Advanced biofuels conference in Singapore to focus on cellulosic and algal produced bioenergy
27 December 2010
Keystone Symposia on Molecular and Cellular Biology and Singapore’s Agency for Science Technology and Research (A*STAR) announced the second Keystone Symposia conference on Biofuels in Singapore from 1-6 March 2011. The conference titled “Biofuels” will discuss: Bioenergy: The Options for an Economic and Sustainable Future, Sustainability of cellulosic ethanol (Biofuel produced from non-food biomass), Algae Biofuels (Deriving fuel from algae), Development of new biomass feedstocks and Potential of Biomass Production in Southeast Asia.
The lineup of speakers includes: Dr. Adam Brown of the International Energy Agency; Professor Timothy Donohue of the University of Wisconsin-Madison/ Great Lakes Bioenergy; Dr. Arthur Grossman of Solazyme, Inc.; Professor Lonnie Ingram of the University of Florida; Professor Jay D. Keasling of the University of California, Berkeley; Professor Lee Rybeck Lynd of Dartmouth College; and Professor Amaral Weber of Universidade de São Paulo.
The scientific organizers of the conference are Professor Stephen P. Mayfield of the University of California, San Diego; Dr. Martin Keller of Oak Ridge National Laboratory; and Dr. Wong Pui Kwan of A*STAR’s Institute of Chemical and Engineering Sciences.
One of the greatest challenges we face today is to develop efficient, sustainable and scalable processes for converting sunlight energy into the food and fuel the world needs. No single renewable-energy strategy will be able to provide a total solution, but a combination of strategies that can be coordinated and integrated effectively has the potential to significantly decrease our dependence on fossil fuel. At this critical time in mapping a new global energy strategy, this symposium will address the potential of cellulosic and algal produced bioenergy as part of a sustainable future for our planet.
—Professor Mayfield
More information on the conference program can be found at www.keystonesymposia.org/biofuels. Keystone Symposia held its first meeting on Biofuels in 2009 in US. The conference is also supported by the Singapore Tourism Board.
Good short and mid-term solutions but electrification would be much better. The world can produce many times the clean e-energy it requires. Sunlight and winds will be around for as long as we will be around.
Wind mills over farm lands have positive effects on plants and animals.
(confirmed by a recent extended study)
Solar panels over houses, garages, parkings etc also have positives effects on the environment and our comfort level.
Posted by: HarveyD | 27 December 2010 at 09:41 AM
This is a good direction to take. The use of a wide and diverse range of energy strategies and technology will strengthen the globe's energy production and security. Of course we are walking a fine line between economic strategy and energy solutions.
If we were only interested in solutions - we could introduce disruptive technology that would disturb economies. We elect not to do so at this time so as to grow economies built around sustainable energy economies. But this means de-centralizing energy production, diversifying technology and accepting the advent of energy independence at the residential and community level. Centralized politics and grids are concepts of the past. Distributed energy production and use is the direction we are headed in.
Posted by: Reel$$ | 27 December 2010 at 09:03 PM