How green is our future?

• Source: Global Times
• [10:19 July 19 2010]
• Comments

Roel Van Den Berg. Photo: Courtesy of Deltashan

Biomass products

Another Shanghai-based Dutch national working in this area is Dolf Joekes, the founder and managing director of the company Capture (motto: "making green tech work"). "It's a great time to be in China as one of the major global challenges is the transition from non-renewable to renewable energy," says Joekes. "And as China uses a huge amount of energy, nowhere is this transition more necessary than here."

Joekes explains how a big part of what his company does is to assist Western companies commercialize their green technology in China. "I help them raise the capital to set up here." He is currently involved in a biomass operation for a company called Phoenix Bio Energy whose ambition is to grow vast quantities of 'switch grass' in China. "We are trying to make people in China aware of the potential usefulness of this alternative energy resource."

According to proponents of this biomass crop, switch grass can be used as an alternative means of electrical production. It can be used in the home as a sustainable heat source.

The C02 emissions from switch grass are 90 percent less than from a comparable amount of coal (China's current preferred means of electrical production).

Since the 1990s it has been developed as a model herbaceous energy crop and has been used extensively in the US and Canada. While not in use in China just yet, Joekes is attempting to promote the grass, seeing it as a way to reduce China's vast electricity costs. "If we can get farmers in China to grow this crop, I strongly believe it will make a hugely positive environmental impact."

Joekes started his career in China as a mechanical engineer for the food giant Unilever. But after becoming disillusioned with what he saw as the unethical ends to which his work was being put, he moved to a Chinese company involved in the development of hydrogen fuel cells. "That was fine for a while but I didn't agree with their vision for greening China. It seemed far more about making money than protecting the environment," says Joekes. After scanning the market for an opening, Joekes, like increasing numbers of environmental workers, became convinced that China could make a huge impact if the country switched to alternative energy sources such as biomass. "It's tough work and I wouldn't necessarily recommend anyone to work in this field as it's not well paid, but I am going to keep at this until I can convince people of its worth."