>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.
I suggested that in the first place Doug, but Edwin doesn't seem to see it that way, he didn't take any notice. Best Keith >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 ----- >From: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>Keith Addison >To: <mailto:biofuel@sustainablelists.org>biofuel@sustainablelists.org >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 _______________________________________________ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
