Two joint meetings between EU and ASEAN on the problems connected with fossil fuels are planned to take place in Bangkok and Hanoi in September.
The foreseeable depletion of fossil fuels and the necessity to curb greenhouse gas emissions has led to a sharpened focus on alternative, environmentally friendly energy sources such as bio fuels. However, there has been mounting concern that conventional or 1st generation bio fuels, such as those derived from sugar cane, corn and oil palm may in fact contribute to higher food prices due to their competition with food crops, and that their production may in fact contribute to energy price volatility. It is increasingly accepted that 1st generation bio fuels are limited in their ability to achieve targets of oil product substitution, climate change mitigation and sustainable economic growth.
There is, as a result, a growing interest in developing bio fuels produced from agricultural and forest residues as well as non-food biomass, and these include cellulosic ethanol, biomass-to-liquid (BTL), and algae oil. These so-called 2nd generation bio fuels are in the emerging stages commercially but hold great promise in avoiding many of the concerns of 1st generation bio fuels. And though many of the conversion pathways have been known for some time, there are still a number of technical and economic challenges to overcome.
Since the potential benefits of biofuels are global, international collaboration on research and development (R&D) is essential. With abundant biomass resources in Southeast Asia and state-of-the-art biomass-to-biofuel conversion technologies from the EU, this workshop strives to foster partnerships between SEA and EU researchers in the sustainable development of 2nd generation biofuels.
It will bring together scientific experts to identify opportunities for collaboration and to formconsortia to bid into the upcoming EU FP7 calls on 2nd generation biofuels. The highlights of the workshop will include ample opportunities for researchers to network and brainstorm potential collaborations, as well as presentations by leading EU and SEA researchers on the current status of 2nd generation biomass utilization, conversion technologies, and adaptation into existing transportation framework. In addition, a roundtable discussion will allow local researchers to present their work and further explore collaborations with other SEA and EU researchers.
The workshop is sponsored by SEA-EU-NET project, it a project supported by the European Commission FP7 Framework Programme and 16 key S&T institutions in Southeast Asia and Europe. Its main objective is to increase the quality, quantity, profile, and impact of bi-regional S&T cooperation between EU and ASEAN member
