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Last week, the federal agricultural minister Gerry Ritz announced $8.7 Million dollars in funding over three years. This money is to help develop technologies to increase the industrial value of crops, like straw left in the field.
“It is expected that a session for farmers in late April will focus on how agricutlure will fit into the devlopment of government policies on green energy,” says Geoff Dale from the Better Farming Magazine.
government funding will help science, engineering and business sectors move ahead with research programs. The University of Western Ontario has teams are already working on the potential use of residual crops for green energy use such as straw, corncobs and apples, says Franco Berruti. Berruti a professor and director of the University of Western Ontario’s new Institute for Chemicals and Fuels from Alternate Resources
“After squeezing juice from the apples, you’re left with a residual material that is either disposed of in a landfill or can be turned into bio-oil or upgraded into pharmaceuticals,” he says. “We’re also working with grape skins and seeds.”
This research is not taking away food which would go to consumers, instead they are recycling in a sense the left overs from processing. This is a great step in advancements, instead of the residue going into landfills we can harness the energy and benefit from it
With North America suffering through economic recession, what better time than to promise cheap reliable energy. Our oil reserves are being depleted and forcing offshore drilling. Society really needs a cultural shift, from an oil dependent society to our future. It has happened in the past with wood and coal, and both times crisis hit but adjustments were made.
This new funding is exciting and promising in a world full of pessimistic attitudes. Although, research is still in beginning stages wouldn’t it be wonderful if something could really be made from our left over agricultural waste! I think so…
Filed under: Agriculture Tagged: | Agriculture, Agriculture Policy, bio-energy, Green Energy, Ontario, Peak Oil
Great post, Kim. I think this research is invaluable, especially since it is NOT taking food away from consumers, instead it’s using biproducts of food manufacturing- brilliant!
Hi Kim,
I hope your travels across the country were (fairly) uneventful and that you’re getting settled in. Thank you for your commitment to your citizen journalism exercise, and to introducing new technology. Your passion for agriculture was always loud and clear, which made reading your posts all that more enjoyable.
Good luck with your new job,
Owen