reviews within industry magazines.

Sounds very suitable to operate in the remote regions of the Northern Territory as a dual passenger / freight aircraft.

Oh yes......one more thing - also well suited to jump out of, if that way inclined!!