ClimateBabes

It has been a while since I posted here, we are looking for babes, if you are one, let us know!

The climate action community has been hurt by the demonstration of failure in Copenhagen. Climate action is not easy, and the powers that be do not want to take it, it would cost them their power and money. Don't let anybody use the failure to have a global treaty as a reason no to act. The chances of having such a treaty would have been incredibly small. This incredibly short sighted approach taken by the US would in a smaller social context lead to immediate expulsion and punishment. That is why one can expect more conflict. In the big world we live in however the media facades and distractions of every variety keep people from realizing they are being lied to and endangered by the people they consider their leaders.

Bush and the EPA

Under president W. Bush the US Environmetal Protection Agency managed to avert any action on a court ruling that there should be a plan to deal with CO2 emissions as a threat to human health in the US. In incredible callous testiminy the then head of the EPA could not name how many people where working on this in the EPA but yet maintained he was on it. We now have Lisa Jackson that takes a more active approach. The EPA will start to control carbon emissions in the US and new regulations are being prepared.

Another Lisa

Republican senator from Alaska Lisa Murkowski is now gathering opposition to regulation.

"Congress must be given time to develop an appropriate and more responsible solution" than (that of the) EPA to climate change problems. She warned that looming EPA regulation would lead to job losses and broader economic problems.

How in the hell will anything ever change if it could not affect jobs? How in the hell can someone take measures to reduce emissions (replace them with something else) without reducing cost (fuel) and creating jobs (where are the alternatives coming from? they need to be created)?

Buttons

It is the same old buttons that republicans push every time. Every time it is the tax, jobs, economy, security buttons that are being evoked. It is baseless and a general health hazard. It is an opinion to protect business as usual, particularly the oil business that makes Alaska good money (thanks to Sarah Palin some say). It is however a policy that is multiplied across the planet because other countries hate being dominated economically by the US. The result is that climate change is allowed to continue its disastrous course. Don't let that mentality settle in.  

Our minister of economics calls for proposals for small entrepeneurs to develop viable seaweed farming techniques for open sea or ocean connected rivers. This because the expertise is not developed yet while Holland does have great expertise regarding offshore technology and land is expensive compared to space in the north sea. Holland also has a developed biorefining industry. This ties in with the currenly implemented ?bio-based economy? and ?climate change? policies.

There are three phases, total budget 1,32 mln Euro. Phase I is 200,000 Euro for a maximum of four feasibility studies. Phase II R&D for these projects. Phase III for their commercialization.

The project is aimed at creating and implementing viable commercial models based on seaweed farming.

The ministry of economics estimates a fossil fuel savings potential from seaweed of 100 petajoule (3% of total energy consumption). It can take the lead in building expertise in the still undeveloped field.

Questions to be answered:

1. How does a seaweed farming system look
2. How is it made profitable
3. What new products does farming yield
4. Who can use the produced biomass
5. Can production be connected to existing offshore infrastructure
6. How does it tie into existing industrial infrastructure

Score of applications (enter before jan 21 2010 17:00)

1.    (20 points)
a.    Usefullness in farming seaweed, prefering concepts that cover all necessary aspects.
b.    How often can the concept be repeated in the dutch North Sea (expressed in PetJoule, Dry Tons or Euro value).
c. How viable is the proposing organization (the cooperation between entrepeneurs, scientists other necessary pertners)
2.    (10 points)
a.    Is the proposed method applicable in the widest possible variety of locations.
b.    It the approach technologically up to date or even innovative. Can it mean a breakthrough.
3.    (10 points)
a.    Assesment of the economic potential, export potential, long term fit of the proposing company (will it continue to work on this longer, is it in line with company?s main focus).
4.    (10 points)
a.    Consequences for the maritime environment
b.    Consequences for the participating companies
c.    Consequences for dutch society, climat policy and biobased economy policy.


Schedule

1. Invitation of proposals Nov 16th 2009 until Jan 21th 2010
2. Review of proposals until March 18th
3. Start execution of Phase I April 1st
4. Completion of projects Okt 1st
5. End project report Okt 22nd 2010
6. Deadline proposals phase 2 December 31st
7. Review of proposals until Feb 1st
8. Start execution phase II March 1st
9. End of Phase II Februari 2013 (two years)
10. End project report March 2013
11. Start execution phase III May 2013

Adress of SenterNovem/Agentschap.nl (who execute this tender)

SenterNovem, afdeling SBIR
t.a.v. SBIR Zeewieren
Postbus 8242
3503 RE Utrecht.

Website http://www.agentschapnl.nl/