All the more reason, perhaps, to consider organizing on a national
level. Not only will we have more clout and respect when it comes to
biodiesel production self-accrediation, but when we eventually get
into ethanol (a biofuel that is useable by a much larger portion of
the general population that biodiesel is) we may have an easier time
getting the Canadian government to grant us the ability to make our
own legally.
In either case, this calls for grassroots action, and sooner than later.
Andrew Netherton
On 2/22/06, Kenji James Fuse <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> This was what I was getting at, Zeke, but you've put it much more
> eloquently and succinctly.
>
> I agree that this biofuels list would make a great self-certification
> group, especially as Canadians tend to have this built-in inferiority
> complex; and since this list is so international, it would have clout
> up here.
>
> Kenji
>
> On Wed, 22 Feb 2006, Zeke Yewdall wrote:
>
> > There is a lot of power in self-certification from trade groups (which
> > the biofuels list essentially is for biodiesel, even if we don't think
> > of ourselves that way). A relevant example from the PV industry.
> > Colorado has had an active trade group that has an examination,
> > continuing ed, and training process in order to maintain certification
> > for designing and installing PV systems. When the utility was
> > required to install a couple of MW of PV after losing a public vote
> > last year, the entity they eventually started negotiating with was our
> > trade group. And guess whose web page they refer people to to find an
> > installer.
> >
> > Compare this to Oregon, where there was no grass routes certification
> > process. There, the state legislature I believe, decided, after some
> > shoddy systems going in, that only licensed electricians could touch
> > PV modules. Technically, anyone else is not even allowed to take them
> > out of the box. However, these licensed electricians have no
> > requirement to know a thing about PV, and if they go by traditional
> > high voltage wiring practices, could actually made a pretty dangerous
> > system too.
> >
> > Sounds sort of like the biodiesel industry, where homebrewers produce
> > high quality product (and some don't...), and some commercial firms
> > produce crap. But you know who the government is going to put quality
> > control to if they end of legislating something before we show that we
> > are policing ourselves.
> >
> > On 2/22/06, Kenji James Fuse <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> > > I wasn't talking aboout the ASTM test, although one of these days I'm
> > > going to talk to politicians and bureaucrats about getting the 'distillate
> > > curve' off the Canadian specs.
> > >
> > > All I meant is that we write up a 'biodiesel safe' thingy, like those
> > > silly foodsafe courses waiters and grocery store clerks have to take
> > > ("after wiping your bum, wash your hands"). Why let ignorant and
> > > liability-conscious politicos do it in a year or so, when we could do it
> > > easily, better and beat them to it?
> > >
> > > KF
> > >
> > > On Wed, 22 Feb 2006, Nigel Kelly wrote:
> > >
> > > > As funny as that is - I see merit in it.
> > > >
> > > > I'm new here, so some comments may be of "ignorance" - excuse them if
> > > > they
> > > > are ... but...
> > > >
> > > > Is there a standard we can specify that meets and exceeds the various
> > > > aspects of current certification testing? Take the most stringent of
> > > > each
> > > > apsect to be tested - viscosity, pH etc - and have a single, HIGHER
> > > > standard
> > > > which would mean anything meeting that standard automatically meets all
> > > > the
> > > > others.
> > > >
> > > > This gives the biodieselers the "high ground". We can demonstrate we're
> > > > happy to step up to the mark - in fact we're interested in exceeding it
> > > > (we
> > > > are... right?) Striving for perfection is an admirable thing - I also
> > > > realise it's not a real worl thing... but as a guiding principle it's
> > > > good.
> > > >
> > > > Nigel
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > > From: "Kenji James Fuse" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> > > > To: <Biofuel@sustainablelists.org>
> > > > Sent: Wednesday, February 22, 2006 7:04 AM
> > > > Subject: [Biofuel] Let's accredit ourselves
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > > Would any of you be willing to dub me a "lord of biodiesel' or
> > > > > something?
> > > > >
> > > > > Seriously, I think it would be a good idea if this list put together a
> > > > > dumb-ass 'certification' test so we could hang it on our walls and
> > > > > point
> > > > > to it should some
> > > > > regulatory agent come snooping around our setups threatening to shut
> > > > > us
> > > > > down.
> > > > >
> > > > > Because we are from all over the world, it would have the kind of
> > > > > untouchability of Amnesty, and good luck to a regulator trying to
> > > > > actually
> > > > > find out about the 'certificate'!
> > > > >
> > > > > I can feel you all already getting your feathers ruffled at this
> > > > > proposal.
> > > > > I think I'm
> > > > > going to try to put something together for the local co-op, so I would
> > > > > greatly appreciate all your critical feedback (but go easy on the
> > > > > insults).
> > > > >
> > > > > Kenji Fuse
> > > > >
> > > > > _______________________________________________
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> > > > > messages):
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> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > >
> > > >
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