Cuba to modernize its ethanol production - AP

[Eugene]

Source: Associated Press

Cuba to modernize its ethanol production

By ANDREA RODRIGUEZ, Associated Press Writer
Tue May 22, 10:52 PM ET

HAVANA - Cuba is modernizing its ethanol-producing facilities despite
Fidel Castro's repeated assertions that making more of the biofuel could
starve the world's poor.

The island plans to upgrade 11 of its 17 refineries, which produce up to
47 million gallons annually of ethanol from sugar cane, said Conrado
Moreno, a member of Cuba's Academy of Sciences.

The refineries currently produce alcohol for use in rum and other spirits,
as well as medications and cooking on the island. But the improvements
will give Havana the capacity to one day produce fuel for cars, Moreno
told reporters at a conference on renewable energy.

Ethanol produced in Cuba is not for cars now, but "in four or five years,
we'll see," he said.

-snip-

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070523/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/cuba_ethanol

[Mika]

1. Cuba's ethanol is set aside for health and for the production of beverages, and not as biofuel

Cuba Defends the Poor at Energy Conference

Havana, May 23 (Prensa Latina) Cuba's Minister of Basic Industry, Yadira Garcia, said that ethanol as biofuel may be useful as long as it doesn't affect millions of people, or land allotted to cultivate food plants.

Speaking at the International Conference on Renewable Energy (CIER 2007) in Havana on Tuesday, the Cuban official highlighted President Fidel Castro's stance, rejecting the intentions of the US Government to produce ethanol from corn or sugar cane to the detriment of the staple food for millions of people.

Doctor Conrado Moreno Figueredo, an expert from the Academy of Sciences of Cuba attending the meeting told Prensa Latina that the Island's production of ethanol is set aside for health and for the production of beverages, and not for its use as biofuel.

"There was never a large production in Cuba pointing to the use of ethanol as biofuel," stressed the expert, who gave a lecture on renewable energy and reported breakthroughs and projects in the use of alternative energy sources.

"For the time being, the Island's small production will be export-oriented and to cater to internal demand, public health and food production," he said.

[madrchsod]

2. he`s right

he maybe older than dirt but he`s right