The Minot Daily "News"
VELVA There was genuine surprise when an Archer Daniels Midland Co. officials announced Monday there had been a change of plans and the projected production of the biodiesel plant at Velva has now increased to 85 million gallons. "When plans for the plant were announced the capacity had been pegged at 50 million gallons a year, said Greg Webb, ADM vice president for public affairs." "I'm pleased to announce today at this ground-breaking that the figure is now 85 million gallons and the crushing capacity will also be increased."
ADM had been tight-lipped about the production increase. Gov. John Hoeven, one of several guest speakers at the event said, "Did you guys (the media) know about this in advance? "They really kept it a secret," he said with a grin, obviously pleased about the development.
The new facility will convert canola oil from the oil-crushing plant into biodiesel fuel and use about 1 million acres of canola annually, adding further value to the crop. The oil-crushing facility has already helped to triple production of canola in the region by providing a local market for canola oil.
This is a good development for North Dakota. Having a market for our crops is a great thing.
However what's missing in the story is perspective. This plant is to make 85 million gallons of biodiesel. Contrast that with development of ANWR that Kent Conrad and Byron Dorgan are pulling every parlimentary trick to block. The majority want it, but Conrad and Dorgan have to listen to the special enviro-interests.
If Bill Clinton hadn't vetoed ANWR in 1995 we'd have a million more barrels of oil flowing down the Alaskan pipeline today.
A barrel of oil is 42 gallons. So ANWR production would equal this Velva plant in two days with assorted petroleum products. Of course the Velva production figures overstates the true production. It will take oil to grow the canola, crush it and convert it to bio-diesel. I don't know the efficiencies you get with conversion of canola, but I'll bet that it you'll get around 50%.
One days production of ANWR will probably equal the net gain of a years production of 1 million acres worth of this Canola factory. Another way to look at it is that it would take 365 million acres of farmland (that's worth maybe 365 billion dollars) to make up for what were missing from ANWR. According to Roger Johnson the state has about 39 million acres in farms and ranches.
US Daily consumption of petroleum is about 20 million barrels a day. To equal that production (assuming the Velva plant produces 50 million gallons of new energy er year) we'd need 6,132 of these plants in Velva. It would take 6,132 billion acres of farmland. That's about 157 North Dakota's producing nothing but canola to solve our dependence on petroleum.
Don't get me wrong. If the Velva plant is cost effective I'm all for it, and I think it's great. I want biodiesel and production of ANWR.
Of course it was a media event so:
Rep. Earl Pomeroy, D-N.D., was the only member of the state's congressional delegation able to attend the event. At one point in his comments, he grabbed a 2-litre bottle filled with 2 percent biodiesel fuel. "They say that biodiesel is red in color, but what I see is green - like money," he said while hoisting the bottle up for everyone to see.
Of course at every party you get some folks to show up trying to make the party about them. I guess it's to be expected. But I really wish that the Congressman could make sense when he does it.
(Note I think I got all of the maths close. However when you're talking millions of this and billions of that it is possible to get something wrong. So if I did sorry and I'll correct it.)