Workshop: Food Crops as Feedstock for the Industry?

We are currently facing a global food crisis, particularly for wheat and maize – where the prices are expected to spike in the next months amid worries for the current harvesting due to the recent droughts. Biofuels are under strong criticism and the discussion is more heated than ever whether one should use food crops for biofuels at all. The same criticism that is being expressed in the “Food vs. Tank debate” could sooner or later apply to the use of biomass as feedstock in the chemical industry.



This public and political discussion affects also the price and availability of our feedstock supply, as well as the perspective from which our industry is viewed by the general public and the customers.



Firstly, the discussions about the use of food crops are too much simplified by the media and the conclusions drawn from them are questionable. How should one deal with this? Should additional background data be collected and a new public policy be developed?



On the other hand, how does one deal with the attacks on biofuels? Should chemicals and plastics be strategically positioned as a different and better alternative for the biomass usage? Which strategy prevents the bio-based chemicals and plastics industry from getting caught in the same maelstrom of criticism as biofuels are?

We cordially invite you to our workshop on these issues, taking place on September 21 at the Wöllhaf conference centre at the Cologne airport. Experts from nova-Institute will give keynote speeches and background information and show new data on the use of biomass in Europe. Together, then, the following topics will be discussed, strategies developed and possibly a multi-client study will be born.

If you would like to join, please register at http://www.bio-based.eu/foodcrops. For any questions concerning the workshop, please contact Ms Lara Dammer – E-Mail: lara.dammer@nova-institut.de).

Focus of the workshop:

1) What is really the best source of C5/C6-sugar as a raw material for biotechnological processes?



2) How can we strategically handle the claim not to use any food crops for biofuels and for the industry in general? Which solid arguments can counter this claim?



3) Which strategy prevents the bio-based chemicals and plastics industry from getting caught in the same maelstrom of criticism as biofuels are?



4) LCA Position Paper



5) Install a task force for industrial material use of biomass?


One possible outcome of the workshop can be position papers or other mutually agreed activities such as the aforementioned multi-client study.

Benefits for you from this workshop:

• Benefit from possible outcomes of the workshop such as position papers and other mutually agreed activities such as the aforementioned multi-client study!
• Get new insights into the raw material supply with biomass, future trends and limitations for your market!
• Join the discussion of current political debates and benefit from customised strategic consultancy!
• Use the opportunity to meet key players in the market and benefit from informal networking!
• Take action for your business and benefit from a task force for the industrial material use of biomass!
• Participate in the development of new methods for decision-making and benefit from these techniques in your daily work!

nova-Institut für Ökologie und Innovation
Chemiepark Knapsack
Industriestraße 300
50354 Hürth (Germany)
www.nova-institute.eu
Tel.: +49 (0) 2233-48 14 40

Source

nova-Institut, press release, 2012-09-10..

Supplier

nova-Institut GmbH

Share