Advanced biofuels conference in Singapore to focus on cellulosic and algal produced bioenergy

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.