Montana Energy
Schweitzer Unveils Plans: Reduce Greenhouse Gases, Camelina Biodiesel
By Greg Lemon, 11-21-07
Montana’s Gov. Brian Schweitzer has spent the early part of this week focused on energy. On Monday he unvieled recommendations for Montana to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. On Tuesday, he unveiled a plan and partnership focused on producing 100 million barrels of biodiesel from camelina.
First, Montana’s effort to fight global warming.
Two years ago, Schweitzer appointed a panel to research ways the state could reduce carbon emmissions. The Climate Change Advisory Committee is made up of 18 members and has outlined 54 recommendations on how the state could reduce greenhouse gasses. Recommendations included less energy consumption and new regulations on power plants and industrial emissions.
“We’ve watched them in Washington, D.C., talk about (global warming) for a number of years,” Schweitzer said at a Capitol news conference, according to the Billings Gazette. “It’s time to take action.”
The goal of the recommendations is to reduce emission levels in the state to 1990 levels by 2020. Schweitzer will also ask state agencies to upgrade their motor pools to cars that average 30 miles per gallon.
Next, Montana and biodiesl.
Schweitzer held another news conference Tuesday to announce a new alternative-fuel partnership that will focus on producing biofuels from camelina, a crop that grows well in Montana. Schweitzer was joined by Sens. Max Baucus and Jon Tester as well as company executives from a newly formed biodiesel firm – Sustainable Oils. The firm plans to produce and market 100 million barrels a year of biodiesel produced from camelina.
Baucus touted the plan as a way of stimulating economic growth in rural Montana as well as helping reduce the nation’s dependence on foreign oil.
However, high wheat prices could keep farmers from switching to camelina. According to an article in the Billings Gazette, Montana farmers will have to have 1 million acres in camelina production to produce 100 million barrels of oil.
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Comments
There is only one way to eat a Thanksgiving feast-- one gobble at a time. Enjoy everyone!
New certification standards being developed by the Sustainable Biodiesel Alliance will help consumers know just how "green" their biofuels are.
Some concerns are raised by this new announcement of a 90-100 million gallon per year biofuels plant using Montana camelina as a feedstock. Is the camelina genetically modified? Will the camelina be trucked large distances before it is crushed and processed? Will local communities benefit from the production, or will the fuel be shipped out of state?
I'd prefer to see small community-scale biodiesel plants located near Montana towns, growing camelina locally, processing it locally, and consuming it locally.