26
In addition, distilling and refining feedstock into biofuel is a major question in
terms of profit, particularly in the case of Indonesian biodiesel. The refinery part of
the biofuel production is far more profitable than feedstock production, while the
former requires capital investments and technology. Therefore, some part of
Indonesian crude palm oil is transferred to Singapore for final processes, which
makes Indonesian stakeholders demand “fair” share. In the case of bioethanol in
Brazil, biofuel production plants are often integrated with conventional sugar cane
production plants. Therefore, research and development for better refinery system
occurs in Brazil, which allows the country to fully benefit from increased production of bioethanol. Advanced technologies and their benefit to Brazilian communities will be further discussed in Chap. 2.1.2 (Table 4.1).
4.2 Users in Developing Nations
While discourses on biofuels are often focused on the increasing demand for biofuels at the global scale because of the need to offset GHG emissions, domestic users
are in fact the major players in the deployment of biofuels. Brazil’s Pró-Álcool
policy in response to the oil crisis of 1973 was successful in achieving the marketscale production of bioethanols, supported by the introduction of flex-fuel technologies in the early 2000s. Indonesia is also promoting the domestic use of biodiesels
by providing subsidies particularly because of its increasing demand for conventional fossil fuels and the subsequent need to import oil and gas. In the light of
transportation and marketing costs as well as environmental footprint, it would be
far smarter to use them domestically, rather than to export them to developed
nations. Therefore, the “energy independence” discourse, instead of “green innovation” discourse, supports the domestic production and uses of biofuels within the
developing nations (i.e., the same logic applies to the US policy for domestic production and use of bioethanol).
On the other hand, the frustrating experience with Jatropha curcas in many
South Asian nations suggests the need of reframing its position in the varieties of
biofuel options. Jatropha was once promoted as a method of increasing the biofuel
production in arid areas where palm and other plantations are relatively difficult.
The promotion of Jatropha, however, has been unsuccessful in many parts particularly because of the unstable demand for biofuel feedstock as well as the frustrating
yields compared to what had been promised in pitched promotion. In response,
Chap. 2.2.2 articulates a more realistic strategy for Jatropha curcas. Households in
the rural parts of Southeast Asian nations are still suffering from the shortage of
basic needs, including fuels. Instead of letting them cut down trees without much
concerns on sustainability, Jatropha curcas could be useful in sustaining the life of
rural villages by providing sustainable fuels for household.
M. Matsuura and H. Shiroyama
In addition, distilling and refining feedstock into biofuel is a major question in
terms of profit, particularly in the case of Indonesian biodiesel. The refinery part of
the biofuel production is far more profitable than feedstock production, while the
former requires capital investments and technology. Therefore, some part of
Indonesian crude palm oil is transferred to Singapore for final processes, which
makes Indonesian stakeholders demand “fair” share. In the case of bioethanol in
Brazil, biofuel production plants are often integrated with conventional sugar cane
production plants. Therefore, research and development for better refinery system
occurs in Brazil, which allows the country to fully benefit from increased production of bioethanol. Advanced technologies and their benefit to Brazilian communities will be further discussed in Chap. 2.1.2 (Table 4.1).
4.2 Users in Developing Nations
While discourses on biofuels are often focused on the increasing demand for biofuels at the global scale because of the need to offset GHG emissions, domestic users
are in fact the major players in the deployment of biofuels. Brazil’s Pró-Álcool
policy in response to the oil crisis of 1973 was successful in achieving the marketscale production of bioethanols, supported by the introduction of flex-fuel technologies in the early 2000s. Indonesia is also promoting the domestic use of biodiesels
by providing subsidies particularly because of its increasing demand for conventional fossil fuels and the subsequent need to import oil and gas. In the light of
transportation and marketing costs as well as environmental footprint, it would be
far smarter to use them domestically, rather than to export them to developed
nations. Therefore, the “energy independence” discourse, instead of “green innovation” discourse, supports the domestic production and uses of biofuels within the
developing nations (i.e., the same logic applies to the US policy for domestic production and use of bioethanol).
On the other hand, the frustrating experience with Jatropha curcas in many
South Asian nations suggests the need of reframing its position in the varieties of
biofuel options. Jatropha was once promoted as a method of increasing the biofuel
production in arid areas where palm and other plantations are relatively difficult.
The promotion of Jatropha, however, has been unsuccessful in many parts particularly because of the unstable demand for biofuel feedstock as well as the frustrating
yields compared to what had been promised in pitched promotion. In response,
Chap. 2.2.2 articulates a more realistic strategy for Jatropha curcas. Households in
the rural parts of Southeast Asian nations are still suffering from the shortage of
basic needs, including fuels. Instead of letting them cut down trees without much
concerns on sustainability, Jatropha curcas could be useful in sustaining the life of
rural villages by providing sustainable fuels for household.
M. Matsuura and H. Shiroyama