Biofuel Rebound

Alt-energy pioneer David Blume proves Santa Cruz still wants innovative solutions to the energy crisis

STORY BY STEVE HAHN

Just because local entrepreneur Ray Newkirk had to shutter the Ocean Street Pacific Biodiesel station, don’t think that the local biofuel scene is dead in the water. Much to the contrary, it seems to be brimming. Fellow alt-energy entreprenuer David Blume overloaded the phone lines and the server hosting his website last week when he went on the radio show “Coast to Coast” to talk about his plans for the ethanol revolution.

Blume was chatting with George Noory for three straight hours about his book, his upcoming ethanol station in Santa Cruz and his disgust with oil companies. Within the first hour, the managers of the server that hosted his website had to shut it down due to a bombardment of thousands of simultaneous hits. By the time the third hour came around and it was time for Q&A, the phone lines were overloaded, and those too had to be temporarily shut down due to an overall drag in the neighborhood’s network.

“The phone companies and the internet provider were both worried about this traffic impacting their other customers,” reported Blume publicist Tom Harvey.

This little hiccup may have been unfortunate for those looking for more info on Blume’s vision for a petroleum-free future, but Harvey sees it as a good thing. Not only did they sell a load of books, they also proved that as gas prices continue to pinch the average consumer, alt-energy isn’t fringe anymore.

“I mean, you talk about people wanting to hear this message,” says Harvey. “People are looking wherever they can for some sort of answer to the energy crisis and when someone like David comes along with a rational plan, it really stokes a lot of excitement.”