A study by the ministry of Energy and Mines found that the country has over 3.2 million hectares suitable for biofuel production.
Milton Fernández, coordinator of the study, explained that they also discovered that Nicaragua can produce biodiesel from fig, palm and jatropha, and ethanol from sugar cane, cassava and gourd.
“From the six tested crops, gourd seems to yield the most benefits: it is cheap to produce, it’s compatible with livestock breeding, and could play a large role in driving small farmers out of poverty”, said Fernández.
Whey, coffee and banana waste are some forms of agro-industrial waste which can be used to produce ethanol.
Ethyl alcohol (ethanol) can be obtained from any organic material containing sugar. The challenge lies in making a commercially viable operation, reaching a level of economic efficiency which has so far been only achieved at large scale sugar cane facilities.
Odin Energy Corporation announced its intention of importing bio-diesel B5 from Colombia and re-exporting it to other countries from Panama.
The company, listed at the Panamanian Stock Exchange, is building a $20 million bio-diesel mixing facility in Colombia, which should be ready by the end of 2010.
They would import the B5 variety, which is 5% bio-diesel and 95% conventional diesel.
The country expects to build and operate an ethanol plant in three years, after it resumed an agreement with Brazil.
Juan Urriola, Energy Secretary, explained that in less than 60 days they will make an announcement related to the construction of this plant.
“The Ministry of Agricultural Development (MIDA), is negotiating with sugar cane growers to increase the number of available hectares to supply ethanol production”, reported Panamá América.
The upcoming visit by President Lula will be the stage for discussing Brazil’s cooperation in boosting Ethanol production in the country.
When oil prices where above $100, Brazil and the United States signed an “Understanding Memorandum” to boost bio-fuel production. In it, they identified El Salvador as the beneficiary of three-way cooperation, as it has adequate conditions for developing an ethanol industry.
Odin Energy, a Panamanian company with operations in Colombia, will issue shares through Panama's Stock Exchange.
The company is a subsidiary of a Japanese Holding, and will use the money to increase its biofuel production operation in Santa Marta, Colombia.
Prensa.com reports: "The issue has been approved by the National Securities Commision, and registered in Panama's Stock Exchange. The underwriter is Multisecurities".
The company presented the Industry Ministry a project for building an ethanol plant.
Dubbed "Panama Ethanol Project", the project by Ethnergy International Inc intends to explore and develop an ethanol-based biofuel production facility in the country.
Peter G. Smith, company spokesperson, remarked the importance of ethanol "as an alternative to replace hydrocarbon products derived from petroleum", reports newspaper Pa-digital.com.pa.
The plant is presented as "one of the best alternatives" for producing ethanol.
"Even considering its limitations, growing Jatropha curcas L. is one of the best alternatives for producing biodiesel" in the hemisphere, assured Jamil Macedo, Coordinator of an regional agro energy network.
According to Macedo, using Jatropha for biodiesel production carries several benefits: "its seeds have great performance producing high quality oils; it is perennial (no need for yearly renewing each plantation) and highly adaptable; and it has no food value, so it doesn't compete with food agriculture".
The new version of Biofuels Sustainability Scorecard, enables to anticipate the social and environmental impact of biofuel projects.
Update incorporates feedback from five regional consultations and addresses concerns regarding food security, indigenous peoples and biodiversity preservation.
The Inter-American Development Bank has released a new version of its Biofuels Sustainability Scorecard, which will enable users to better anticipate the impacts of potential biofuel projects on sensitive issues such as indigenous rights, carbon emissions from land use change, and food security.
During the visit by the Salvadoran President, the government of Brazil offered technical cooperation for ethanol production.
Brazilian president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva highlighted that El Salvador 'has all the conditions to become a relevant exporter of ethanol to the U.S.".
"According to the Brazilian president, El Salvador and the rest of Central America enjoy a 'privileged location', that makes them a 'bridge between continents' and between the United States and South America", reported Google Noticias.
4.000 hectares of yucca will be planted around the country, in the testing phase.
Seeds will be supplied by the Latin American and Caribbean Consortium for Yucca R&D (Clayuca).
A spokesperson for the Agricultural Producers Association told Pa-digital.com.pa that "we still ignore how much ethanol can be produced, as it depends on the results of the test plantations".
Embrapa, a Brazilian agricultural research company, will install its regional headquarters in Panama.
The president of International Cooperation at Panama's Agricultural Development Ministry said that the presence of this company will boost feasibility studies for ethanol production.
"For the time being, the company expects to install Panela commercializing plants with a double objective: unsold inventory will be adapted to ethanol production", reports Prensa.com.