318 | Business World Magazine |
February 2013
composite, which in time, will culminate in
further innovations to guide both the agri-
culture and fuel industries toward a sustain-
able future.
The Pacific Biodiesel teamhas been en-
couraged by the preliminary results of their
crop trials. Sunflower, safflower and cameli-
na are a few of the species tested which offer
multiple harvesting cycles in Hawaii and are
also a potentially quick source of feedstock,
resulting in the ultimate energy security. For
this project, the motto is “100 days from soil
to oil”. Most of the crops being tested require
only 25% of the water typically used in the
cultivation of sugar cane. Another benefit
is that once the oil is extracted, the resul-
tant seedcake can be used to create nutrient-
rich meal sorely needed by the local cattle
industry. Cattle operations in Hawaii have
declined by almost 70% due to inability to
feed livestock on island. Cattle have been
routinely shipped to mainland U.S. for feed-
Big Island Biodiesel Plant in Keaau, HI.
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