Typical Village
The Program Education & Technology
The Village Development Cycle
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
The trip to Fort Magsaysay and O'Donnel was very
educational to everybody. In Fort Mag at the east
side, the group saw a true Jatropha plantation and
nursery a source for seeds and cuttings for the
propagation of Jatropha and also a source for our
initial oil extraction plan. In O'Donnel at the west
side, the group saw huge non-operational generators
that could be the test platform for the fuel shift and
Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) side of the project.
In Fort Mag they not only have plantation but also a
laboratory for Jatropha. LCol Jess Sarsagat the
caretaker and the project officer at Fort Mag conveyed
to the group the constraints that he had since the
time that he first started with the project. The
biggest obstacle that he encountered so far and is
still presently encountering is the issue on funding.
From what we saw last Friday, it seemed that the
project is well funded, but what he had there was
really unbelievable! It was just pure dedication,
clear vision and hard work that really funded the
whole Fort Mag Jatropha project. From nothing from
then til now, he was able to establish a Big Thing.
Promises for funding for propagation were made,
however they remained as such. Despite, this
constraint LCol Sarsagat's tenacity remains firm.
We learned that a lot of interested parties have been
visiting his plantation and getting some ideas on
Jatropha Technology..first hand. Inter cropping was
possible and a sprinkle prototype from gravity
irrigation was present. Water source was 6 kms away
from the plantation, though. Distances between each
jatropha and inter cropped plants were displayed and
still being tested. From what we saw and experienced
Jatropha propagation technology is available and we
have it first in the AFP.
With this, the group has already immediate access on
technology, expertise, seeds and cuttings. Linking
this in our "sustainable" objectives, like involving
the surrounding communities in such endeavor
especially on development is a competency that the AFP
has. Setting up a training school for Jatropha was
discussed so as to disseminate and share the know-how
to farmers and even probable local and foreign
investors.
Power consumption at Fort Mag is Php 1M per month
utilizing only 14 hours per day. 10 hours is forced
brown out to conserve electricity.
At O'Donnel, it was something different. The group
was at awe from what they had there for the power
generation side of our project. The generators were
actually ship engines with a capacity of 1 megawatt.
Which according to George could light up a big city.
The generators have been non-operational for more than
a decade already. So its rehabilitation is possible
but would cost us.
The generators from our discussions could likewise
provide electricity for the Northern Luzon Command at
Tarlac and the Training and Doctrines center adjacent
to the main camp. O' Donel power consumption alone is
Php 400th, utlizing only half day of electricity,
again forced brown out is enforced to save on
electricity.
According to LCol De La Paz the generators are due for
disposal and they have communicated the plan to the
defense department for approval. The group convinced
LCol De La Paz and other Officers to put there
disposal efforts for the generators on hold. Because,
1 thing by 2010 the Luzon grid will experience power
shortages like the ones that we experienced during the
early 90's.
Those generators rehabilitated and operational,
hopefully by next year, could somehow reduce the
impact of the negative effects on the economy and
trading within that area. This can be duplicated in
other areas too.
What the group sees here are opportunities for our
project to push through. We can now map out a more
concrete concept plan on how to pursue this project in
the soonest time possible.
4th Jatropha meeting is set on Friday, 2 pm at
Commodore Sacdalan's office (AFPREO)
Thursday, May 24, 2007
CDM
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:
The Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) is an arrangement under the Kyoto Protocol allowing industrialised countries with a greenhouse gas reduction commitment (so-called Annex 1 countries) to invest in emission reducing projects in developing countries as an alternative to what is generally considered more costly emission reductions in their own countries.
The CDM is supervised by the CDM Executive Board (CDM EB) and is under the guidance of the Conference of the Parties (COP/MOP) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
The purpose of the CDM was defined under Article 12 of the Kyoto Protocol. Apart from helping Annex 1 countries comply with their emission reduction commitments, it must assist developing countries in achieving sustainable development, while also contributing to stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere.
To prevent industrialised countries from making unlimited use of CDM, Article 6.1 d) has a provision that use of CDM be ‘supplemental’ to domestic actions to reduce emissions. This wording has led to a wide range of interpretations
The CDM gained momentum in 2005 after the entry into force of the Kyoto Protocol. Before the Protocol entered into force, investors considered this a key risk factor. The initial years of operation yielded fewer CDM credits than supporters had hoped for, as Parties did not provide sufficient funding to the EB. This left it understaffed.
Outline of the project process
An industrialised country that wishes to get credits from a CDM project must obtain the consent of the developing country hosting the project that it will contribute to sustainable development. Then, using methodologies approved by the CDM Executive Board (EB), the applicant (the industrialised country in our case) must make the case that the project would not have happened anyway (establishing additionality), and must establish a baseline estimating the future emissions in absence of the registered project. The case is then validated by a third party agency, a so-called Designated Operational Entity to ensure the project results in real, measurable, and long-term emission reductions. The EB then decides whether or not to register (approve) the project. If a project is registered and implemented, the EB issues credits, so-called Certified Emission Reductions; CERs (one CER being equivalent to one metric tonne of CO2 reduction), to project participants based on the monitored difference between the baseline and the actual emissions, verified by an external party called a DOE. more
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
A new source of funds some Ideas to ponder
Jatropha : A new source of funds???
Jatropha (Tuba-Tuba)
The Jatropha has excellent qualities why it was chosen by the government as a source of bio-diesel among others. The Jatropha can be planted anywhere even in dry soil. It does not require any watering. It does not require any maintenance. It can be planted close to each other. It expels bugs and mosquitoes. It is a perfect anti-soil erosion agent. It is perfect carbon-buster (approximately 100 lbs of carbon per year). Does not compete with other staple agriculture food product. It can be inter-cropped with other plants.
Jatropha (Tuba-Tuba) Project
The project started two years ago when PGMA directed the to plant Tuba-tuba within the military reservations. The intention primarily in the planting of this tree/shrub was for the production of bio-diesel/fuel as an alternative energy source. It was implied though, that this was to contribute in the reduction of carbon emissions in the atmosphere, expedite government’s reforestation program and to prevent soil erosion in denuded forests. However, there are more to these for the .
Energy
Through this project, the oil extracted converted into bio diesel/fuel can run power generators as well as other diesel powered equipment. Having power generators on all military bases would eradicate our dependency in local energy providers. Energy independence has its strategic security advantage and value. In the long run, such “green power” generating initiatives would produce more savings for the and direct these savings to other essential support needed for personnel and other infrastructures.
Unused marine and large aircraft engines of the can be refurbished and be utilized as generators. “Green electric energy” surpluses can be placed back to the grid and be shared to commercial industries and residential areas within close proximity of the military bases. This would help mitigate large-scale carbon emissions, make big commercial industries carbon neutral (zero carbon emission) and reduce drastically their carbon footprint (measurement of carbon emitted by an individual or industry.)
Gold Standard Carbon Credits
Seeing the realization in the propagation of the bio diesel/fuel program in the AFP and its production in the next couple of years, the should be prepared and ready for such undertaking. The should be well equipped to pursue this initiative in large scale and in a long term. Putting our focus to this project would not only help in improving the local environment but would also provide a broader, sustainable defense perspective towards achieving our national interests.
The Gold Standard Carbon Credits is an international facility, which the AFP and the government can use to get funding for social, economic and various developmental projects. The Gold standard is the highest level of accreditation of an environmental project that would facilitate the “sale” of carbon credits in the international market.
Carbon credits are credits provided through its “sale” to a factory or a carbon emitting industry that would like to be carbon neutral. Lest, they will be taxed depending on the amount of carbon emitted in the environment.
Planting trees to reduce global warming may only work in tropical areas. In tropical regions, greater evaporation of water from trees adds a further atmosphere cooling effect. Gold standard carbon credits are not only limited to planting trees and bio diesel/fuel.
Countries already taking advantage of the benefits of this the Gold Standard Carbon Credits facility are
Win-Win
The can surely participate and be accredited with Gold Standard Carbon Credits.
Compliance to parameters is very essential for its approval for Gold Standard. AFP environmental projects incorporating social responsibility (i.e. community involvement, employment, welfare, etc) have been luckily an integral part of our CMO. Once this is established, funding for modernization projects and other collateral projects for soldiers’ welfare and integral infrastructures can be funded. Continuous and sustained Jatropha project implementation would translate to improvement of systems. For the most reasonable and rational decisions for the future of the , it must consider all issues and obstacles it faces in order to be an efficient and professional force, those who are manning, equipment, supplies, facilities and not the least the welfare of the officers and men of the .
This can cover defense equipment acquisition, soldier and dependents healthcare, individual and unit education and training, housing, basing, research and development, equipage, doctrines development and a lot more.
Initiative and process can be duplicated by other government agencies and private entities. Gold standard environmental project such as the Jatropha project has a good international market value through investments. The
Local engagements and collaborations
Exploratory unofficial meetings were made with the ff organizations/offices:
IRG – International firm into energy solutions and fundings
Fieldway – commercial facility for environmental investing
World Wide Life Fund – Jatropha project assistance and coordination
Carbon Finance Solutions – Gold Standard carbon credit consultant/broker
National Security Adviser’s Office – elevation of Gold Standard Program concept for the AFP Jatropha project
DND, PDR – automation management system for the project and Jatropha technology
OJ7, CMO, Psyops – AFP environmental concerns for national security
AFP Real Estate Office – viable Jatropha plantation locations
Conclusions
Longing for sustainable and long-term solutions for its security and defense requirements to address internal security operations and its future projections for external defense. The Jatropha project seemed to be a puny and insignificant initiative to begin with due to its nature.
However, looking forward, the Jatropha could be the “sustainable and renewable” solution for whatever capability, material and technology development we envisioned to achieve for the future. Putting the environmental concerns to the forefront, side by side with national interest would definitely have an impact in our way of life in the future. Reacting early to the threats of climate change and addressing the issues at hand in our small little way will contribute in a big way, the reversal of global warming.
several things to discuss...
PI www infrastructure... where is it, why do you have the highest cost IP band with in the world? we need to do something about that ... I have a plan for 90,000 1 MB/sec wireless networks ...
GHG and Global warming ... climate crisis ... how can Google free software be leveraged to find and support solution's to the these two serious threats ... and Ideas?
Start a professional users group for Google here in Phil... if you do not have the funds for this I can help with USAID and other resources ..
A joint effort between Google, MRT and a few partners in a scheme to drive eyes to a blog or web site dealing with GHG and global warming I have a few Ideas on this too ad sence and ad words ... 400,000 riders a day ... about 5million a year... hey do the math ...
What do you know about Jatropha ? Tuba tuba ? - I have a few things I need on this too
Looking forward to talking to you as soon as we can ...
Looks good
that looks real good,
here is an out line for my strategy...
First and foremost, we get approved for CC gold standard what I am looking at
we can have a talk with WWF and IRG about this .... all we can really expect out of this, CC approval for similar types of Jat operations, and Renewable Energy Credits, for native energy in the US... RECs for our Bio D efforts, D1 oil very interested in this too, I am sure....
and as we discussed before we csn can really take off here with a consortium of JIG, , DNER, IRG, and maybe, Philphos and Native energy, too. for with CC/RECs for these joint jatropha projects, this could be really huge, the numbers are astronomical,
remember all we need of of this is a place to plant trees...
check-out these links ... Planktos - Carbon Science
http://www.nativeenergy.com
Attached is our envisioned JIG (EIG) Game Plan for 07.
I hope this can be of help to us in pursuing our
vision. Timelines look constricted, however, there's
no other way to fast track.
Saving the environment must not be done in small steps
but through making bold steps. Time is of the essence
here. This can be done by increments which can only
translate to negligible effect and impact. Since, the
destruction of the environment is happening in an
unimaginable scale and rate, we have to do something
"unimaginable" too, to make things even.
This requires a lot of leg work though. But, we can do
this.
Have a good day!
Cheers,
Ogie