iip albanjary

Today deforestation always linked to some issues : biofuel demand, settlement development and agrarian reform. A recent news from Brazil informs causes of deforestation in Amazon forest region is linked to agrarian reform implemented by government.

In Indonesia,most deforestation are linked to agriculture expansion and settlement development. In recent years, tropical forests also threatened by the expansion of oil palm plantation as world’s demand on biofuel is raising. In fact, oil palm plantation are built close to forests areas or degraded forest areas. Government of Indonesia has reserving some forests areas called conversion forests to be converted to other land uses including plantation.

Now, more countries are moving up to halting deforestation using global mechanism called REDD (Reducing Emissions from deforestation and degradation). Although the mechanism is still testing in some places, the mechanism has potential advances to limiting the impact of deforestation on climate change. Deforestation is known as a significant contributor of carbon emission.

Your engine car could be powered by coastal tree-based oil. It seed was extracted than tested to fuel the stove replacing kerosene. For developing countries such Indonesia, kerosene is the important fuel for daily need of cooking. If the oil could be used for cooking, so it can be used for fueling the engine car too. Of course, it need more research.

Nyamplung (Calophyllum inophyllum L.), a coastal tree called as potential source of biofuel, researcher says.  This plant found in west coast of Sumatera, Java, West Kalimantan, Sulawesi to Papua. Nyamplung known as windbreaker and have been planted since 1950 along the coast of Java by forest state-owned company Perhutani. This source of biofuel could be better than edible biodiesel sources, such oil palm. What make this tree become significant as the next biofuel sources?

According to researchers of Indonesia Ministry of forestry, nyamplung has several advantages:

read more »

What happen to smallholder biodiesel-material producers when major biodiesel consumers are bumping into financial crisis? This is likely a drastic situation after biofuel (both ethanol and biodiesel) market came up in highest demand last year.

Did you know the predicted consumption of biofuels by 2030 is just over 140 millions tons of oil equivalents? A recent report of RRI says this prediction is based on the ‘with subsidy’ case, which, in a very conservative estimate would require an additional 35 million hectares of land. This prediction was taken before the financial crisis come out.

read more »