MIDWESTERN U.S. & ISRAEL JOIN ON BIODIESEL IN ETHIOPIA
Somebody oughtta tell Tom "The World Is Flat" Freidman about this.
Global Energy Joins Joint Venture With Israeli Partner to Farm Castor Seeds for Biodiesel
August 22, 2007 (GrainNet via Grain Journal)
WHO
Global Energy, Abaya Galana Agro Industries PLC, Israel Venture Capital
Kind of curious: Midwesterners and Israelis farming in the heart of the Horn of Africa with German technology. (click to enlarge)WHAT
The Midwestern company, the Israeli company and the Ethiopian company will co-participate in a castor bean growing project using AlphaKat technology from Germany. The beans will be used to derive castor oil which will be used to develop a biodiesel fuel.
WHEN
- Announcement of partnership and project July 25.
- 2nd Q, 2008: planting 10,000 hectares of castor trees. 3rd Q, 2008: 1st crop.
- By 2012: growing and farming 100,000 hectares of castor. The lease is for 45 years.
WHERE
The growing will be in Ethiopia.
WHY
- Global Energy focuses on processing solid waste into usable energy. Israel Venture Capital is investing.
- First year investment: $10 million -- 70% from an Ethiopian bank loan.
- Estimated returns (based on current castor oil price of $750 – $900/ton): First year after planting -- $13 million; Fifth year after planting -- $140 million.
Curiouser still: Farming for oil. (click to enlarge)QUOTES
Asi Shalgi, CEO, Abaya Galana Agro Industries: “Global intends to manifest its mission of turning energy into profit…We are most enthused at the prospects that lie ahead in Africa and in pursuing our objectives with AlphaKat globally…”
posted by Herman K. Trabish @ 10:13 AM
3 Comments:
Ethiopia should grow the non toxic varieties of Jatropha plants and not the poisonous Ricinus, Castor plant. The plantations could well be established in south west Ehiopia where climatical conditions and rainfalls will support bumper crops. I wonder why only the Ricinus plant was chosen
Ariel Shai - Israeli agronomist
Hi Ariel,
Jatropha? Need at least 2 years to develop specific for biodiesel feedstock use. How do you harvest the fruits? Per hand? Because you have to hand- harvest there are no harvesting machines around so far. After harvesting, the process of building up the FFA's are beginning in the fruits. So you have to do the harvesting process very fast. Can you do this without machines? Just a view thoughts.
Ferdinand - Alternative Fuel Consultant
Dear friend
Ethiopia is growing jatropha naturally. Some selection should be made. There is a lot to be improved on both nursery level, pest control and harvesting.
As an example: grafting mature flowering jatropha buds were never tried on a semi commercial way. Also planting such plants in a meadow plantation on ultra high density and using irrigation to control flowering time. Ther are many aspects to floral induction and floral abscission, as to enable timely mechanical harvest....yes once you induce flowering for a specific time one side of the plant or a plot you may mechanical harvest that plant side or field provided some more experimentations are conductd
Anyhow, grafting of jatropha should be considered
Ariel
Israeli agronomist
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