[Stoves] The PROTOS Plant Oil Cooker

[Keith Addison]

Hello Tom

>Kevin,
>
>Energy decisions don't seem to be based on reason. I would suggest that
>politics and money are probably the main factors driving a particular crop
>like Jatropha.

There are a lot of true believers though, they seem to fall in love 
with jatropha (or with biodiesel from algae or ethanol from 
cellulose, and they tend to go into denial when it turns out neither 
of those things yet exists outside a lab or two).

Other than that I think you're right, but on the money side of it, 
the real-world ground-level economics of jatropha production just 
don't seem to add up to what many of these projects seem to be 
claiming. Maybe the various subsidies bridge the gap (politics). Or 
maybe we're about to see a jatropha.dot.com crash.

Best

Keith



>Tom
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: stoves-bounces at listserv.repp.org
>[mailto:stoves-bounces at listserv.repp.org] On Behalf Of Kevin Chisholm
>Sent: Thursday, May 03, 2007 7:11 AM
>To: Discussion of biomass cooking stoves
>Subject: Re: [Stoves] The PROTOS Plant Oil Cooker
>
>Dear Tom
>
>Tom Miles wrote:
> > Oilseed and bio-oil experts tell me that their biggest concern with
>Jatropha
> > is that the byproduct meal from most varieties is toxic to humans and
> > animals.
>
>I think those are the very reasons why the Indian Government is
>promoting Jatropha... they have drawn a line, and do not permit
>conversion of food crops into energy.
>
>I would suggest that this is a very enlightened view, the wisdom of
>which will become increasingly apparent.
>
>Best wishes,
>
>Kevin
> >
> > Tom Miles
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: stoves-bounces at listserv.repp.org
> > [mailto:stoves-bounces at listserv.repp.org] On Behalf Of Simon and Zoe
> > Sent: Thursday, May 03, 2007 2:21 AM
> > To: Discussion of biomass cooking stoves
> > Subject: Re: [Stoves] The PROTOS Plant Oil Cooker
> >
> > It seems that Jatropha can potentially have two advantages over seed from
> > other plants:
> >
> > 1. It can grow on land which is otherwise unsuitable for agricultural
> > production, it can even be planted as a stabiliser in areas of soil
>erosion,
> > producing seeds with 1 year of planting.
> >
> > 2. Many organisations advertise very large potential yields from Jatropha
> > (up to 12 tonnes per hectare), on the other hand it seems there have also
> > been many disappointing projects in India with yields below 1 tonne per
> > hectare the norm and many farmers giving up altogether on the plants.
> >
> >
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "David G. LeVine" <dlevine at speakeasy.net>
> > To: "Discussion of biomass cooking stoves" <stoves at listserv.repp.org>
> > Sent: Thursday, May 03, 2007 1:00 AM
> > Subject: Re: [Stoves] The PROTOS Plant Oil Cooker
> >
> >
> >> At 02:45 AM 5/2/2007, you wrote:
> >>> On the subject of use of castor oil etc I think the stovers maybe
> > interested
> >>> in reading a keynote lecture I gave recently at National Oilseeds
> >>> conference. www.nariphaltan.org/biofuels.pdf
> >> Then I have a question.  With Castor producing so much more energy
> >> per hectare, whi are less productive plants being pushed so hard?
> >>
> >>
> >> David G. LeVine
> >> Nashua, NH  03060