re-powering texas: energy diversity, biofuels, and texas-style energy independence

8/9/2019 Re-Powering Texas: Energy Diversity, Biofuels, and Texas-Style Energy Independence

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 10, 2010

CONTACT: Vince Leibowitz

512.705.7001

[email protected]

Gilbert Unveils Biofuels Policy, Calls For State

Investment To Make Texas Energy IndependentWOODVILLEHank Gilbert, the Texas Democratic Partys nominee for Agriculture

Commissioner, on Tuesday released his biofuels policy for the Texas Department of Agricultureon the first leg of a three-day, 13-city tour to highlight Texas potential to become a leadingplayer in biofuels thanks to agricultural diversity.

Texas has the potential to become a major biofuels producer, Gilbert said. There arecropslike cassavawhich we can grow in areas of West Texas where nothing else is beinggrown right now that can produce alternative fuels and not increase the cost of the foods webring to our familys dinner table, Gilbert said. Too, land near the Gulf Coast in South EastTexas is perfect land on which we can grow sugar cane to use to manufacture fuels, Gilbertcontinued.

Under Gilberts plan, entitled the Field to Pump Biofuels Initiative, the Texas Departmentof Agriculture would utilize funding from the Texas Agricultural Infrastructure & EconomicDevelopment Fund (proposed by Gilbert under his previously released reform plan for theagency), to provide start-up funding to agricultural producers to help grow new, non-foodstockbiofuel crops and to refiners to help develop refining capacity for those products.

The state would also help assist agricultural producers to help establish newcooperatives which would allow them to seek funding from outside sources to grow, market,transportand even refinetheir biofuel crops, he continued.

Gilbert also noted that biofuels made from cassava and sugar cane will result in lesspollution, cleaner air, and even additional money for farmersshould a market develop for thesale of carbon credits.
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]


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My Fellow Texans:

Today I am releasing Re-Powering Texas: Energy Diversity, Biofuels, and Texas-StyleEnergy Independence, my alternative energy and biofuels roadmap for the Texas Departmentof Agriculture.

In terms of securing energy independence for our state and our nation, the Texas Department ofAgriculture is truly an untapped resource. In spite of the fact that the Texas Legislature has given

the department oversight of two biofuels and bioenergy committees, to date they have done littleexcept spend $75,000 on a report--which has yet to be deliveredand will likely simply tell uswhat we already know: Texas is ready to become our states leading biofuel and bioenergyproducer.

One of the biggest problems this state and our nation face is our dependence on fossil fuels,especially those sourced outside of the United States. As we've seen in the Gulf, drilling our wayout of this problem can be extremely dangerous and it ignores one simple fact: the well will, atsome point, 'run dry'.

The solution to this problem will come from agriculture.

Two centuries ago, economist Thomas Malthus postulated that the population of people on earthwould rapidly exceed the ability of the planet to sustain that population. Agriculture, time andagain, has made tremendous advances that have led to our ability to feed a population that nownumbers in the billions.

It is to agriculture that we must turn now to solve our future energy needs, end our dependenceon foreign oil and provide cleaner burning fuels to protect the air and water on which we alldepend.

In Unity,

Hank Gilbert


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FIELD TO PUMP BIOFUELS INITIATIVE

Hank proposes launching the Field To Pump Biofuels Initiative, which will involve stakeholdersincluding growers, refiners, distributors, and retailers and the promotion of cooperatives to moreeffectively generate crop production by creating a stable, efficient marketplace.

HOW IT WORKS: Under the Field to Pump Biofuels Initiative, the Texas Departmentof Agriculture will make use of grant funding from Texas Agricultural Infrastructure &Economic Development Fund (proposed under his TDA reform plan) to provide seedfunding to producers and refiners to help producers grow new, non-foodstock biofuelcrops and help refiners develop refining capability for those products.

In addition, the Texas Department of Agriculture will work to help promote partnershipsand cooperatives between growers, refiners, distributors, and funding partners to helpmake new biofuel crops and refining capability a reality in Texas.

WHAT CROPS ARE INVOLVED? Cassava and sugar cane are two crops that aresuited to both growing condition and land availability in Texas. Cassava can be grown invast areas of West and South Texas which are not presently engaged in significantagricultural production of any kind. Sugar Cane can be grown in land currentlyencumbered under the Conservation Reserve Program because it is not soil degrading andwould provide landowners a far better income stream than they receive from the USDAsCRP payments.

DOES THIS ENDANGER OUR FOOD SUPPLY?No. New sugar cane crops in Texaswould be strictly for biofuels. Cassava is not considered a food staple in the United Statesand its growing and use wouldnt alter food supplies. Cassava is used in both China andBrazil for ethanol production.

WONT BIOFUEL CROPS IN WEST TEXAS NEED IRRIGATION TO GROW?

No. Cassava is a crop that requires little water to grow and is well-suited to the climate ofWest Texas and produces more ethanol per bushel than corn and doesnt effect the worldfood supply.

WHAT IT DOES: The Pump to Fuels initiative will produce biofuels at a price that'scompletely competitive in the open market. Because of the significant amount of landavailable in Texas to produce biofuel crops, coupled with existing biofuel production inWest Texas, Texas can and will become a biofuels leader and secure our states energyindependence.This will also help put our country on the track to energy independence and reducing ourdependence on foreign oil.

THE TEXAS ADVANCED BIOFUELS RESEARCH INCUBATOR

Hank proposes to create the Texas Advanced Biofuels Research Incubator at one of our statesmajor four-year universities in order to foster additional research in areas such as using algae to


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produce biofuels and to study the best applications of other microbial biofuel stocks to producebiofuels in Texas.

BENEFITS OF HANKS PROPOSAL

Carbon Credits will be a profit source for participants. Since biofuel crop productionremoves carbon from the atmosphere that is not full replaced during conversion or combustion,producers would be entitled to sell carbon credits should a market develop for them. There is alifecycle reduction of 61% for sugarcane ethanol and 41% for biodiesel.

Cleaner air. Blending with highly oxygenated fuels increases combustion efficiency ofpetroleum based fuels, reducing the pollutants that enter the atmosphere as a result of burningtransportation fuels. Such gases include carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide, a leading cause ofsmog.

Enhanced performance of biodiesel. Most biodiesel helps enhance performance in diesel

engines using ultra low sulfur fuel by increasing lubricity.

Research to develop market based solutions. A key component of Hank's plan includes theformation of a technology incubator which will work with Texas Universities and privateenterprise to create the next generation of biofuel feedstocks and develop new technologies toenhance current production.

re-powering texas: energy diversity, biofuels, and texas-style energy independence

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