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All things aside if he were to tier the costs from the poor to
the AB and UN etc so that the poor were "subsidized" this alone would not be so
bad. To this end am interested to find more details. Their are not
that many easy to use hand presses that will take the husks/shells and thus a
two stage method is needed. The hulling and the oil press. Be good to know if a
press existed that was operated by hand and could handle the husks to reduce the
processing stages for isolated subsistence farmers being forced to accept modern
technology by multinationals in the form of irrigation, if it passes you lane
you pay etc.
Doug
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Tuesday, April 18, 2006 11:56
PM
Subject: Re: [Biofuel] Small oil
press
Hi all
The designer and manufacturer of the Piteba oil
press, Edwin Blaak in
the Netherlands, wrote to me offlist a week ago, in
response to the
discussion at the list. I guess somebody pointed him at
the messages
in archives.
I wrote back and said I didn't much agree
with him, but I didn't want
to discuss it offlist, so I invited him to
join the list and we could
discuss it all there, where we'd have a much
better discussion.
I was hoping we might persuade him to open-source
the plans for his oil press.
But I haven't heard from him
again.
Since he's replying to a list discussion here, I don't see why I
shouldn't forward his response to the list and we can discuss it
anyway if we want to. If Edwin reads it at the list archives he can
change his mind and join if he has anything to add, or contact
me.
He doesn't tell us much we don't know, and I think he hasn't
addressed the issue of why he hasn't put the plans online. Getting
back his investment is one thing, but he doesn't say how he thinks
the
poor communities he talks of benefiting are to lay their hands on
a Piteba
oil press if it's to cost 100 Euros. Designs of Appropriate
Technology
solutions to help empower poor communities should be free
online. He could
still sell the presses too if he wanted to, eg
Joseph Jenkins provides the
full text of his Humanure Handbook free
online at the same website he
sells the hard-copy version. Or have a
staggered price, depending who's
buying. Some people concentrate on
selling to big development agencies who
can afford the price and can
put the gear to use in poor communities.
There are lots of ways.
In fact poor rural communities have traditional
ways of extracting
oil from seeds, they didn't have to wait for the
industrial
revolution.
The idea of an oilseed press as part of a
development platform
including a diesel motor and power generation is not
exactly a new
one. For instance, in a different thread at the same time
Pannirselvam mentioned this:
"we have already made the small press
, thanks to Keith JTF , so
simple to make , now processing coconut ,
getting good resutls ,
future the sunflower and also the castor oil
"
I don't think very much of Edwin's case for giving the poorest a
future. I'm not persuaded to help him sell his oil press.
Here's
his email, below.
Best
Keith
>>Dear
Keith,
>>
>>I read your discussion about the Piteba oil
press in the forum. I
>>am glad you are so involved and enthusiastic
about the idea of a
>>small press.
>>
>>I
understand that you have many questions on the press. First let
>>me
explain what Piteba is and why I developed the Piteba oil press.
>>I
hope you will see opportunities to support me in trying to sell
>>the press in as many countries as possible and in that way give
the
>>poorest a future.
>>
>>I have a small
company in the mushroom business which I grounded in
>>1982. It is a
very interesting and challenging business and I am
>>still working
in that field.
>>
>>In my spare time I started to develop
the oil press 5 years ago. No
>>big institute, no public money, no
support. My intention was to
>>develop a small press for the poorest
in order to give them the
>>possibility to produce oil for the local
market: as edible oil,
>>medicine, cream, bio fuel or whatever use
they could sell the oil
>>for. At present they can only sell the
seeds, if they have any,
>>often for very low prices. With the press
they can produce oil from
>>seeds they produce themselves (farmers),
find in the forest or buy
>>on the local market (landless and people
in the cities). The value
>>added is high, making it possible to
earn about 2 times as much as
>>a local wage. There was no such
press on the market. All presses
>>are too expensive, beginning with
1000 euro or more. I used the
>>cheapest materials, made all
prototypes myself, did all experiments
>>(including extraction
efficiencies), imported various grains(not
>>all are available in
The Netherlands), made the web-site, developed
>>the packaging,
promotion of the press etc. etc. I decided not to
>>take all these
hours into account and keep the price of the Piteba
>>press low. I
produce the press myself in my own new work shop,
>>because local
manufacturers were too expensive for quantities below
>>5000. I
installed all necessary machinery especially to make
>>production
possible in my own spare time, reducing production
>>costs. Of
course the consumer price is considerably higher than the
>>retail
prices, so it gives retailers the chance to sell the press
>>locally
with a reasonable profit. Unfortunately sending 1 press by
>>mail
makes it about 40 to 60% more expensive, but still it is
>>affordable and available.
>>
>>I would really
appreciate it if you could help me to put your
>>energy in
developing useful applications of the oil produced by the
>>Piteba
press. I see that you all have practical ideas that could be
>>very
useful. I am thinking of a small diesel engine running on
>>vegetable oil to be connected to the local water pump, a small
>>burner for cooking, easy soap making practices, vegetable
>>conservation techniques in oil, production of peanut butter (or
>>made of other nuts), flavouring techniques, scented oils (massage)
>>etc. etc. In this way you could help me to make the Piteba
>>initiative a success. It would be highly
appreciated.
>>
>>Hoping to hear from
you,
>>
>>With kind regards,
>>
>>Edwin
Blaak
>>
>>PITEBA
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