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Madagascar Biofuels Team Report

In the summer of 2008, the University of Michigan/Yale University Biofuels Team spent one month in the Fianarantsoa region of Madagascar to examine the feasibility of employing mechanical oil presses and the ramifications of Jatropha curcas (Barbados nut) on food security as part of the sustainability requirement of carbon credit mechanisms. The team includes Jenn Baka (Yale University’s School of Forestry and Environmental Studies), Doug Kolozsvari (UM’s Urban & Regional Planning), Melissa Munsell (UM’s Urban & Regional Planning), Will Northrop(UM’s Mechanical Engineering Department), Marion Payet (Consultant), and Katie Pethan (UM’s School of Natural Resources and Environment). Based on their field research in Madagascar and supported by an in‐depth review of the literature, the team will develop a final report that summarizes their recommendation for developing a biofuels‐based program in the FCE corridor that can also generate carbon credits. The report will be presented at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s P3 Competition in April 2009, where their concept will compete with other university projects for $75,000 in funding to implement the project’s recommendations. The team thanks the University of Michigan’s International Institute for providing the Madagascar Biofuels Team with the ELF’s financial support that proved so essential to this project and the individual learning experience of the team members.