Transcript Slide 1
John C. Baize
John C. Baize and Associates
National Cottonseed Products Association
Annual Convention
Destin, Florida
May 5, 2007
A combination of high energy prices and fears of
global warming have caused nations all around the
world to seek to replace fossil fuels with biofuels –
ethanol and biodiesel.
The current generation of biofuels mostly are made
from grains (mostly corn), vegetable oil, animal fats
and other feed energy sources such as cassava.
The hope is to develop 2nd generation biofuels made
from biomass such as wood, grasses, and wastes.
Thus far very limited volumes of 2nd generation
biofuels have been produced and it likely will be a
decade before there is widespread production.
U.S. currently has over 2 billion gallons of installed
biodiesel capacity.
Another 1 billion gallons planned or under
construction
The total supply of all oils and fats (including animal
fats) consumed in the U.S. would make only 4 billion
gallons of biodiesel
Thus, existing and planned biodiesel capacity would be
able to use 75% of total supply of oils and fats and
another
The only way to prevent this from happening is for
food sector to keep price high enough that very little
goes into biodiesel production
There is a growing battle between the biofuel and food/feed
sectors for energy sources.
On the food/feed side there is strong demand for corn, vegoils,
wheat, rice and other commodities to feed a rapid increase in food
demand in China, India and elsewhere in the world.
Biofuel demand also is rapidly increasing demand for grains and
vegoils
The result has been a major increase in prices for all food/feed
commodities and in consumer feed prices.
Global political pressures are building to slow down or reverse
use of food/feed to make biofuels.
One United Nations official called biofuels a “crime against
humanity”
Biofuels at first were promoted as a way to protect the
environment and slow global warming.
However, there now is a recognition some biofuels are negative to
the environment.
There are bad if they cause destruction of rainforests or other
sensitive areas such as wetlands, peat bogs, and some grasslands.
The EU has proposed limitations on the use of biofuels produced
from newly-cleared land or which do not reduce CO2 emissions
by at least 30% compared to using fossil fuels.
Some believe crops that require large amounts of nitrogen
fertilizer are worse for environment because of nitrous oxide
emissions which is far worse greenhouse gas than CO2.
Others oppose biofuels that require large amounts of nitrogen and
phosphorus because they increase water pollution.
Year
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
Total Renewable Fuel
9.0
11.1
12.95
13.95
15.2
16.55
18.5
20.5
22.25
24
26
28
30
33
36
Cellulose
Corn
0.6
0.95
1.35
2
2.75
3.75
5.5
7.25
9
11
13
15
18
21
Bio-Diesel
9.0
10.5
12
12.6
13.2
13.8
14.75
15
15
15
15
15
15
15
15
0.5
0.65
0.8
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
About half of all U.S. biodiesel output is being exported after being subsidized
Trans-fat labeling has reduced soyoil use for food
EU policy is to replace 5.75% of petroleum-based fuels
with biofuels by 2010
The goal is to replace 10% of petrofuel with biofuels by
2020
EU-27 annually consumes about 410 MMT of
petroleum-based fuel. This suggests the EU will need
23.6 mmt of biofuel in 2010 and 41 mmt in 2020
assuming no growth in demand.
Recently United Kingdom, Netherlands, and Germany
have been pressing EU to reconsider biofuel targets
because of impact on food prices and deforestation in
Southeast Asia and Brazil
Soyoil now trading at CBoT at equivalent of $199/barrel
U.S. gasoline consumption in 2006 was about
141 billion gallons
U.S. diesel consumption totaled about 63.9
billion gallons
Ethanol mandates will reach 24.8% of current
gasoline consumption by 2022 -- if 16 billion
gallons of biomass ethanol can be produced.
1 billion gallon biodiesel mandate will equate
to about 1.6% of current U.S. diesel
consumption in 2012
On April 15, 2008 crude oil traded at $113.93/barrel
At that price corn has a value as a fuel of $7.67/bushel ($302/MT)
based on its energy content.
Wheat has a value as a fuel of $9.02/bu. ($331.39/MT) based on its
energy content.
Vegetable oil has a value as a fuel of $750.62/MT based on its
energy content.
Compared to the U.S. diesel price of $4/gallon ($1.06/liter)
vegetable oil is worth $1,092/MT to blend directly with diesel.
Compared to propane selling for $2.20/gallon ($0.58/liter) corn is
worth $9.40/bushel ($370/MT) to use as a home heating fuel.
All agricultural commodities now are worth far more than 2 years
ago solely based on their value as fuel.
Brazil – 3% of consumption now mandated, moving to 5%
Argentina: likely to produce 1 mmt in 2008
Colombia – 110,000 mt forecasted for 2008
Malaysia: industry facing major problems
Indonesia: high domestic prices limiting output
China: Mostly using waste oil and jatropha
Singapore: Large plants planned
Russia: several plants planned
South Africa: large net vegoil importer
India: mostly will use jatropha
Philippines: plans to use coconut oil and jatropha
One of the most promising sources of oil for the
production of biodiesel is algae.
Some algae have oil content of 50%
Algae yields as high as 35 mt/hectare have been
identified.
This could yield as much as 17 mt/hectare (15,167
lbs./acre). This compares with 3 – 4 mt/hectare for oil
palms.
Major limitation will be finding land area near plentiful
water supply and high upfront investments to build
facilities.
Food demand will almost always win out over biofuels
with respect to using grains and vegoils. High prices
likely will ration demand by biofuels sector.
The big losers from biofuels will be the world’s poorest
who will see much higher food prices. Hunger will
increase.
Concerns about environmental destruction will limit
how much land can be used to produce biofuel
feedstocks.
Biomass-based biofuels are unlikely to be a major
contributor to global fuel needs for at least a decade.
Even with growing supplies of DDGs from ethanol
plants protein meal demand has been good.
However, high corn prices and high protein meal
prices is taking a toll on livestock and poultry sectors
Poultry sector being reduced by 5% or more
Swine sector is in midst of large herd reduction that
likely will continue for much of 2008
Result likely will be slowing or declining soymeal
demand and lower prices
This likely will cause lower protein meal prices.
Last major Midwest drought was in 1988
Historically major droughts have occurred every
17 – 20 years
16 of the 17 most recent droughts were preceded in
previous year by major drought in Southeast. A
severe drought occurred in Southeast in 2007.
Dry weather in Western Corn Belt associated with
La Niña weather pattern which currently exists.
Low subsoil moisture in much of Midwest already.
Commodity
Corn
Soybeans
Area
Yield
Average 1985 1987
Yield
1988
Production
Average 1985
- 1987
MT/HA
Production
1988 Actual
MT/HA
MMT
MMT
Illinois
8.4
4.6
35.2
17.8
Iowa
8.2
5.3
39.4
22.8
USA
7.5
5.3
205.2
125.2
Illinois
2.7
1.8
9.7
6.4
Iowa
2.8
2.1
9.1
6.8
USA
2.3
1.8
54.2
42.1
Commodity
Carryout 1987/88
Carryout 1988/89
Carryout 2007/08
Corn
108.2 MMT
49.0 MMT
32.6 MMT
Soybeans
8.2 MMT
5.0 MMT
4.4 MMT
Livestock and poultry sectors implode with
major drop in demand base.
Food prices rocket upward worldwide
Ethanol sector largely shuts down
Biodiesel industry largely disappears
Foreign grain and oilseed production increases
sharply
Governments turn against biofuels
John Baize
John C. Baize and Associates
7319 Brad Street
Falls Church, VA 22042 USA
Tel: 703-698-5908
Email: jbaize@attglobalnet