Rob Weltman

Bill Akiona’s Email to State Senate About HECO/BlueEarth Biofuels State Subsidy Plan

‘Ano’ai kakou: Hawaiian Electric Industries is proposing a Maui Biofuel Refinery that is truly unsustainable; and will force Hawaii to become dependent upon importing „Palm Oil.‰ What‚s more, this BlueEarth project will readily negate the opportunity for Hawaii‚s locals and rural communities to participate in the development of a much more sustainable and worthy renewable energy/biofuel program for Hawaii. (See Link Below) Article: http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2007/Feb/18/ln/FP702180354.html MECO announced using 72 million gallons of petroleum diesel in 2005; … Read more

Rob Parson’s Letter on Biodiesel

There’s a difference between renewable and sustainable. Before we rejoice at the announcement of Maui Electric’s proposed $61 million biodiesel refinery, many tough questions must be asked.The project would initially import palm oil to produce 40 million gallons of biofuel by 2009 and 120 million gallons by 2011. But, palm oil production in Maylasia, Borneo, Indonesia, Thailand and elsewhere has been one of the great ecological disasters of our time. More than 60 million acres … Read more

Lance Holter’s Viewpoint on Proposed Biodiesel Plant

News recently of a proposed $61 million Bio Diesel refinery on Maui rippled thru the Islands. Blue earth Biofuels is seeking $59 million from the Hawaii state legislature by way of special purpose revenue bonds to build the project. Blue earth plans to produce bio diesel from imported Palm Oil and will import at least 40 million gallons per year. Importing oil? How does this create a sustainable local renewable energy economy? I thought we … Read more

Rob Parson’s 2nd Article

Read Rob Parsons First Article Read DuByne’s Response to Parsons’ first article The Rob Report Maui Time April 5, 2007 Back in February, I got an email from David DuByne, a former Maui resident now working on bio-fuel development and organic farming projects in Northern Thailand. He had read my Feb. 15, 2007 article, “Potential Energy” and wrote to tell me he had just finished a book on biofuels. He said the book was written … Read more

The Rob Report (From Maui Time)

We have met the enemy, and he is us. -Walt Kelly’s Pogo The 1960’s were a time when Cold War politics dictated that Americans live in fear of the Soviets dropping “the big one,” a nuclear bomb. Thousands of families constructed and stocked backyard fallout shelters. Elementary school children drilled “drop and cover” maneuvers beneath their desks. Fortunately, that bomb never dropped. But, late in the decade there was another explosion of sorts. In 1968, … Read more

Biodiesel & Ethanol Net Energy

Read Rob Parsons Article to which DuByne is responding Read Rob Parsons Response to the DuByne letter   Letter to Maui Time by David DuByne April 5, 2007 (Headings and empahasis added by webmaster) Oilwell Production is Down To follow up on the article “Potential Energy” by Rob Parsons in your Feb. 15, 2007 edition, we first need to understand why the switch to ethanol is happening. It’s called oil depletion or peak oil. Inside … Read more

Palm Oil

From Environmental Management for Palm Oil Mill by A. H-Kittikun et al. One ton of fresh fruit bunches (FFB) composed of 230-250 kg of empty fruit bunch (EFB), 130-150 kg of fiber, 60-65 kg of shell and 55-60 kg of kernel and 160-200 kg of crude oil. Palm oil mill effluent (POME) is the mixture of high polluted effluent (from sterilizer and oil room) and low polluted effluent (steam condensate, cooling water, boiler discharge and sanitary … Read more