God does not love us any longer ...

... or He's just seriously pissed.

Ok, the higher food prices is one thing, but the following should definitely serve as a wakeup for citizens around the world.

Ethanol production is driving up prices for:
1.Beer
2.Tequila

Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.
Benjamin Franklin

The strive for cheaper fuel ...

... has increased grocery costs by $47 per person this year.

Booming ethanol production may help lessen U.S. dependence on foreign oil, but it has already increased the grocery bill for the average American by $47 since July, according to a study from Iowa State University.

The kicker? I don't see a drop in our depedence on foreign oil, and all this ethanol production certainly hasn't translated into lower prices at the pump. In my not so humble opinion, ethanol production from food sources is simply not going to ever cut the mustard. We need food.

Instead of investing money into ethanol plants, why not invest it into better public transportation infrastructures for major metropolitan areas. That should decrease their dependency on gas, and may (hopefully?) drop prices elsewhere.

My ears are ringing!

Well, this new treatment discovered by researchers at UC Irvine helps alleviate tinnitus.

I wonder, can we get insurance companies to pay for iPods now?

Interesting use for biofuel ...

India uses biodiesel to run cellular networks in rural areas.

Phase two will involve setting up a supply chain using locally-grown crops to produce biodiesel to power up to ten base stations in the Maharashtra region.

Using locally grown crops is an even better idea.

A step in the right direction ...

United States the fastest growing biodiesel market in the world.

The question now is: Will we be able to maintain that momentum?

Also, it should be noted that even with this growth, only about half of 1% of all biodiesel is sold in the United States. So we have a ways to go as a nation.

Oregon says ...

Don't look at us for biofuel production.

Based on their analysis, the authors concluded that these three biofuel options appear to be a costly way to achieve limited progress toward energy independence or reduce greenhouse emissions in Oregon.

In a situation similar to what I blogged ...

... on Mexico, Europe's food industry calls for a more balanced biofuel policy.

Using agricultural land to grow bio-energy crops would also compete with the use of land for food and animal feed production, the CIAA stated in its memorandum.

For most consumers, raising food pries to cut fuel costs is not a viable alternative. Food prices need to remain low, which means we need to find biomass alternatives to canola, corn and sugar (as three major examples). The article cited specifically speaks of the increase in rapeseed (canola) prices, which doubled in the last five years as increasingly larger portions of the canola market went to biofuels production. Other cereals and starches went up 20% in the same time span. That trend needs to be reversed.

To deviate a bit ...

... from the discussion of biofuels (remember, I said that I might talk on other issues), I'd like to point out this article of Dr. Maureen Condic in First Things.

What We Know About Embryonic Stem Cells

Embryonic stem cells have received a lot of hype, and this article does a pretty good job in my opinion, of taking the veneer off the topic.

Algae Biofuel Process

PetroSun announces final testing for algae biofuel process

PetroSun, Incorporated announced last week that the field testing of the cultivation of algae for biodiesel production has now progressed to the final stage prior to the construction of a commercial cultivation facility.

Also reported ...

Algae BioFuels is considering sites in Arizona, New Mexico, California, Louisiana and Michigan for its initial commercial cultivation of algae feedstock in the United States. Australia and China are the leading candidates for production and refinery operations in the foreign marketplace.

MicrobeWorld Podcast

If you go to MicrobeWorld, they have a podcast section over on the right hand side of the site. Their latest podcast is entitled "The future of biogas". It's a little over 90 seconds in length.

While We're At It ...

While new sources of energy are critical, we should also learn to do more, with less.

USDA Releases Proposed 2007 Farm Bill

Johanns Unveils 2007 Farm Bill Proposals.

As I mentioned in an earlier blog, $1.6 Billion is geared towards renewable energy research, development and production. This research will be targeted towards cellulosic ethanol. There is an additional $500 million initiative geared towards bio-energy and bio-based product research.

Effects of ethanol fuel on society

Mexico grapples with soaring prices for corn

Mexico is in the grip of the worst tortilla crisis in its modern history. Dramatically rising international corn prices, spurred by demand for the grain-based fuel ethanol, have led to expensive tortillas. That, in turn, has led to lower sales for vendors such as Rosales and angry protests by consumers.

Sometimes I'm not sure whether or not we, as members of society, think of the effects that our demands for cheaper fuel cause for others. This is one such instance. Is corn-based ethanol a "fix" for us that is going to cause problems for others? If so, then perhaps we need to rethink our stance on it, and move to a crop which will not have a negative impact, such as switchgrass.

USDA Devoted To Bio-Fuel Development

USDA Announces Plan For $1.6 Billion Investment In Renewable Fuels

"It remains a priority across USDA to support the development of biofuels. We will continue to build on current programs and turn the corner on renewable energy," said Johanns. "With biofuels coming to the forefront, American agriculture faces the greatest opportunity of a generation to lead a future in which we get our energy by the bushel and not by the barrel."

Dedication

This blog is dedicated to my grandfather, Dominic. He passed away on this day four years ago. He was a man of integrity and hard work. A dedicated family man who would go out of his way to help friends and strangers with whatever they needed. Inspired by his work ethic, I pushed through the dog days of graduate school, eventually receiving my Ph.D. in Microbiology and Immunology. It was an achievement he never witnessed, but in spirit, I know he was there. He was my idol and my friend. I miss him tremendously.

Welcome aboard!

This is the first installment of Bio-Fuel!

This will be a blog devoted to discussing the various types of bio-fuels which currently exist, both in the United States, and worldwide. Hopefully this will be as interesting a journey for me, as it is for any potential readers which may frequent this site.

I doubt I'll keep this restricted to only discussion on bio-fuels, but ... you never know!