Alternative Energy and Rare Earth Metals - GoldFinger

O Love of Gold! Thou meanest of amours!

Edward Young, Night Thoughts

People of the United States of America it is Halloween this Sunday October 31^st 2010 AD, and as per usual, Jamaica is truly screwed.

No, no, this is not a rant about politicians, specifically Senator Mike Henry, Minister of Construction, Transport and Works and their lateness in dispensing funds from the JDIP (Jamaica Development Infrastructure Program) as stated in the article “JDIP hits the road in two weeks - Flood damage bill now $20b”, published Thursday, October 28, 2010, The Jamaica Observer. This is the political money from the People’s Republic of China that now has to be used to fix Main and Parochial Roads – properly this time, irregardless of political affiliations, with damages now at JA$20 billion.

No, not Kim Kardashian’s costume choices for Halloween, as if she went naked, no one would mind – I know I wouldn’t, as many Jamaicans already walk around naked, though I do like her Indian Belly Dancer outfit!

And no, not the impending coming of Hurricane Tomas, scheduled to hit Jamaica by Friday November 5^th 2010 as suggested in the article “Tomas now Atlantic season's 12th hurricane”, published Saturday, October 30, 2010, The Jamaica Observer, and confirmed by the article “Eyes on Tomas”, published Sunday October 31, 2010, The Jamaica Gleaner.

A Tropical Storm already battering Barbados as stated in the article “Tropical Storm batters Barbados”, published Saturday, October 30, 2010, The Jamaica Observer.

We ALREADY knew we were screwed by so called “Acts of God”, assuming Audia Granston, my deceased girlfriend’s Unknown God exists, up there in his Seventh day Adventist Church on Sabbath praying for Jamaica. We Jamaicans, and John Public, already resigned ourselves to that these things a long time ago. After all, it is Halloween in the US of A.

Rather, this article is about the most recently utterances by Senator James Robertson, Minister of Energy and Mining, who FINALLY responded to arguments put forth about by PNP Senator Lisa Hanna, (low catcall people, she is an Indian!), the sexy Indian Senator who sits on the Region 1 Chair as stated in the article “Hanna pulls much support as new Region One Chair”, published Tuesday September 1, 2009 by Carl Gilchrist, The Jamaica Gleaner, with regards to Clean Coal being better than LNG (Liquid Natural Gas).

Good to note that Senator Lisa Hanna and Simone “Tiger Bone” Clarke-Cooper, of the hit morning program Smile Jamaica fame from Television Jamaica, now several pounds lighter after allegedly giving birth to a girl child, are friends from high school days, Immaculate Conception I think, and their days on Rappin’ a 90’s CPTC (Creative Production and Training Company) show that was aired on then JBC (Jamaica Broadcasting Corporation).

Well, here I go, getting myself into a bit of a muddle. Fact for Senator Lisa Hanna: LNG, which is a mixture of short and long chain alkenes, alkenes and alkynes, can be made in large, commercially economy-of-scale low cost quantities using aneorobic digestion of BioMass, such as wood chips as stated in the article “Microbes to start making ethanol, chemicals”, published November 18, 2009 9:52 AM PST by Martin LaMonica, CNET News - Green Tech.

Even Sewage using genetically modified bacteria, as, ironically, India currently does as stated in the web articles entitled Biogas Technology in India and in the supporting article “India digester produces biogas from organic waste” as well as the YouTube video entitled “ARTI, India, biogas from food waste”, uploaded 29 February 2008 by Ashden Awards, YouTube.

Coal, with a lifespan of two hundred (200) years, albeit longer than Natural Gas or LNG, is still a finite resource, when this fact is added to the equation, as biomass can be economically converted to LNG and any other fuel, from gasoline to bio-diesel, even Jet Fuel as stated in the article “U.S. Navy buys 20,000 gallons of algae fuel”, published September 15, 2010 10:36 AM PDT by Candace Lombardi, CNET News - Green Tech, using inexpensive catalysts. Note to self: Need to visit India one day.

Despite concerns about long term supply from possible CARICOM partner the People’s Republic of Trinidad and Tobago as stated in the article “Ten years left of LNG in T&T”, published Friday, July 16, 2010 BY RENUKA SINGH, The Jamaica Observer, Alternative Supplies are available elsewhere as stated in the article “LNG will always be cheaper for Jamaicans, says Colombian firm”, published Wednesday, October 06, 2010 by STEVEN JACKSON, Business Observer writer, The Jamaica Observer.

Hence another reason for my faith in LNG, as per the signing of the MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) by Senator James Robertson, Minister of Mining and Energy  in the article “US$3-B infrastructural upgrade coming with Natural Gas - Robertson”, published Sunday, October 03, 2010, The Jamaica Observer as per announcement at a luncheon celebrating Noranda Jamaica Bauxite Partners' first anniversary of operations in Jamaica. Senator James Robertson, Minister of Mining and Energy laid out the investment allocations

With six hundred million dollars (US$600,000,000) for the LNG Infrastructure, with some eight hundred million dollars (US$800,000,000) laid out to retool an make more efficient the five (5) operational Alumina/Bauxite plants, seven hundred million dollars (US$700,000,000) going to increasing the use of Renewable Energy sources, with the excess spillover capacity power going to the National Grid in one million, two hundred thousand dollars (US$1,200,000) worth of investments.

Did I forget to mention Genetically Modified Bacteria as stated in the article “Researchers coax bacteria to make bio-diesel”, published January 27, 2010 3:59 PM PST by Martin LaMonica, CNET News - Green Tech?

Or even Genetically Modified Algae as stated in the article “PetroAlgae signs deal with Indian Oil”, published November 5, 2009 6:55 AM PST by Candace Lombardi, CNET News - Green Tech? Or even fish?

These are all Alternative sources of Bio-fuels. All suggested areas of research that I have been giving away as ideas over the years via email since 2003 AD, now finally bearing fruit after seven (7) long years!

Senator Barack Obama, President of the United States of America, endorses it, having had the Department of Energy and the Department of Agriculture working in tandem to the tune of US$564 million dollars of Venture Capital money, in a bid to diversify away from corn-based ethanol as stated in the article “'Green' gas and diesel get boost in Bio-Fuel grants”, published December 4, 2009 12:33 PM PST by Martin LaMonica, CNET News - Green Tech.

Worse, Generator upgrades to JPS Co, which would make them capable of running on LNG, also would make Jamaica easily able to switch to Hydrogen Gas extracted using Sea Water, with Potable Water, Table Salt and trace minerals such as Manganese as saleable byproducts, effectively becoming an Electron Economy powered by a Hydrogen Economy for JPS Co, Generators a modification of the published paper by Dr. Ulf Bossel entitled “Why a Hydrogen Economy doesn't make sense”, published December 11 2006, PhysOrg.com.

Senator James Robertson, Minister of Energy and Mining needs to understand that the switch to LNG is not about cheaper fuel and cheaper electricity to satisfy the Private Sector and their lust for profits with little input; it is about future-proofing our Energy Supply for a time when Jamaica, coming to its senses by 2030 AD, when Vision 2030 has taken hold and I may be alive (fingers crossed!) will be an Electron Economy using Hydrogen powered Generators as a future, cheaper, cleaner power source.

Thanking former President Bill Clinton for coming to Jamaica and telling us the obvious as stated in the article “Robertson welcomes Clinton's call for renewable energy thrust”, published Friday, October 29, 2010, Observer and JIS reports, The Jamaica Observer, while collecting JA$13,000 per plate, is not a bad move, just weird and appears to be more political grandstanding in light of the looming crisis for Jamaica, in the form of the Coming of All-Electric Vehicles, as change is now being FORCED upon us, whether we are ready for it or not.

Plans to source spare parts specifically for Jamaica is not helping as stated in the article “Spare Parts shortage hits used-car Trade”, published Friday October 22 2010, The Jamaica Gleaner, merely making Jamaica appear to be a scared Ostrich with their head stuck in a hole, afraid of the future and what it may mean for the politicians and worse, what it says about many of them and their short sighted thinking.

This is especially true of protectionists, such as Kent LaCroix, President of the Automobile Dealers Association (ADA) as stated in the article “Is Jamaica ready for Electric vehicles ?”, published Friday, October 01, 2010, The Jamaica Observer, who like early opponents of my blogging activities, is dead set against the change that All-Electric Vehicles represent as opposed to his idea of cleaner Diesel from the local Oil Refinery.

Jamaica, All-Electric Vehicles, now so eminently on our Jamaican doorstep based on the recent used parts shortage as stated in the article “Spare Parts shortage hits used-car Trade”, published Friday October 22 2010, The Jamaica Gleaner and the cranking up of the automakers.

Examples abound, such as Tesla to produce their Model S All-electric Vehicle in the United States of America, is coming as suggested in the articles “Auto industry pros counter electric-car hype”, published October 13, 2010 10:03 AM PDT by Martin LaMonica, CNET News - Green Tech and also as stated in the article “Automakers push ahead on plug-ins despite unknowns”, published October 14, 2010 11:10 AM PDT by Martin LaMonica, CNET News - Green Tech.

Buoyed by reports of slow yet steady growth to about 7% of vehicles being All-Electric Vehicles by 2020, a prediction stated by analyst J.D. Power and Associates as stated in the article “Report: Hybrid and EV sales to grow but remain small”, published October 27, 2010 7:26 AM PDT by Martin LaMonica, CNET News - Green Tech.

The obvious bell weather in the news: Japan, have grown tired of the Otto Cycle engine and are trading up for more exotic All Electric Rides, evident by the confidence of Tesla, which is also opening up a showroom in Japan as stated in the article “Tesla upbeat on Japan business, opens showrooms”, published Saturday 25 October,2010 by Associated Press, with other following suit, despite a prospect of slow yet steady growth.

The Smoking Gun, Agathie Christie style? Japan and Vietnam are partnering to mine Rare Earth Metals as stated in article “Vietnam and Japan to mine Rare Earths together”, published Sunday October 31 2010 by Reuters, key to making Lithium Ion batteries, after the People’s Republic of China recently blocked exports of Rare Earth Metals to Japan as stated in the article “Traders: China halts Rare earth exports to Japan”, published Friday 24 September, 2010 by Associated Press.

This resulting in the United States of America and their EU Allies getting a bit on edge about Rare Earth Metal supplies and a future shortage from the People’s Republic of China as stated in the article “U.S. and E.U. grapple with crunch in Rare Earth supplies”, published October 26, 2010 2:33 PM PDT by Reuters.

After all, historically, there is a lot of bad blood between the Americans and the Europeans and thus the mere fact that the People’s Republic of China has expressed concern over suggestions of their advantage as a major supplier of Rare Earth minerals such as Lithium, crucial to making the Lithium-Ion Batteries needed for All-Electric Vehicles, being used as a bargaining chip, as per the assertions of Wen, China's top economic official as stated in the article “Premier: China won't block rare earth exports”, published Friday October 8 2010 4:41 am ET, By ELAINE KURTENBACH, AP Business Writer, Yahoo! News.

This should not be taken lightly, especially if they could block Japanese Exports over nothing more than what appears to be holding a grudge since the end of WWII due to allegations over Japanese War Crimes committed during that period, relations between the two brothers having remained tense ever since.

On a more rational and economic note, the People’s Republic of China DOES control 97% of the worlds Supply of Rare Earth Metal as stated in the article “China clean tech's rare-earth advantage”, published August 12, 2010 5:37 AM PDT by Reuters, CNET News - Green Tech, crucial to making Alternative Energy products such as:

1. Wind Turbines
2. Solar Panels
3. Lithium Ion Batteries 

So the American and EU concerns DOES have foundation and basis in facts, not just newspaper reports and the spurious machinations of John Public. Afghanistan never looked so inviting to Silicon Valley pundits and her Allies, as it could become a huge financial windfall for the Afghan people and a boon to the America Economy as stated in the article “U.S. identifies vast mineral riches in Afghanistan”, Published June 13, 2010 By JAMES RISEN, The New York Times.

To summarize, this Global Battle being played out in the Far East, has implications for the Entire World, all because of a grudge held by the People’s Republic of China as it relates to the past atrocities committed in WWII, in effect, becoming like the character in the James Bond flick, GoldFinger (1964). Where is James Bond, in her Majesty’s Secret Service, when you need him, John Public asks?