April 28th, 2009

Dear website visitors,  

After the departure of Erik Lysen as Director of the FACT Foundation, I have the honor and challenge to take his place as director. First, it must be said that within his very busy agenda Erik has done much to continue to keep FACT alive and kicking. We well appreciate his work.  

FACT has been developed as a sustainable centre of excellence in the area of bio fuels for local development. This means it is sustainable in terms of:        

• Being a professional organization:  a well integrated team of FACT experts is formed, using a solid backing of external specialists in different fields such as plant production, pressing, gasification, etc.. It also includes the inclusion of internships and support to student R&D at international level.
• Financial viability: FACT has a number of sponsors committed to its mission, while it will provide training and advisory services to businesses who are in need of such services. ·
• Policy environment: FACT will continue to support the policy dialogue on bio fuels issues such as the food and fuel discussion, the biodiversity bio fuels issues, and the bio fuels climate change issues, price policies etc... FACT is an active partner in the development of sustainability criteria for bio fuels, hosting the perspective of those who are in need of (bio) energy and of income and employment opportunities. 

FACT is committed to bring up-to-date, field-based knowledge and experience to its clients in developing countries such as potential practitioners, rural communities, small and medium size entrepreneurs, investors, banks, policy makers and NGO’s. FACT remains solid on its position that bio fuels are a benefit to the local community, if: 

• Bio fuels are competitive in price with fossil fuels,     
• People choose them based on the correct and validated info, 
• Bio fuels create productive opportunities and employment, 
• Bio fuel systems use technology that is adapted to local technical capacities, is environmentally sound, and is affordable. 

As can be seen, FACT clearly distinguishes between sustainability criteria between large scale export focussed projects and projects developed by local people.  

Future

FACT with its sponsors and partners will spur innovation in bio fuels leading to new technological and organizational concepts that will make bio fuels more reliable and affordable to the population. We welcome good ideas and concepts that practitioners have in mind testing or trying out. Our aim remains to get the technology to the user or producer effectively using not only documents, but also interactive programs, videos and picture books, as well as “touch-feel-smell-and-see” demonstration projects in various parts of the world!  We are ready to move and share with you! 

In the expectation that FACT will remain your preferred choice for bio fuels for local development info,   

Cheers,  

Winfried Rijssenbeek,

Director of FACT Foundation