Biofuels: technology meets strategy
Event preview: Biofuels, 20 May 2008
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| Biofuels offer the potential for fuel supply security, as well as fighting global
warming |
These are testing times
for the fuel industry. Fuel use is
concentrated in the sectors that
simply cannot live without it and
recent events have contributed to a
decrease in the extraction of fuels
as a whole, thereby limiting its
supply. The result has been an
escalation in fuel prices.
Furthermore, the EU and US are
concerned about the security of fuel
supply, as today’s main sources of
fuel, lie outside of their borders. An
important by-product of this
situation is that it has encouraged
the investigation into viable
substitute fuel sources; one of which
includes biofuels.
The use of biofuels as a substitute
presents opportunities and
challenges. On the one hand,
biofuels offer a renewable source of
fuel which could help to tackle
global warming through a reduction
of fossil fuel consumption, while at
the same time supporting and
creating jobs in rural areas. On the
other hand, biofuel production
consumes edible crops and still
emits carbon. These factors make
biofuel research and development
a critical issue for consumers, tax
payers, farmers and other stake
holders. The potential impact of its
use is also relative to the interests of
technologists, businessmen,
politicians and the general public.
In order to expand upon the
issues that arise from this situation,
the SCI’s Process Engineering
Technical Group has organised a
seminar on 20 May 2008 on biofuels
that will discuss two main areas:
- ‘technological development’
where first, second and third generation
biofuels will be examined.
- ‘how technological issues drive
business strategies’
Leading technologists and
industrialists will present their
points of view on these topics. The
aim of the event is to provide a
forum where attendees can discuss
the associated issues with those
dealing with them first-hand in the
biofuels industry. There will also be
an extended open forum session,
providing ample time for questions
and answers with the speakers.
To attend, please click here.
SCI Process Engineering Group
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