There are, at the local level, many hopeful signs that a shift toward sustainability is beginning. But there are also many discouraging signs that large political and economic institutions will resist change in that direction. Seeing the latter signs and the immensity of the challenge before us, we can easily drift into discouragement and inaction. Is it too late? Are recommendations for a peaceful energy transition hopelessly unrealistic?
Am I being fatalistic? Or simply realistic? Our cultural obsession with good news, promises, and hope is humanly understandably, but there comes a time when the best thing to do is to accept that a bad situation has developed and find intelligent ways to manage it.
-- Richard Heinberg. The Party's Over – Oil, War and the Fate of Industrial Societies, p. 236.

Biofuels. The Governor has begun developing legislation that will capitalize on Oregon’s emerging “bio-energy” markets, particularly in the biodiesel and ethanol markets. The plan includes developing biomass energy projects in Oregon. The legislative package will focus on policies and incentives to create markets for agricultural production and feedstock as energy resources. It will also promote the production of biofuels in Oregon. The Governor already has directed his state vehicle fleet administrators to meet the targets for biodiesel and ethanol use set out in his Renewable Energy Action Plan.

• Feedstock and other input costs. Over the past year, feedstock prices have skyrocketed. Canola prices have doubled since 2006, and soybean prices have nearly doubled. Methanol has also tripled in price since last fall.
• Lack of infrastructure. There is now minor crushing capacity in Oregon, along with the single processing facility. However, it will require larger processing plants to ensure growers of a market to grow feedstock crops.
• Low demand due to lack of consumer awareness of the benefits of biodiesel.
• Processing and manufacturing that relies on incentives that create market pull and provide price justification to cover costs of production
• Challenges in siting and permitting
• No standard legal framework or templates for growers to use in structuring ownership and financing.

Putting biodiesel production projects together takes significant management and coordination, along with technical expertise; diligent research into technologies and equipment applicable to specific projects; significant up-front commitment to see the project through the permitting, siting and financing - which can be streamlined on industrial zone land, or may involve years of hearings and petitions if trying to rezone land; and different forms of grower organizations - such as LLCs or other creative ways of raising capital, including new-age cooperatives - requiring adept legal guidance.


Several efforts are underway to address these barriers. Research and industry efforts in the Pacific Northwest, supported by state and federal policies and programs, are developing new strategies and technologies to overcome barriers to production. One focus is aimed at producing higher value co-products and establishing optimized business models. Attention will be also focused on more efficient uses of the seed meal, the crop fiber, and, glycerin -- a lower value by-product of biodiesel production. Biolubricants and other biobased products are also the focus of development and market efforts.

While alternatives will be used, they are unlikely to fully replace oil and natural gas. Oil and natural gas have been cheap and easy to produce, but the alternatives will be difficult and expensive to produce. As a result, more capital and energy will have to be allocated to produce alternative sources. In addition, many of the alternatives produce electricity rather than liquid transportation fuels. It could take decades to replace a significant amount of declining oil and natural gas reserves.
In addition to alternative supplies, it will be necessary to increase the efficiency of the energy used. With the peak of world oil production approaching, major improvements in the energy efficiency of cars, homes and buildings, lights, appliances, and industrial processes are needed. In addition, major savings can be achieved by walking and bicycling more often, changing land use patterns to reduce transportation needs, and investing more in long-distance rail and mass transit. Id. at 27.

1. A decision that we need a green credit union to serve as part of our sustainability drive for the community.
2. A name.
3. A definition of the community which, because of our online status, could be all of Oregon
4. Membership qualifications
5. A physical, rent free location until we get our permits
6. Office furniture and equipment, including software.
7. Bylaws which meet the Oregon Revised Statutes
8. Initial Board of Directors.
9. A website
10. The initial formation of the Council of Advisors.
11. Selection by the Board of the members who will operate and manage the CU (we will use the limited liability partnership as a model and thus all working in the CU are “partners” not employees, thus no FICA, no UI, no Work Comp.)
12. Eventually, the CU could sponsor a 501.c.3 for educational and charitable purposes, receive donations any apply for grants.