10th Anniversary Booklet - The Professional Green Building Council

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Sparkling GreenBiofuel in OperationBiofuels are usually classified into two types:In view of the above, there seems to be a vast market to beexplored. Therefore, I have endeavored into a small investment inbiodiesel plant in Panyu, China.154Bio-ethanol, made from plant matter, mostly from corn, andBio-diesel, often from used oil, yellow grease, grease trap wasteand other sources.In this passage, I am concentrating on Biodiesel generating fromused oils and yellow grease.Biodiesel is “renewable” product, as it is generated mostly fromrecycled waste and plant seeds, and it is not as harmful as theconventional fossil fuel. Unlike crude oil, the sulpher contentof biodiesel is near to zero. According to a HKU study in 2003,mixing 20% biofuel into conventional fuels reduced smoke opacity(-16%), Carbon monoxide emission (-14%) and Hydrocarbonemission (-14%).At the same time, there is also reductionin engine power (-1%) in automobiles,and not all the engines can take purebiofuels. Therefore, biodiesel is oftenmixed with conventional fuels. Fuel with5% biodiesel blend is termed B5, with10% blend, B10, and so on. Mandatedbiofuel blend laws around the worldwill be expected, China has alreadyenacted B10 mandates in ten provinces in 2010. Other countrieshave already set levels at B5 to B10. Europe has imposed taxesand other sanctions on foreign flights that exceed their carbonemission standard. As a result, jet fuel of flights to Europe willbe blended with biodiesel. According to reliable source, there isalready joint effort in China with Boeing to introduce biodiesel asaviation fuel. The energy experts projected global biofuel usagewill be increased by 70% by 2020, and doubled by 2025.The reason of choosing Guangdong is that the city has completedits legislation preventing used oils to be recycled into the foodoil market. There is ample supply of waste oil, at 140,000 tonneper annum, and this amount of feedstock could generate 40,000tonne biodiesel each year. The supply of feedstock is mostimportant in this industry, as the feedstock would amount to 75%of the cost.There has been research on alternative supply of feedstock.Jatropha Curcas ( 麻瘋樹 ), a poisonous plant that grow onmarginal land, that would not deprive the land for foodcrops, is one of the alternatives. The oil obtained from theseeds could generate biodiesel that yield 78% less carbonemission compared to fossil fuel. The Chinese Government hasestablished vast plantations in Yunnan and Sichuan. However, thisalternative is more suitable for state owned operations than toindividual operators.Likewise is the research on micro-algae, this feedstock willgenerate 38,000 liters of biodiesel per hectare, compared to 4,500to 9,000 liters in the case of jatropha. Again, this plantation is onlysuitable for large scale production centers.There are currently three production centers in Hong Kong (oneof them is still in construction), the annual maximum productionrange from 60,000 tonne to 100,000 tonne respectively. Theseplants obtain their feedstock from hotel groups, fast foodfranchises like the Maxim’s and Café de Coral. However, theseplants are not yet in full gear, sources revealed that they areoperating around 30-50% capacity, and the feedstock supply isbelieved to be a contributing reason.
The biodiesel plant in Panyu is comparatively small. The annual production is5,000 tonne, and supply of feedstock is mainly through a contract collectingthe frying oil from a local MacDonald’s, and purchase of yellow grease (animalfat) from the United States. The products are readily absorbed by the local gasstations. From the present sales, the investors are expecting to recover theirinvestments of 10 million RMB in 1.5 years. The Life Cycle Assessment is yet tobe completed, but preliminary estimation of carbon saving in both feedstocks arewell above 80%.1In the light of the vast investment in the production centers in Hong Kong, of which the latest one would cost 1.3 billion HKD, building up aportfolio of small biodiesel plants, each within their respective catchment area of feedstock, could be a pragmatic alternative.Felix LOKHKIA RepresentativeUseful Background Info:Biofuel Activities in Hong Konghttp://www.biofuels.apec.org/me_hong_kong.htmlBiofuel facts for Chinahttp://www.biofuels.apec.org/me_china.htmlOther ReferencesGlobal Biodiesel Dynamics (2008)http://www.eria.org/TARDE_AND_MARKE_%20DYNAMICS_OF_BIODIESEL.pdf“Green is the way to go” Article from the Standard (2011)http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=11&art_id=116856&sid=34386271&con_type=1&d_str=20111109“At what cost – Government support for biofuels in China” (2011)http://www.iisd.org/gsi/sites/default/files/china_biofuels_subsidies.pdfChina renewable energy tax policieshttp://www.chinagushan.com/en/marketandregulations/law.htmYear of the Dragon – 2012 is the year for China’s biofuel industryhttp://www.biofuelsdigest.com/bdigest/2012/05/10/20-signs-that-2012-is-the-year-of-china/Comprehensive site on Jatropha farming (India)http://www.jatrophabiodiesel.org/bio-diesel.php55
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Professional Green Building Council
Page 4 and 5:
Table of Contents03 | About PGBC04
Page 6 and 7: Congratulatory Message from the Gue
Page 10: Messages from PGBC Founding Members
Page 14 and 15: Congratulatory MessagesMr. Thomas C
Page 16 and 17: Congratulatory MessagesMr. Frank CH
Page 18 and 19: Congratulatory Messages from Suppor
Page 26: 24PGBC Past Chairmen
Page 29 and 30: PGBC almost immediately. In the beg
Page 31 and 32: Ir Prof. Reuben CHUPGBC Chairman [2
Page 33 and 34: 131
Page 36 and 37: 12003 2004 20052006PGBC Key Events2
Page 38 and 39: 2009PGBC Key Events20098-Jan Semina
Page 40: 38Green Building Award
Page 43 and 44: 1234516789101112131415411617181920
Page 45 and 46: 12341567891011124313141516
Page 47 and 48: 12345167891011121314151617181920452
Page 49 and 50: 12341567891011124713141516
Page 51 and 52: SUSTAINABLE BUILDING: DEFINITIONSus
Page 54 and 55: 152Sparkling GreenHong Kong and Bey
Page 58 and 59: Sparkling Green156Quantitative Appr
Page 60: 58Acknowledgement
Page 72 and 73: Gold SponsorsArupHong Kong Housing
Page 74: Professional Green Building Council
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10th Anniversary Booklet - The Professional Green Building Council

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