Re: [biofuels-biz] Re: brain strom - can the small companies compete against big oil companies...

[Pedro M.]

Well, here in Spain there is another view. The hidrocarbure Market is liberalizated and there is more than 2 refineries . But you need to be Bill Gates ( a richman person or very rich companie ) to be a wholesale petrol operator ( 5.000 millions ptas 30.050.605 euros ).   I imagine in the future, Polland (in the E.U. )will have more competition. We no use leaded fuel in Spain ( only very old vehicles and in the future it«s going to be banned, following the laws ).   There is a company in Spain named Ecocarburantes, that mixes the gasoline with ethanol (ETB ) . It«s situated in Escombreras ( Murcia ), near the refineries. It has obtained the exemption ( of the alcohol excise duty  and the petrol excise duty) , the first one in Spains and I think the last upto the appeal of the exemption is going to be resolved.   In the future, I imagine the gasoline motors ( for new cars ) will be banned, because they are contaminators ( cannot use renewable energies, like biodiesel ).   I believe more in Biodiesel and Bio-oils. People uses directly the sunflower oil to mix with the petrodiesel ( 50 % ) and from time to time they clean the motor.   Another source for power it«s biodiesel from  waste oil. You need authoritation to pick it up. The more succesfull companies are the little and middle companies ( the big companies need less  protection in this field against the Middle And Litlle Enterprises, M.A.L.E.).   The petro-station, for sure, won«t sell the biodiesel, because there is not enough and they are dominated by big operator ( CEPSA, BP, REPSOL-YPF and so on ).   So, we need a more clean Market for petro-stations ( I believe all over the world ). So we can fight for not exclusivity contract between petrol operator and fuel-stations.   In  2.010 ( how long !!!! ) at least 10 % of the energy must be renewable ( European Union Decission ). http://www.eea.eu.int/   We have just created the Spanish Biodiesel and Renewable Energies Association.   I believe we need an European Association too ( the BP appeal in the European Court it«s a demostration we need it ).   I, like you too, believe that a Report about all the European Hidrocarbures Market  and the Biofuels there it«s important.   Pedro. Yahoo! Groups Sponsor Biofuels at Journey to Forever http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Biofuel at WebConX http://www.webconx.com/2000/biofuel/biofuel.htm To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.