Subscribe to Print Edition | Tue., October 21, 2008 Tishrei 22, 5769 | | Israel Time: 13:36 (EST+7)
Haaretz israel news English
web haaretz.com
  Back to Homepage
Haaretz Toolbar
Diplomacy
Defense Jewish World Opinion National
Print Edition
Car Rental
Books Haaretz Magazine Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File
Last update - 21:09 14/10/2008
Israeli biofuel project could spell end of Mideast oil power
By Karin Kloosterman, ISRAEL21c
Tags: Israel News, Mideast Oil 

It will take dedicated visionaries to help stop America's addiction to foreign oil and diminish the huge market power wielded by Mideast oil producers. And that's what Doron Levi, the COO of alternative energy company Galten Global Alternative Energy has his heart set on doing. The telephone line was shaky and his Internet connection unreliable, yet he spoke with ISRAEL21c from far away in Ghana where he's overseeing a project that's squeezing fuel from the seeds of an African perennial - the jatropha plant.

The jatropha, says Levi, is rich in oil and doesn't compete with food crops making it an ideal specimen for biofuel. Over in Ghana, he is working with about 30 locals to grow and cultivate a 250-acre site that may give rise to some of the world's most important biofuel reserves ever.

Galten is based in Israel, but the company founders chose to plant in Ghana, where the jatropha (Jatropha curcas) already grows. "We are working according to plan growing the jatropha plants. We've built a nursery, but it's not easy in Africa," he says, noting that the indigenous bush snakes can be particularly dangerous.
Advertisement

A win-win situation

Despite the difficulties - and the snakes - Levi believes the company has done something special. "It's a win-win situation - good for the world, good for the people," he explains.

With a lease on half a million acres of land in Ghana, Galten's founders - Levi and his partner Shlomi Jonas, now the CEO of Galten - have big plans for jatropha seeds as biofuel. Although the extraction method is secret, Levi says, experts do already know that the jatropha plant, which lives about 30 to 40 years, is a rich source of biofuel. Its seeds contain an oil content of about 35 percent, but there have been industry limitations extracting it, says Levi.

According to Galten's website only one ton of biofuel can be extracted from 2.5 acres of edible crops such as corn or soybeans, whereas three tons of biofuel can be produced on the same amount of acreage growing jatropha plants. Levi expects Galten will be able to start producing biofuel in about two or three years: "How you do it exactly, well that's our secret," he says.

Not eaten by animals, jatropha plants are a vigorous, drought- and pest-tolerant plant used mainly as a hedge to protect cropland from grazing animals. It is a low-growing specimen, native to South America, but which is widely used in Central America, Africa and Asia.

High quality biofuel

Galten was founded in 2006 and is based in Kadima, Israel. According to its calculations, Galten's extraction method not only produces a high-quality source of biofuel, it also reduces carbon dioxide emissions, which are sequestered and stored by the jatophra plant.

Eventually, the stalks and other biomass created by the plant could be used as biofuel as well. Galten is working on R&D in this direction.

Galten's founders are ambitious and have attracted an initial round of financing of $10 million from the Xpert Financial Group based in Israel. International companies are already interested, such as Brazil's Petroleo Brasileiro and a refinery in Europe.

For more on Israeli technological developments check out Israel21c


Related articles:
  • What's for dinner: Biofuel or food?
  • You can drive the car to biofuel
  • Beyond the oil age
    • Bookmark to del.icio.us  
     
    Saudi peace plan
    Barak says it may be time to pursue an overall peace deal for the region.
    Wiesel on Ahmadinejad
    Nobel laureate says president's UN speech shows world hasn't learned from Holocaust.
      1.   I don?t believe it until it will come to market. 22:05  |  e.m.Jordan is Palest 14/10/08
      2.   Sadly, Israeli entrepreneurs still use methods that were obsolete 22:10  |  Alex 14/10/08
      3.   Hydrogen cells 22:36  |  sabra 14/10/08
      4.   Biofuel Solves Nothing 01:02  |  Proud Israeli 15/10/08
      5.   out of the frying pan and into the fire, this is a joke 01:07  |  VIPER 15/10/08
      6.   end the stone age 02:03  |  bronxite10 15/10/08
      7.   jatropha 02:09  |  terry martin 15/10/08
      8.   Proud Israeli 02:29  |  zaz 15/10/08
      9.   #4 Research is needed 03:00  |  American 15/10/08
      10.   biofuel 04:23  |  Isaiya 15/10/08
      11.   Oil "dependence" could have ended long ago 07:09  |  Natallie Durson 15/10/08
      12.   Journalism at its most empty-headed and gullible 07:55  |  Clickfool 15/10/08
      13.   THE MATH: "Jatrofuel" is doable, but alone cannot replace oil 08:33  |  Robert 15/10/08
      14.   Looks like a scam to me :) 08:43  |  philip 15/10/08
      15.   The electric car is perhaps 2 years out 09:00  |  Ron 15/10/08
      16.   So instead of been beholding to 09:15  |  Chris Linthwaite 15/10/08
      17.   What`s the big deal 09:19  |  Cynic #2 15/10/08
      18.   a cute idea vs. abject Hatred 09:39  |  FOX 15/10/08
      19.   VIPER - Do you have a problem because its Israel? 10:03  |  x 15/10/08
      20.   All green "solutions" are a drop in the bucket of what`s needed 10:03  |  S 15/10/08
      21.   next cause of wars 10:09  |  raymond deane 15/10/08
      22.   ISRAEL CONFIRMS ITS INTENTIONS TO BREAK ITS NEIGHBOURS! 10:17  |  Black Israel 15/10/08
      23.   Diesel fuel was once very cheap ... 10:18  |  Driver 15/10/08
      24.   Only TWO sources of Energy .. 11:18  |  spyguy 15/10/08
      25.   Chris the teacher 16 11:29  |  ChanahS 15/10/08
      26.   THE AIR CAR, WOW!! HOLY _____ 11:35  |  The Equalizer 15/10/08
      27.   God Bless the Indians and TATA motors 11:43  |  The Equalizer 15/10/08
      28.   Don`t forget `switch grass` 11:51  |  Petra 15/10/08
      29.   Air Cars , A real REVOLUTION 11:54  |  The Equalizer 15/10/08
      30.   The AIR CAR We have reached the beginning of the end game 12:03  |  The Equalizer 15/10/08
      31.   Israel offers a solution, oil prices were manipulated 12:03  |  Petra 15/10/08
      32.   # 18 fox 12:05  |  Axel 15/10/08
      33.   I see it`s not just us here having problems with slimy snakes 12:07  |  Ari ben Yisrael 15/10/08
      34.   # 19 x 12:10  |  Axel 15/10/08
      35.   The Air Car is HERE 12:22  |  The Equalizer 15/10/08
      36.   Why davqa Jatropha? 12:40  |  Achille Talon 15/10/08
      37.   Chanah S 12:45  |  Chris Linthwaite 15/10/08
      38.   Haaretz, when will you ever learn? 12:51  |  Alicia 15/10/08
      39.   On air cars 12:55  |  Clickfool 15/10/08
      40.   More Hot Air - shame on them 13:06  |  Sid Levine 15/10/08
      41.   #22 - this will break its neighbors? please don`t patronize us. 13:13  |  michelle 15/10/08
      42.   To The Equalizer#27 13:18  |  Englishman 15/10/08
      43.   Who`s making the big bucks? 13:28  |  Economist 15/10/08
      44.   biofuel is as bad as regular oil 14:17  |  The Equalizer 15/10/08
      45.   #3 Hydrogen cells 14:38  |  Reuben 15/10/08
      46.   #18 well said 14:40  |  Reuben 15/10/08
      47.   When Driver talks about diesel fuel 14:45  |  Jackie 15/10/08
      48.   Further to #13 - Wikipedia indicates more potential for Jatropha 20:04  |  Robert 15/10/08
      49.   Hydrogen Cells 20:06  |  Peter Deacey 15/10/08
      50.   why do we need a car or any fuel to make it go? 23:05  |  yahn goodey 15/10/08
      51.   #19, X, no i don`t, but... 08:59  |  VIPER 16/10/08
      52.   israel 02:13  |  j 17/10/08
      53.   Jatropha in State of Tocantins - Brazil 17:47  |  Belmont 19/10/08
      54.   The Messiah has arrived! 09:42  |  Shtarka 20/10/08
      55.   jatropha curcas 12:46  |  paul poh 21/10/08
     Read & React
    Israel mulling non-aggression treaty with Lebanon
    Responses: 256
    Akiva Eldar: We must be firm on dividing Jerusalem
    Responses: 66
    Kadima supporters' website brands Pope Benedict with swastika
    Responses: 59
    Saudi official presents new Israeli-Palestinian peace plan
    Responses: 101
    Bradley Burston: Daniel Pearl, Gilad Shalit, and the exercise of power
    Responses: 86


    More Headlines
    04:59 IAEA chief: Iran not close to developing nuclear weapons
    20:09 Egypt presents Fatah, Hamas with Palestinian unity proposal
    13:30 NYU poll: Two-thirds of U.S. Jews back Obama over McCain
    04:05 Police arrest 9 Jews over recent assaults on Arabs in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv
    05:03 VIDEO / Republican accuses Al-Jazeera of distorting racist comments by Palin backers
    00:29 Daniel Pearl, Gilad Shalit, and the exercise of power
    18:50 Our man in Sanaa: Ex-Yemen president was once trainee rabbi
    12:51 UK police arrest 5 suspected terrorists in central England
    05:02 UN Chief urges Iran to combat discrimination against women, minorities
    15:09 Peres grants Livni extra two weeks to form coalition
    10:03 Israel mulling non-aggression treaty with Lebanon
    16:19 Saudi official presents new Israeli-Palestinian peace plan
    01:17 Kadima supporters' website brands Pope Benedict with Nazi swastika
    19:10 UN calls on Lebanon to step up fight against human trafficking
    Previous Editions
    Special Offers
    Advertisement
    Fattal Hotel Chain
    Perfectly located hotels on best resorts of Israel.
    Living in Israel Studying in English
    Click & Meet our students from all around the world
    Dial 013 for your long-distance calls
    and get all your money back
    US CITIZENS
    Vote for real change. Request your ballot today!
    Eldan Rent a Car
    Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on all online reservations
    Jewish Singles Personal Ads
    Find the love of your life on JDate.com
    Israel's Premier Real Estate Website
    www. israel-property.com
    Hebrew Summer courses
    From $39.95
    Junkyard
    Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt
    Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Underground | Site rules |
    Real Estate in Israel | Travel to Israel with Haaretz | Hotels Israel | Restaurants Israel | Tourist attractions Israel | Shops Israel
    birthright Israel | Search engine marketing
    Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.
    © Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved