Death Toll Expected to Rise After Storm in the Philippines

MANILA — At least 86 people were killed and dozens of others were missing early Monday after a tropical storm swept through the northern Philippines, causing Manila’s worst flooding in nearly half a century, officials said.

Here in the capital, countless people remained on the roofs of their houses, where they had spent the night, drenched and unable to come down because of the floodwaters that had accumulated since the rain began falling Friday evening. The death toll was expected to rise sharply as more reports of casualties came in from provinces outside of Manila.

Tropical Storm Ketsana, packing 53-mile-per-hour winds, dumped nearly 17 inches of rain in just 12 hours, said Nathaniel Cruz, the government’s chief weather forecaster.

Officials said nearly 300,000 people were displaced by the storm; tens of thousands were brought to evacuation centers in schools, churches, gymnasiums and public parks. In Marikina City, a Manila suburb, people pitched tents wherever they could, some on the bridge across the overflowing Marikina River.

The storm “submerged up to 80 percent” of Manila, according to the environmental group Greenpeace.

“It was terrifying to see the water rising, especially because there were live electrical wires around us,” said Diverson Bloso Jr., a waiter at a restaurant in Quezon City that was one of many flooded businesses. “There were trash and rats and cockroaches all around us.”

King Catoy, a filmmaker, rushed to Marikina City, where he recorded scenes of devastation: streets and houses covered in muck, people washing salvaged belongings in the murky river, a couple holding their five dogs — the only ones left with them after the storm.

“Marikina City always prided itself of being the most orderly, the cleanest and the most prepared city in the whole country,” Mr. Catoy said. Ketsana, he said, “showed that all that may have been just a facade.”

Death Toll Expected to Rise After Storm in the Philippines

MANILA — At least 86 people were killed and dozens of others were missing early Monday after a tropical storm swept through the northern Philippines, causing Manila’s worst flooding in nearly half a century, officials said.

Here in the capital, countless people remained on the roofs of their houses, where they had spent the night, drenched and unable to come down because of the floodwaters that had accumulated since the rain began falling Friday evening. The death toll was expected to rise sharply as more reports of casualties came in from provinces outside of Manila.

Tropical Storm Ketsana, packing 53-mile-per-hour winds, dumped nearly 17 inches of rain in just 12 hours, said Nathaniel Cruz, the government’s chief weather forecaster.

Officials said nearly 300,000 people were displaced by the storm; tens of thousands were brought to evacuation centers in schools, churches, gymnasiums and public parks. In Marikina City, a Manila suburb, people pitched tents wherever they could, some on the bridge across the overflowing Marikina River.

The storm “submerged up to 80 percent” of Manila, according to the environmental group Greenpeace.

“It was terrifying to see the water rising, especially because there were live electrical wires around us,” said Diverson Bloso Jr., a waiter at a restaurant in Quezon City that was one of many flooded businesses. “There were trash and rats and cockroaches all around us.”

King Catoy, a filmmaker, rushed to Marikina City, where he recorded scenes of devastation: streets and houses covered in muck, people washing salvaged belongings in the murky river, a couple holding their five dogs — the only ones left with them after the storm.

“Marikina City always prided itself of being the most orderly, the cleanest and the most prepared city in the whole country,” Mr. Catoy said. Ketsana, he said, “showed that all that may have been just a facade.”

23 dead as Typhoon Ketsana roars into Vietnam

Typhoon Ketsana roared into central Vietnam on Tuesday, killing at least 23 people as it brought flooding and winds of up to 90 mph (144 kph), disaster officials said. Some 170,000 were evacuated from its path.

Ketsana left more than 200 dead across the northern Philippines as a weaker tropical storm.

After gathering strength over the South China Sea, the typhoon made landfall in midafternoon, about 37 miles (60 kilometers) south of Danang, according to the National Weather Center.

Two people in Quang Nam province were killed by falling trees, and another died when struck by a power line, said Nguyen Minh Tuan, a provincial disaster official.

"The rivers are rising and many homes are flooded, and several mountainous districts have been isolated by mudslides," Tuan said.

Another three died in Thua Thien Hue province, disaster official Le Minh said. A man was killed by a falling tree, a woman died in floodwaters and a 3-year-old drowned in a flooded home.

As the storm moved inland toward Laos, nine people died in Kon Tum province in the Central Highlands, including a family of five whose house was buried in a mudslide, disaster official Nguyen Van Vy said.

Deaths were also reported in Danang and the province of Binh Dinh and Quang Ngai.

Some flooding was reported in Hoi An, a UNESCO World Heritage site in Quang Nam province, but no serious damage was reported.

The storm weakened as it approached Laos, and by Tuesday evening, the rain had stopped along some parts of the coast.

River levels were still rising, however, and more rains are forecast for the region Wednesday.

Authorities evacuated 170,000 people from six central provinces as the typhoon approached and heavy winds began lashing Vietnam's central coast in the morning, officials said.

"There's a blackout across our entire province," said Truong Ngoc Nhi, vice governor of Quang Ngai province, south of Danang. "Streets are strewn with fallen trees and utility poles. It looks like a battlefield."

Vietnam Airlines canceled all flights to the tourist destinations of Danang and Hue and travelers were stranded along the central coast.

The typhoon ruined the wedding of Bui Thi Anh Nguyet, a 24-year-old-bride who consulted a fortune teller before setting the date for her nuptials.

According to Vietnamese tradition, the groom comes to the bride's hometown, picks her up and brings her to his hometown for the wedding. Nguyet had planned to marry in Danang, but the wedding party got stuck in Binh Dinh province, some 300 kilometers (180 miles) from Danang.

"We had been preparing for this wedding since January, and we chose today as our most auspicious and happiest day, but now we are stranded," Tuyet said telephone. "Parts of the highway are flooded. I don't know how long we'll be stuck here."

23 dead as Typhoon Ketsana roars into Vietnam

Typhoon Ketsana roared into central Vietnam on Tuesday, killing at least 23 people as it brought flooding and winds of up to 90 mph (144 kph), disaster officials said. Some 170,000 were evacuated from its path.

Ketsana left more than 200 dead across the northern Philippines as a weaker tropical storm.

After gathering strength over the South China Sea, the typhoon made landfall in midafternoon, about 37 miles (60 kilometers) south of Danang, according to the National Weather Center.

Two people in Quang Nam province were killed by falling trees, and another died when struck by a power line, said Nguyen Minh Tuan, a provincial disaster official.

"The rivers are rising and many homes are flooded, and several mountainous districts have been isolated by mudslides," Tuan said.

Another three died in Thua Thien Hue province, disaster official Le Minh said. A man was killed by a falling tree, a woman died in floodwaters and a 3-year-old drowned in a flooded home.

As the storm moved inland toward Laos, nine people died in Kon Tum province in the Central Highlands, including a family of five whose house was buried in a mudslide, disaster official Nguyen Van Vy said.

Deaths were also reported in Danang and the province of Binh Dinh and Quang Ngai.

Some flooding was reported in Hoi An, a UNESCO World Heritage site in Quang Nam province, but no serious damage was reported.

The storm weakened as it approached Laos, and by Tuesday evening, the rain had stopped along some parts of the coast.

River levels were still rising, however, and more rains are forecast for the region Wednesday.

Authorities evacuated 170,000 people from six central provinces as the typhoon approached and heavy winds began lashing Vietnam's central coast in the morning, officials said.

"There's a blackout across our entire province," said Truong Ngoc Nhi, vice governor of Quang Ngai province, south of Danang. "Streets are strewn with fallen trees and utility poles. It looks like a battlefield."

Vietnam Airlines canceled all flights to the tourist destinations of Danang and Hue and travelers were stranded along the central coast.

The typhoon ruined the wedding of Bui Thi Anh Nguyet, a 24-year-old-bride who consulted a fortune teller before setting the date for her nuptials.

According to Vietnamese tradition, the groom comes to the bride's hometown, picks her up and brings her to his hometown for the wedding. Nguyet had planned to marry in Danang, but the wedding party got stuck in Binh Dinh province, some 300 kilometers (180 miles) from Danang.

"We had been preparing for this wedding since January, and we chose today as our most auspicious and happiest day, but now we are stranded," Tuyet said telephone. "Parts of the highway are flooded. I don't know how long we'll be stuck here."

UNICA aprova iniciativa de zoneamento de cana, mas recomenda ajustes

A iniciativa do governo em propor o “Zoneamento Agroecológico da Cana-de-Açúcar” é positiva, mas deve ser observada como um processo no qual aperfeiçoamentos serão necessários. Esta é a avaliação do presidente da União das Indústrias de Cana-de-Açúcar (UNICA), Marcos Jank, que na quinta-feira (17/09) participou, em Brasília, da solenidade de lançamento do trabalho.

“A UNICA sempre apoiou a idéia do Zoneamento, tendo inclusive conclamado o governo a anunciá-lo mais rapidamente. Contudo, já é possível identificar áreas que geram grande preocupação e que exigirão atenção e eventuais ajustes durante o processo de aprovação no Congresso Nacional”, avaliou o executivo da ÚNICA.

Pelo Projeto de Lei de Zoneamento, encaminhado pelo Presidente Lula ao Congresso, proíbe-se a construção de novas usinas e a expansão da produção da cana-de-açúcar em qualquer área de vegetação nativa, Amazônia, Pantanal e Bacia do Alto Paraguai.

Segurança Alimentar

Para Marcos Jank há uma preocupação do setor sucroenergético em relação ao conceito de segurança alimentar, o que restringiria o plantio da cana uma vez que esta planta serve não apenas para produção de energia (etanol e bioletrecidade), mas também alimentos (açúcar). Segundo ele, o Brasil se apresenta hoje como grande celeiro do mundo, líder ou quase líder global na produção da maioria das principais commodities do planeta.

“Essa posição foi conquistada apesar de a cana cultivada para a produção de açúcar e etanol ocupar apenas 2,4% das terras aráveis do País, sendo pouco menos de metade disso dedicado ao etanol. Portanto, com pouco mais de 1% da terra agricultável, o Brasil hoje substitui mais de 50% da necessidade nacional de gasolina, um resultado altamente eficaz e reconhecido mundialmente como demonstração clara do grande potencial que há na produção sustentável do etanol de cana-de-açúcar”, concluiu.

UNICA aprova iniciativa de zoneamento de cana, mas recomenda ajustes

A iniciativa do governo em propor o “Zoneamento Agroecológico da Cana-de-Açúcar” é positiva, mas deve ser observada como um processo no qual aperfeiçoamentos serão necessários. Esta é a avaliação do presidente da União das Indústrias de Cana-de-Açúcar (UNICA), Marcos Jank, que na quinta-feira (17/09) participou, em Brasília, da solenidade de lançamento do trabalho.

“A UNICA sempre apoiou a idéia do Zoneamento, tendo inclusive conclamado o governo a anunciá-lo mais rapidamente. Contudo, já é possível identificar áreas que geram grande preocupação e que exigirão atenção e eventuais ajustes durante o processo de aprovação no Congresso Nacional”, avaliou o executivo da ÚNICA.

Pelo Projeto de Lei de Zoneamento, encaminhado pelo Presidente Lula ao Congresso, proíbe-se a construção de novas usinas e a expansão da produção da cana-de-açúcar em qualquer área de vegetação nativa, Amazônia, Pantanal e Bacia do Alto Paraguai.

Segurança Alimentar

Para Marcos Jank há uma preocupação do setor sucroenergético em relação ao conceito de segurança alimentar, o que restringiria o plantio da cana uma vez que esta planta serve não apenas para produção de energia (etanol e bioletrecidade), mas também alimentos (açúcar). Segundo ele, o Brasil se apresenta hoje como grande celeiro do mundo, líder ou quase líder global na produção da maioria das principais commodities do planeta.

“Essa posição foi conquistada apesar de a cana cultivada para a produção de açúcar e etanol ocupar apenas 2,4% das terras aráveis do País, sendo pouco menos de metade disso dedicado ao etanol. Portanto, com pouco mais de 1% da terra agricultável, o Brasil hoje substitui mais de 50% da necessidade nacional de gasolina, um resultado altamente eficaz e reconhecido mundialmente como demonstração clara do grande potencial que há na produção sustentável do etanol de cana-de-açúcar”, concluiu.

Biofuels to be made out of rotting dates

Iraq's prime minister has approved a project by a United Arab Emirates-based company to make biofuel from dates that would otherwise be wasted because they have started to perish, Iraqi officials said. Iraq has the world's third largest oil reserves but its crumbling farm sector, which has suffered from decades of sanctions, isolation and war, is the country's leading employer. A long drought has conspired with entrenched problems like high soil salinity, poor irrigation practices and a lack of proper seeds and fertiliser to hold back domestic farming and make Iraq heavily dependent on grain imports.

Iraqi officials are keen to do anything to boost agricultural productivity. "This project will support Iraq's economy by encouraging farmers to expand date palms farms", a cabinet statement said, announcing Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's approval of it. Iraq, whose date palm plantations dot the banks of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in an otherwise parched landscape, used to be a leading date exporter.

It exports a tiny amount at present, officials say. Faroun Ahmed Hussein, head of the national date palm board, said the Emirati company would produce bio-ethanol from dates that farmers cannot export because they are starting to rot.

It would be used domestically at first, then possibly later exported. He declined to name the company, estimate the cost of the project or say how much bio-ethanol it was expected to produce. Fed to animals He said Iraq produces 350,000 tonnes of dates annually, a sharp fall from 900,000 tonnes produced before the US-led invasion to oust Saddam Hussein but still more than the 150,000 tonnes it currently consumes.

Some are fed to animals, he said. "They can't export the left over quantities owing to their poor quality," Hussein said.

"Farmers will be happy to sell their rotten dates instead of throwing them away." Biofuels are seen by some policymakers as a key element in the fight against climate change, because plants suck up carbon from the atmosphere, and in the quest for alternatives to non-renewable fossil fuels.

Biofuels to be made out of rotting dates

Iraq's prime minister has approved a project by a United Arab Emirates-based company to make biofuel from dates that would otherwise be wasted because they have started to perish, Iraqi officials said. Iraq has the world's third largest oil reserves but its crumbling farm sector, which has suffered from decades of sanctions, isolation and war, is the country's leading employer. A long drought has conspired with entrenched problems like high soil salinity, poor irrigation practices and a lack of proper seeds and fertiliser to hold back domestic farming and make Iraq heavily dependent on grain imports.

Iraqi officials are keen to do anything to boost agricultural productivity. "This project will support Iraq's economy by encouraging farmers to expand date palms farms", a cabinet statement said, announcing Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's approval of it. Iraq, whose date palm plantations dot the banks of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in an otherwise parched landscape, used to be a leading date exporter.

It exports a tiny amount at present, officials say. Faroun Ahmed Hussein, head of the national date palm board, said the Emirati company would produce bio-ethanol from dates that farmers cannot export because they are starting to rot.

It would be used domestically at first, then possibly later exported. He declined to name the company, estimate the cost of the project or say how much bio-ethanol it was expected to produce. Fed to animals He said Iraq produces 350,000 tonnes of dates annually, a sharp fall from 900,000 tonnes produced before the US-led invasion to oust Saddam Hussein but still more than the 150,000 tonnes it currently consumes.

Some are fed to animals, he said. "They can't export the left over quantities owing to their poor quality," Hussein said.

"Farmers will be happy to sell their rotten dates instead of throwing them away." Biofuels are seen by some policymakers as a key element in the fight against climate change, because plants suck up carbon from the atmosphere, and in the quest for alternatives to non-renewable fossil fuels.

South Korea’s MH Bio-Energy lost 'a lot of money' in 11 days of closure after factory waste was blamed for a large fish kill

AN official at MH Bio-Energy Group told the Post Sunday that the government had given permission to the South Korean company to reopen its bio-ethanol factory in Kandal province's Duong village after meeting necessary safety requirements, despite previous complaints over pollution that led to its closure at the end of August. Sar Peov, the head of the company's administration office, said the factory reopened Friday. "The ... Ministry of Industry and Ministry of Environment allowed us to reopen," he said, adding that the company had fitted new waste-storage facilities, as requested by the ministries, to deal with a "malfunctioning" waste-disposal system. Sat Samy, secretary of state at the Ministry of Industry, Mines and Energy, confirmed Sunday that the facility was allowed to reopen on Friday following the visit of a committee made up of both ministries. "Perhaps the factory fulfilled what the ministries required," he said. Sat Samy added that he had not seen the government's report following Friday's visit. The factory - which refines dried cassava to produce bio-ethanol - was closed by the government on August 31 after it was thought to be producing toxic waste following the discovery of tens of thousands of dead fish in nearby waterways. On Friday morning, the Post witnessed trucks loaded with fresh supplies of cassava queuing on National Highway 5 waiting to enter the factory. Following 11 days of closure, Sar Peov said the company had "lost a lot of money" but was unable to put an exact figure on the financial impact following the recent controversy. "However, we are not thinking much about the loss. It is good our company was allowed to reopen," he said, while moving to calm fears over the future safety of the plant. "Now we are operating as normal." Shortly after closure of the factory, cassava farmers and dealers called for it to reopen, saying they would lose hundreds of thousands of dollars, citing a lack of alternative buyers within the Kingdom. Cassava production has developed quickly in Cambodia on the back of expectations that the crop could be sold across the border in Thailand. However, this year Thai officials have routinely placed blockades on the Kingdom's cassava exports. Even when the border has opened to exports of the crop, farmers and dealers in Cambodia have complained that prices in Thailand are not high enough, often below the wholesale price. MH Bio-Energy Director Lee Dong Jun previously said that the company expected to export 20,000 tonnes of bio-ethanol during the remainder of 2009 to add to the same volume it had already sold to buyers in Europe during the first half of the year.

South Korea’s MH Bio-Energy lost 'a lot of money' in 11 days of closure after factory waste was blamed for a large fish kill

AN official at MH Bio-Energy Group told the Post Sunday that the government had given permission to the South Korean company to reopen its bio-ethanol factory in Kandal province's Duong village after meeting necessary safety requirements, despite previous complaints over pollution that led to its closure at the end of August. Sar Peov, the head of the company's administration office, said the factory reopened Friday. "The ... Ministry of Industry and Ministry of Environment allowed us to reopen," he said, adding that the company had fitted new waste-storage facilities, as requested by the ministries, to deal with a "malfunctioning" waste-disposal system. Sat Samy, secretary of state at the Ministry of Industry, Mines and Energy, confirmed Sunday that the facility was allowed to reopen on Friday following the visit of a committee made up of both ministries. "Perhaps the factory fulfilled what the ministries required," he said. Sat Samy added that he had not seen the government's report following Friday's visit. The factory - which refines dried cassava to produce bio-ethanol - was closed by the government on August 31 after it was thought to be producing toxic waste following the discovery of tens of thousands of dead fish in nearby waterways. On Friday morning, the Post witnessed trucks loaded with fresh supplies of cassava queuing on National Highway 5 waiting to enter the factory. Following 11 days of closure, Sar Peov said the company had "lost a lot of money" but was unable to put an exact figure on the financial impact following the recent controversy. "However, we are not thinking much about the loss. It is good our company was allowed to reopen," he said, while moving to calm fears over the future safety of the plant. "Now we are operating as normal." Shortly after closure of the factory, cassava farmers and dealers called for it to reopen, saying they would lose hundreds of thousands of dollars, citing a lack of alternative buyers within the Kingdom. Cassava production has developed quickly in Cambodia on the back of expectations that the crop could be sold across the border in Thailand. However, this year Thai officials have routinely placed blockades on the Kingdom's cassava exports. Even when the border has opened to exports of the crop, farmers and dealers in Cambodia have complained that prices in Thailand are not high enough, often below the wholesale price. MH Bio-Energy Director Lee Dong Jun previously said that the company expected to export 20,000 tonnes of bio-ethanol during the remainder of 2009 to add to the same volume it had already sold to buyers in Europe during the first half of the year.

Canada invests in biofuel plants

The Government of Canada is investing CA$13.72 million (€8.9 million) over seven years in NorAmera BioEnergy’s bioethanol plant in Weyburn, Saskatchewan, as part of a new EcoEnergy for Biofuels initiative.

‘By investing in this project, we are helping to create and sustain local jobs and economic opportunities while encouraging a healthier environment for all Canadians,’ said Ed Komarnicki, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Human Resources.

Compared to petrol, grain-based bioethanol can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 40% on a life-cycle basis. For biodiesel, the emissions reduction can be as much as 60%.

The Government of Canada will invest up to CA$1.5 billion over nine years through the EcoEnergy for Biofuels programme. In August, Husky Energy was awarded a grant of CA$72.8 million from the Canadian Government towards the cost of its ethanol plant in Minnedosa, Manitoba. The government also recently pledged to provide up to CA$72.4 million in new funding over the next seven years to a biodiesel plant in Hamilton, Ontario.

The Government of Canada's Economic Action Plan also dedicates CA$1 billion to the Clean Energy Fund and CA$1 billion for the Green Infrastructure Fund to provide additional economic stimulus while promoting a cleaner, more sustainable energy future for Canadians.

To find out more about the biofuels industry in Canada attend Biofuels International Canada expo & conference from 28-29 October in Montreal. For more information visit: http://www.biofuelsinternationalexpo.com/canada/

Canada invests in biofuel plants

The Government of Canada is investing CA$13.72 million (€8.9 million) over seven years in NorAmera BioEnergy’s bioethanol plant in Weyburn, Saskatchewan, as part of a new EcoEnergy for Biofuels initiative.

‘By investing in this project, we are helping to create and sustain local jobs and economic opportunities while encouraging a healthier environment for all Canadians,’ said Ed Komarnicki, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Human Resources.

Compared to petrol, grain-based bioethanol can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 40% on a life-cycle basis. For biodiesel, the emissions reduction can be as much as 60%.

The Government of Canada will invest up to CA$1.5 billion over nine years through the EcoEnergy for Biofuels programme. In August, Husky Energy was awarded a grant of CA$72.8 million from the Canadian Government towards the cost of its ethanol plant in Minnedosa, Manitoba. The government also recently pledged to provide up to CA$72.4 million in new funding over the next seven years to a biodiesel plant in Hamilton, Ontario.

The Government of Canada's Economic Action Plan also dedicates CA$1 billion to the Clean Energy Fund and CA$1 billion for the Green Infrastructure Fund to provide additional economic stimulus while promoting a cleaner, more sustainable energy future for Canadians.

To find out more about the biofuels industry in Canada attend Biofuels International Canada expo & conference from 28-29 October in Montreal. For more information visit: http://www.biofuelsinternationalexpo.com/canada/

The Vietnam National Oil and Gas Group (PetroVietnam) broke the ground of an US$80 million bio-ethanol plant in Dung Quat Economic Zone, central Quang

Construction of the plant, the largest of its kind in the central region, will last for 18 months.

Using cassava as raw material, the plant has a designed capacity of 100,000 cubic meter of ethanol per year.

Once operational, the plant will provide a cheap bio-fuel source for gasoline production, helping lessen the amount of imported petroleum and reduce carbon dioxide exhaustion to the environment, said a representative of PetroVietnam Technical Services Joint Stock Corporation (PTSC), the project’s contractor.

It will offer jobs for local people, thus helping increase their earning and contributing to hunger alleviation and poverty reduction.

At the ground-breaking ceremony, PetroVietnam Financial Joint Stock Corporation (PVFC), the Bank for Investment and Development of Vietnam (BIDV), the Bank for Foreign Trade of Vietnam (VCB), the Ocean Bank, the Lien Viet Bank and the central region’s Petroleum Bio-Fuel Joint Stock Company signed a credit contract worth nearly VND1 trillion for the project.

The plant, the second of its kind being built by PetroVietnam in Vietnam, is part of the country’s bio-fuel development plan to 2015 with a vision to 2025.

Earlier, PetroVietnam kicked-off the construction of a bio-ethanol plant in northern Phu Tho province. The group plans to build the third one in southern Binh Phuoc province in 2010.

According to PetroVietnam, 47 percent of ethanol in the world is extracted from sugarcane and 53 percent from starch.

In Vietnam, ethanol is currently produced mainly by Hiep Hoa Sugar Factory, Lam Son Sugar Factory and Binh Tay Beverage Factory, which churn out 15,000-30,000 liters of ethanol per day.

The Vietnam National Oil and Gas Group (PetroVietnam) broke the ground of an US$80 million bio-ethanol plant in Dung Quat Economic Zone, central Quang

Construction of the plant, the largest of its kind in the central region, will last for 18 months.

Using cassava as raw material, the plant has a designed capacity of 100,000 cubic meter of ethanol per year.

Once operational, the plant will provide a cheap bio-fuel source for gasoline production, helping lessen the amount of imported petroleum and reduce carbon dioxide exhaustion to the environment, said a representative of PetroVietnam Technical Services Joint Stock Corporation (PTSC), the project’s contractor.

It will offer jobs for local people, thus helping increase their earning and contributing to hunger alleviation and poverty reduction.

At the ground-breaking ceremony, PetroVietnam Financial Joint Stock Corporation (PVFC), the Bank for Investment and Development of Vietnam (BIDV), the Bank for Foreign Trade of Vietnam (VCB), the Ocean Bank, the Lien Viet Bank and the central region’s Petroleum Bio-Fuel Joint Stock Company signed a credit contract worth nearly VND1 trillion for the project.

The plant, the second of its kind being built by PetroVietnam in Vietnam, is part of the country’s bio-fuel development plan to 2015 with a vision to 2025.

Earlier, PetroVietnam kicked-off the construction of a bio-ethanol plant in northern Phu Tho province. The group plans to build the third one in southern Binh Phuoc province in 2010.

According to PetroVietnam, 47 percent of ethanol in the world is extracted from sugarcane and 53 percent from starch.

In Vietnam, ethanol is currently produced mainly by Hiep Hoa Sugar Factory, Lam Son Sugar Factory and Binh Tay Beverage Factory, which churn out 15,000-30,000 liters of ethanol per day.

India's Bhoruka backs Australian oilseeds expansion

SYDNEY, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Indian conglomerate Bhoruka Group will invest A$63 million ($54 million) in an oilseed and crushing facility in Australia that could spur an increase in the amount of oilseeds planted in Australia.

The plant, which will start production in October next year in New South Wales state, will have the capacity to crush and refine 170,000 tonnes of oilseed annually, largely for export markets including India and Japan.

It will require about 125,000 additional acres in Australia to be planted with oilseeds, or 5 percent more than currently planted, Bhoruka said.

Australia produces over 600,000 tonnes of edible oils and fats annually, but to date has largely exported unprocessed oilseeds such as canola rather than refined products.

The project, called Riverina Oils & Bio Energy (ROBE), expects to export 65,000 tonnes a year of refined vegetable oil once operating, and has plans to double output if an initial 12 months of operation proves successful.

It said some farmers may switch from water-hungry crops such as rice to oilseeds.

Bhoruka Chairman Sartya Agarwal and Indian businessmen Dhruv Saxena and Ravi Uppal will own 60 percent of the project, while U.S. venture capital firm Lotus Ventures will hold 40 percent.

Agarwal said his firm had been attracted to Australia because of the productivity of the agriculture sector and the potential to add value by crushing and refining oilseeds for export.

The ROBE plant will also produce up to 75 million litres of biodiesel over the long term, converted either from refined oil or imported palm oil.

Agrawal said Bhoruka is also considering a larger investment in Australia's agricultural processing sector, possibly a biomass fuelled power plant, capitalising on the group's experience as India's largest renewable electricity generator. ($1=1.170 Australian Dollar) (Reporting by Bruce Hextall)

India's Bhoruka backs Australian oilseeds expansion

SYDNEY, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Indian conglomerate Bhoruka Group will invest A$63 million ($54 million) in an oilseed and crushing facility in Australia that could spur an increase in the amount of oilseeds planted in Australia.

The plant, which will start production in October next year in New South Wales state, will have the capacity to crush and refine 170,000 tonnes of oilseed annually, largely for export markets including India and Japan.

It will require about 125,000 additional acres in Australia to be planted with oilseeds, or 5 percent more than currently planted, Bhoruka said.

Australia produces over 600,000 tonnes of edible oils and fats annually, but to date has largely exported unprocessed oilseeds such as canola rather than refined products.

The project, called Riverina Oils & Bio Energy (ROBE), expects to export 65,000 tonnes a year of refined vegetable oil once operating, and has plans to double output if an initial 12 months of operation proves successful.

It said some farmers may switch from water-hungry crops such as rice to oilseeds.

Bhoruka Chairman Sartya Agarwal and Indian businessmen Dhruv Saxena and Ravi Uppal will own 60 percent of the project, while U.S. venture capital firm Lotus Ventures will hold 40 percent.

Agarwal said his firm had been attracted to Australia because of the productivity of the agriculture sector and the potential to add value by crushing and refining oilseeds for export.

The ROBE plant will also produce up to 75 million litres of biodiesel over the long term, converted either from refined oil or imported palm oil.

Agrawal said Bhoruka is also considering a larger investment in Australia's agricultural processing sector, possibly a biomass fuelled power plant, capitalising on the group's experience as India's largest renewable electricity generator. ($1=1.170 Australian Dollar) (Reporting by Bruce Hextall)

Motor diesel convertido para etanol pode estar disponível em 2010

Uma multinacional do grupo Fiat, a FPT Powertrain Technologies, está desenvolvendo no Brasil um motor a propulsão que utiliza etanol no lugar de óleo diesel. Previsto para o mercado brasileiro entre o final de 2010 e início de 2011, o equipamento poderá ser usado em caminhões, tratores e motobombas.

Segundo informações da empresa, o projeto terá como público-alvo as usinas de cana-de-açúcar. “Acreditamos que os clientes potenciais são os produtores de açúcar e etanol, por terem a vantagem de produzir o próprio combustível utilizado neste motor, o que simplifica a logística de produção”, informa a companhia.

Alfred Szwarc, assessor de Emissões e Tecnologia da União da Indústria de Cana-de-Açúcar (UNICA), informa que a FPT já vem trabalhando com o conceito de alimentação etanol-diesel há mais de um ano e em junho, por ocasião do Ethanol Summit 2009, anunciou que desenvolveria um motor 100% etanol.

“A perspectiva de que em cerca de um ano já tenhamos à disposição do setor sucroenergético um motor para máquinas agrícolas, operando exclusivamente com etanol, é uma excelente noticia. Não somente por permitir que o produtor possa utilizar o seu próprio produto em vez do combustível fóssil, mas também por avançar na auto-suficiência energética e ajudar na redução de gases de efeito estufa", avalia o assessor da UNICA.

De acordo com Franco Ciranni, superintendente da companhia para o Mercosul, o objetivo do projeto é ajudar a tornar o processo produtivo do etanol totalmente carbono neutro. “Quando utilizamos combustíveis fósseis retiramos o carbono do solo e, ao queimá-lo, o despejamos na atmosfera aumentando assim o efeito estufa”.

Tecnologia

O motor Cursor 8 E-100 movido a etanol é uma variante de modelo a diesel e gás fabricado pela empresa na Europa. Para a conversão do motor foi realizada a aplicação dos sistemas de ignição e injeção indireta Otto (combustão de ignição por centelha) em motores do Ciclo Diesel, sendo necessária a modificação do cabeçote, tampa que fecha a parte superior do bloco de cilindros, para instalação desses sistemas.

Foi feito ainda um trabalho de adequação de componentes para resistir às características específicas do etanol. Todas as modificações garantiram a manutenção do torque original, mesmo com a substituição do combustível, de acordo com informações fornecidas pela FTP.

A FPT possui 16 fábricas e 11 centros de pesquisa e desenvolvimento em oito países. No Brasil, possui unidades em Betim e Sete Lagoas, ambas em Minas Gerais, e em Curitiba, no Paraná.

Motor diesel convertido para etanol pode estar disponível em 2010

Uma multinacional do grupo Fiat, a FPT Powertrain Technologies, está desenvolvendo no Brasil um motor a propulsão que utiliza etanol no lugar de óleo diesel. Previsto para o mercado brasileiro entre o final de 2010 e início de 2011, o equipamento poderá ser usado em caminhões, tratores e motobombas.

Segundo informações da empresa, o projeto terá como público-alvo as usinas de cana-de-açúcar. “Acreditamos que os clientes potenciais são os produtores de açúcar e etanol, por terem a vantagem de produzir o próprio combustível utilizado neste motor, o que simplifica a logística de produção”, informa a companhia.

Alfred Szwarc, assessor de Emissões e Tecnologia da União da Indústria de Cana-de-Açúcar (UNICA), informa que a FPT já vem trabalhando com o conceito de alimentação etanol-diesel há mais de um ano e em junho, por ocasião do Ethanol Summit 2009, anunciou que desenvolveria um motor 100% etanol.

“A perspectiva de que em cerca de um ano já tenhamos à disposição do setor sucroenergético um motor para máquinas agrícolas, operando exclusivamente com etanol, é uma excelente noticia. Não somente por permitir que o produtor possa utilizar o seu próprio produto em vez do combustível fóssil, mas também por avançar na auto-suficiência energética e ajudar na redução de gases de efeito estufa", avalia o assessor da UNICA.

De acordo com Franco Ciranni, superintendente da companhia para o Mercosul, o objetivo do projeto é ajudar a tornar o processo produtivo do etanol totalmente carbono neutro. “Quando utilizamos combustíveis fósseis retiramos o carbono do solo e, ao queimá-lo, o despejamos na atmosfera aumentando assim o efeito estufa”.

Tecnologia

O motor Cursor 8 E-100 movido a etanol é uma variante de modelo a diesel e gás fabricado pela empresa na Europa. Para a conversão do motor foi realizada a aplicação dos sistemas de ignição e injeção indireta Otto (combustão de ignição por centelha) em motores do Ciclo Diesel, sendo necessária a modificação do cabeçote, tampa que fecha a parte superior do bloco de cilindros, para instalação desses sistemas.

Foi feito ainda um trabalho de adequação de componentes para resistir às características específicas do etanol. Todas as modificações garantiram a manutenção do torque original, mesmo com a substituição do combustível, de acordo com informações fornecidas pela FTP.

A FPT possui 16 fábricas e 11 centros de pesquisa e desenvolvimento em oito países. No Brasil, possui unidades em Betim e Sete Lagoas, ambas em Minas Gerais, e em Curitiba, no Paraná.