[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: >You have to be cheaper to the customer than the alternative. When it >comes to diesel fuel, nobody really cares a fig about it's greeness. >They just want cheap fuel.
That's very sweeping, Dave. Lots of people care that it's cleaner, including companies, and it makes a difference. It's also the best publicity angle, and publicity really helps. >Even in Germany where it's well >established, biodiesel is about 10% cheaper at the pump than >dinodiesel. > >Biodiesel is only successful in countries which have some sort of >govt support, either as preferential tax rates (e.g. Germany) or >where municiple authorities are expected to run low emission vehicles >(USA). > >The only other areas where it can compete are where local labour is >cheap and they have limited cash to buy in petroleum fuels (third >world countries). > >Africa has fantastic potential as an oilpalm for biodiesel producer, >but they won't get any investment until they sort out their political >mess. Also a bit sweeping. In general you have to remember that when you're (necessarily in this case) a small guy competing with Big Oil, you're on a playing field that is far from level. I think a careful examination would show that nowhere do the subsidies for biodiesel approach the total of the great varieties of subsidies for petroleum fuels. Best Keith Addison >--- In [EMAIL PROTECTED], "Trevor" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Hello all..... > > > > I've read with interest the discussions here about small & medium >scale biodiesel production. > > > > Without question there are a lot of issues and details that would >need to be worked out prior to the commencement of production, ie: >collecting, processors, etc.... > > > > But as a refugee from the dot.com meltdown, (I'll be paying off >some of those debts for a while....) the one thing I learned about >any start-up is "there has to be a market, or you have to create a >market in as little time as possible". No business lasts long when >the cash flow is not there. No matter how good the >product/service/intent is. That said I would relish the opportunity >to take a crack at a biodiesel small business !! Especially as I >am a VW & Audi owner / fan. GO TDI !!!!!!!!!! > > > > I can only comment on the western Canadian environment, but here a >handful of o&g majors have the retail (ie: fuel bars) sewn up. It >seems unlikely (given their vested interests) that they would >entertain a relationship with a small or "boutique" producer. > > > > So where would the market be or potentially be? > > > > > > Trevor > > Calgary AB Canada (yes the heart of the Canadian O&G biz!) > > >Biofuels at Journey to Forever >http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html >Biofuel at WebConX >http://www.webconx.com/2000/biofuel/biofuel.htm >To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: >[EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > >Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ Biofuels at Journey to Forever http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Biofuel at WebConX http://www.webconx.com/2000/biofuel/biofuel.htm To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
