Today in Biofuels Opinion: “In switching out MTBE…in favor of ethanol, a behind-the-scenes change of huge proportions took place.”

Hon. Elliott Engel, Chairman of the Subcommittee on  the Western Hemisphere, US House Committee of Foreign Affairs: “The U.S.-Brazil Memorandum of Understanding on Biofuels is just the kind of policy to help promote alternatives to oil. With Brazil, we have selected four countries, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Haiti, and St. Kitts and Nevis, where we are trying to stimulate the development of a domestic biofuels sector. Now, more than one year into the program, I am rather concerned that the process is going much slower than we had hoped and look forward to Secretary Sullivan’s update on our joint efforts. In particular, I would like to hear more about the efforts to help Haiti promote biofuels, in particular the potential for Jatropha as a feedstock for producing biodiesel. Jatropha, which has historically been viewed as a weed, is now seen as a possible ‘trifecta’ for Haiti.”

Alexis Madrigal, staff write for Wired:  “What happens if, all of a sudden, you need to change the entire energy infrastructure on which California’s transportation system runs? Most Californians probably haven’t noticed, but that’s exactly what a combination of Midwestern farmers, Big Oil companies, railroad operators, and fuel terminal owners have done over the last decade. In switching out MTBE, a former component of California gasoline, in favor of ethanol, a behind-the-scenes change of huge proportions took place.”

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