Centrobiodiesel Meeting Minutes

October 3, 2005

Attendees: David Tetta, Marco Chiu, Ann Lawrence, John Lawrence, Mike Hoffman, Alberto Rodriguez, Chris , Monica Andrade, Ben Peters, Lisa Kresge, Rob Hardison

Presentation by Ricardo Asturias, Octogon S.A.

Ricardo Briefly Summarized the Nicaragua jatropha Project

• Received $18 million in funding, but did not succeed

• The project had poor management and coordination with participating farmers

Summary of Ricardo’s Current Research

• Research started 3 years ago

• Jatropha plant grows well in the tropics

• After 2 years of research, received additional assistance of 90,000 euros from the government of Finland through the Alianza para la Energía y el Ambiente

• Currently have 10 plantations of 1 hectare each

• Currently evaluating the effects of several variables on crop yield, such as: altitude, day/night temperature, planting densities, and water use

• The goals is to be able to develop plantations that can produce 2-3 harvests per year, with an annual oil production of up to 3,000 liters per acre (is that figure correct?)

Needs for this project and related work

• Information on biodiesel production and processing – plant designs, costs, etc.

• Information on how best to clean used oil from restaurants to make it ready for processing

Presentation by Federico Esquivel, Todologia S.A.

• Trying to build plant in Costa Rica capable of 10,000 liters per day – would be approximately 25% of Costa Rica’s diesel fuel needs

• Oil would come from Palma Tica

• Biodiesel industry still in its infancy – raw materials not easy to get

• A recent biofuels conference the reports were that this is a viable industry

• Recope – the major oil refinery in the country, is building a pilot plan to test biodiesel processes

• Areas they cold use help

o Keep idea moving

o Guidance, technical manuals

o Information on lipase enzyme production (they are currently working with a lipase enzyme expert in Costa Rica)

General Discussion

• Providing kits – how best to do it –an organization called “Green Empowerment” might be a partner

• How to help folks buy parts down there

• Business aspects – Ben Peters and Rob Hardison interested

• Dorothy Foster, a local attorney (Foster Law), might be willing to provide expertise on international 501 incorporation

Translation