CHEMRAWN XIX

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CHEMRAWN XIX

Introduction

The current world economy is driven by fossil fuels. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), fossil fuels comprising oil (36.0%), coal (26.8%) and natural gas (23.3%), account for 86% of the world energy use in 2007 with nuclear power making up 5.8% and renewable energy 8.1%. Within the renewable energy category, biomass accounts for 4.0%, hydroelectric 3.0%, solar heat 0.5%, wind 0.3%, geothermal 0.18%, biofuels 0.18% and solar photovoltaic 0.04%. However, such a pattern of energy consumption is not sustainable as fossil fuels are depleting resources. In addition, crude oil prices have a tendency to fluctuate violently due to economic and political reasons. Great efforts are being made to develop renewable and sustainable energy sources to compliment the use of fossil energy.

CHEMRAWN XIX

Renewable and sustainable energy sources include solar (thermal, power generation and photovoltaic), hydroelectricity, wind, geothermal and other energy sources from biological resources such as bioethanol from carbohydrates and starchy materials, cellulosic and biomass, biodiesels from oil crops/oils and, waste and recovered oils, biogas from municipal waste, biological effluent and sewerage, biomass to liquid (BTL), biofuels from photosynthetic algae, and many others.

The IUPAC International Conference on Chemical Research Applied to World Needs (CHEMRAWN) XIX will be held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from September 27-29, 2011. With the theme of “Bioenergy and Biomaterials from Renewable Resources”, CHEMRAWN XIX will focus on chemical research, technology and innovation in renewable and sustainable energy that can be harvested from biological resources including carbohydrates, starchy and cellulosic materials, oil crops/oils, biomass, municipal waste, biological effluent and sewerage, and others. The issues of food versus feed versus carbon footprint will also be discussed.

Future Action Committee

Topics and issues deliberated at CHEMRAWN XIX will form the basis for action by the CHEMRAWN Future Action Committee.

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