Farmers in North Queensland are doing their bit to be environmentally friendly by investing in a tree that produces diesel.
Mike Jubow, a former cane farmer and now a nursery wholesaler, says diesel-producing trees are a long-term investment.
"If I'm lucky enough to live that long enough - I'm 64 now - it is going to take about 15 to 20 years before they are big enough to harvest the oil so that I can use them in a vehicle," he said.
Read the entire ABC News article, 'Qld farmers invest in diesel-producing trees'
There's also a similar article in The Syndney Morning Herald, 'Farmer planning diesel tree biofuel'
The levels of general ignorance displayed by most of the comments on this page is astounding - i'm not sure if it's trolling.
There is no difference between Fossil Fuels and contemporary crops? wait what?
Growing any long term crop shows a lack of economic reasoning? wait what?
These trees are not cut down for their fuel. They are tapped yearly like rubber plants, you get a constant crop from the living tree. A crop that will most likely be completely used ON FARM, is highly onsaleable, and has been in world demand since it's use was first discovered over 100 years ago in the Internal Combustion Engine.
I suppose you could suggest that in 15 years time we'll all be using electric cars and will thus have no use for biodiesel - but are you people even suggesting that? I doubt it. From what i can see you're flat out understanding the simplest highschool/wikipedia level understanding of the terms such as "Fossil Fuel" and "CO2 Neutral".
If you build furniture and wood is scarce, it would pay to grow your own furniture woods if you have the long term vision for it. But every single farm in the developed world uses diesel fuel - to grown your own (if you can - and it seems you can) is just obvious.
Who would snub their nose at this, oh internet trolls would.
I don't sell trees Ian. I merely come up with solutions to the problems you don't know you have in life. 2008 has been a very profitable problem solving year to date ... apparently the world is short of the fertilizers needed to feed you.
Other profits will be able to be made by those farmers who come up with low input production systems. Of course you would be well aware I have one of those worked out for the dryland areas of southern Australia. Fertilizer and herbicide shortages are not that far away ...
"And as for fuel from biomass, the technology for converting wood fibre to ethanol is well developed. The problem is that the 90 million tonnes of woody regrowth each year (in excess of the natural footprint) has been put off-limits as a source of supply." Interesting comment but no Ian, the problem has been that people like you who apparently see these amazing opportunities have been unwilling to invest in the concrete and stainless steel necessary to achieve the cellulosic dream. I never push a future I am not willing to push dollars towards.
And Ian believe it or not ... some trees are planted for perpetuity. Smart tree growers in this food and energy deficient world are planting food or energy commodity productive trees not timber. I have 100+ year old sandalwoods growing wild on my farm which still produce oil rich nuts.
You are fairly similar to most foresters I meet. Few understand it is most important the utilisation of land be all about food and energy. Timber should always be a secondary consideration. I can see a lot of bluegum plantations being cleared the next decade to make way for grain crops. Wheat at $500/t has the power to change land uses world over ...
Sure, Jan, the problem is always with what is left out of a true and fair picture of the situation. Like realistic prices based on supply, like leaving the forestry joint venture partner with a paddock full of stumps that cost the price of the land to remove, and like costing a plantation scheme at 4 times the known market rates for establishment etc.
And as for fuel from biomass, the technology for converting wood fibre to ethanol is well developed. The problem is that the 90 million tonnes of woody regrowth each year (in excess of the natural footprint) has been put off-limits as a source of supply.
So tell us, Luke, do you have any plans to make non-defamatory statements any time soon? So any sort of criticism of anyone amounts to a "hate list". Bit transparent, don't you think?
Ian: Would you like me to list off all the so called miracle crops that have been flogged to gullible land owners over the past few decades?
I'm sure the tree they are talking about does what they say the problem I have it is that it is exotic and we have had several agriculturally driven ecological disasters for instance the cane toad and the prickly pear. Not to mention those other terra-forming projects like importing foxes, bunnies and pigs ( I have been told that would be hunters are releasing the latter into the wild in order to hunt them).
We do have natives that are a good source of oil that should be investigated before importing exotics IMO. It is not going to stop emissions however or slow them down. It will only change the fossil/bio mix.