Asia set to experience its first bioenergy conference and exhibition in October

The International Bioenergy Exhibition and Asian Bioenergy Conference (IBSCE) 2015 is set to take place from October 21 to 23 in Shanghai, China.

Currently, the IBSCE is the leading conference and exhibition in Asia, with the conference’s objective being to promote synergy among markets, technologies and investments.

The IBSCE also aims to create a focal meeting point for industry executives, governmental policymakers, leading academics, investment agencies and media representatives, setting up strategic communication channels and important business opportunities for the bioenergy sector.

The exhibition is open to companies, organisations, research structures, specialised advisory services and consultancy firms, and donors and professionals involved in the biomass, bioenergy and renewable-energy sectors.

China is rich in biomass resources and possesses great potential in the growing biomass market. This being the case, the conference presents an opportunity for both Chinese and international stakeholders to showcase their organisations and extend their business relationships with several networking opportunities.

Additionally, with the growing biomass market, bioenergy technologies could transform rural development worldwide by helping to extend modern electricity and other energy services to deprived areas, as well as reduce carbon emissions and lessen the impact of climate change.

Also, although biomass is a readily available source of fuel in Asia, about 5% of the total potential is being collected on a systematic basis. Researchers from the Chinese Academy of Engineering have estimated that, if all the available biomass feedstock in China were used, it would create the energy equivalent of 1.2-billion tons of coal, more than the entire country’s total yearly energy consumption.

Moreover, the IBSCE programme is divided into five topics, all necessary to understand how to face a complex array of policy, technical, institutional and financial challenges in the biomass field.

Commenting on the topics that will be discussed, IBSCE technical programme cochairperson David Baxter says this means that the conference involves close interactions between the pure science, innovation and industrial exploitation of the results of research, with the overall target of achieving economic and environmental sustainability in the developing low-carbon economy.

“Globally, the consumption of biomass is already more than both wind and solar energy. Especially in European countries, the development of biomass technologies, markets and industries is more advanced. We should study and learn from their experiences. Through the IBSCE, experts and entrepreneurs from the entire world will have the opportunity to communicate and explore cooperation in China,” adds IBSCE conference general cochairperson Dr Zhenhong Yuan.

Speakers during the conference include Institute for Energy and Transport director Dr Giovanni de Santi, Korea Institute of Energy Research principal researcher Dr Jin-Suk Lee, United Nations Organisations for Education, Science and Culture renewable-energy programme head Dr Osman Benchikh, University of British Columbia professor Dr Jack Saddler, Chiang Mai University dean in the Faculty of Agro-Industry Dr Charin Techapun and State University of New York professor Dr Shijie Lui.