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31 August, 2008
The official said that the use of raw materials in biofuels won’t necessarily imply an increase of prices The debate on the use of foods for the production of alternative energy could be solved with the development of new technologies. The projections of the United States are optimistic about the industrial reach that, as they say, will achieve the energy generation on the base of agricultural residuals and other natural sources. The advances would allow to avoid the competition with the nutritious products, to which is attributed between a 3 and 4 percent of their rise in the price, according to the index that elaborates the International Monetary Fund (IMF).  As was expressed by Douglas Arent, director of the renewable energy laboratory of the North American government’s (NREL, for his initials in english), when receiving LA NACION in the embassy of that country in Buenos Aires.  The depletable nature of the denominated black gold and the projections that locate the price of the barrel above the historical values are the causes of the concern and of the efforts for the development of this type of clean energies. As the official specified, last year this market moved in the world US $150.000 millions that, as is estimated, will be tripled or quadruplicated in next five years. -Why does the United States bet on this energy? -The laboratory has worked to develop the adoption and the use of renewable energy for 30 years. The commercial environment for these technologies improved a lot in the last decade; so much so that worldwide the transactions in this market were of 150.000 million dollars, and it is calculated that they will triple or quadruple in next five years. -What is the laboratory working on now? -In the technology fields of solar, eolic, geothermal and alternative fuels energy. Also, we study the possibilities to increase our energy efficiency in different areas, as in automobiles, in buildings and in the technological industry. We work in systems to improve the electric nets, the transport of the energy and electricity, and the storage. -How does do you perceive the future of the biofuels in front of the petroleum? -The projections say that the price of the petroleum will never return to low prices. The use of the alternative fuels in this environment is a very attractive business and it will continue attracting investments. The perspectives are good, supposing a development in a sustainable way from their insert through the production, tol their final use, and also supposing that they don’t compete with the alimentary necessities. -Do you believe that the development of alternative fuels will impact in an increase of the food prices? -There is a very important recent debate. The index of the food prices of the IMF shows that three to four percent of the increment of the food prices responds to the demand of alternative fuels. For that reason, a growing concern exists to avoid that the nutritious resources be used for the production of alternative fuels. We have investigated this topic for 10 years and I believe that the new technologies will accomplish that more non nutritious sources be used to avoid the tension between both uses. -Then, to avoid this competition is in hands of the technological development… -The investigation program of the United States is guided to analyze cellulose materials for the biofuels production. The thing is that each one of the different raw materials requires a different technology that isn´t produced at a commercial scale. There are also other efforts on the part of the Government, as the subsidies to the installation of commercialization plants of biofuels elaborated with cellulose. -Which are the necessary financial lines for the development of this type of energy? -The financial support and the regulatory environment advances fastly in the United States. There are already 29 states that orchestrated policies that are based on the fixation of minimum energy quotas that should be produced starting from renewable sources. -Which is the potential of the region and, in particular, of the Argentina for the development of alternative fuels? - I believe that the possibilities are very attractive in the Argentina because there is a composition of the energy matrix similar to that of the United States. Independent attributes -In what stage of the development do you believe that the country is in and how do you believe the evolution will be like in next years? -The renewable energy and the technologies have very attractive attributes independently of the development stage in which a certain country or certain city is in. -Do you think that the region is a good place to carry out investments? -In fact, ours is a Non-profit organization . But what I have noticed when I have had the opportunity to speak with companies and when reading the news is that there is an interest in the market of Latin America. Obviously, each business opportunity will be evaluated in function of what is more attractive for each company in particular. To invest, a company looks at diverse factors, as stability, regulatory policies and economic situation. -What would you tell to a company that wants to invest regarding the Argentina? -The truth is that I am not under conditions of giving advice. I would tell them to do their own work. By Luján Scarpinelli of the Writing of La Nación Source: La Nación Deje un comentario |
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