News

Categories

Friday, July 25, 2008

Fueling Change With Renewable Energy

April 26-27, 2007

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

ACES Library, Information and Alumni Center

1101 S. Goodwin Ave.
Urbana, IL 61801

Program Overview

This symposium is part of a multi-disciplinary project at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign that explores opportunities toward energy security and sustainability through greater reliance on renewable resources, including biomass, wind and solar.

The initiative seeks to develop innovative approaches and to strengthen collaborative efforts in support of renewable energy alternatives, taking advantage of the vast agricultural potential of the Midwest and other regions to replace fossil fuels. Major research initiatives are expected to significantly contribute to the demanding policy goals through improvements in energy efficiency and cost-effectiveness of renewable resources, optimizing biomass yields and biofuels production through dedicated energy crops and the conversion of cellulosic materials.

An integrated assessment includes life-cycle analysis, the potential of emission reductions, strategies for sustainable land use, agriculture, carbon storage and waste management, including economic, societal and international dimensions.

The organizers of this conference seek to inform the academic community, policy makers and stakeholders about the national and international research on renewable energy and stimulate discussion on ways to move forward.

Agenda

Thursday April 26, 2007

8:30 Welcome and Opening Remarks

Charles Zukoski, Vice Chancellor for Research, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign [photo] [video]

Jürgen Scheffran, Organizing Committee, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign [pdf] [photo]

8:45 Opening Session I: Towards Energy Security and Sustainability Through Renewables

(Moderator: Stephen Long, UIUC)

Daniel M. Kammen (University of California, Berkeley): Energy security with renewables: Technical and economic feasibility [pdf] [photo] [video]

John Ferrell (U.S. Department of Energy): Government programs for renewable energy [pdf] [photo] [video]

Jim Breson (BP Energy Biosciences Institute): Research challenges and business opportunities in energy biosciences [pdf] [photo] [video]

10:15 Break

10:45 Session II: Bioenergy - The Road Ahead

(Moderator: Lee Makowski, Argonne National Lab)

Chris Somerville (Stanford University): Challenges in bioenergy research [pdf] [photo]

Hans Blaschek (UIUC): From conversion to biorefineries: integrated approaches to advanced bioenergy research [pdf] [photo]

Jonathan Mielenz (Oak Ridge National Lab): Prospects and challenges for biofuel technologies and markets [pdf] [photo]

Charles Abbas (Archer Daniels Midland, Co.): Case for cellulosics: a different value proposition

James Zhang (Mendel Biotechnology Inc.): Feedstock improvement –a biotechnology business opportunity perspective [pdf] [photo]

1:00 Lunch with Keynote Address

Richard Herman, Chancellor, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign [photo] [video]

2:00 Session III: Practical Experiences With Energy Crops

(Moderator: Jay Kesan, UIUC)

Stephen Long (UIUC), Madhu Khanna (UIUC), Emily Heaton (CERES): Miscanthus in Illinois [pdf (Long)] [pdf (Khanna)] [pdf (Heaton)]

John Clifton-Brown (University of Wales, U.K.): Miscanthus in Europe [pdf] [photo]

Paul Carver (BICAL, UK): Energy Crops in the UK: Commercial and policy aspects [pdf] [photo]

3:45 Break

4:15 Session IV: Life Cycle, Economics and Implementation of Renewable Energy

(Moderator: Alan Hansen, UIUC)

May Wu (Argonne National Lab): Life-cycle analysis of biofuels: A systems approach [pdf] [photo]

Vernon Eidman (University of Minnesota): Economics and market analysis of energy crops in agriculture [pdf] [photo]

Donna Heimiller (National Renewable Energy Lab): Mapping renewable energy resources [pdf] [photo]

Patrick Chapman (UIUC): Local initiatives for wind and solar power [pdf] [photo]

Ulrike Lehr (German Aerospace Center, Stuttgart): Impact of the German Renewable Energy Act [pdf] [photo]

6:30 Dinner Reception with Keynote Speech

Pat Quinn (Lt. Governor Illinois): Strategies for Energy Security [photo] [video]

Friday April 27, 2007

8:45 Session V: Emission Reductions and Sustainable Use of Energy Resources

(Moderator: Hayri Önal, UIUC)

William Worek (Energy Resources Center, U of I Chicago) Energy demand, energy efficiency and emission reductions [pdf] [photo]

Bruce McCarl (Texas A&M University): Carbon sequestration and emission reductions: Potential, environmental and economic aspects [pdf] [photo]

Marlene Sieck (Federal Environmental Agency, Germany): Sustainable waste management: a source for energy and emission reductions [pdf] [photo]

Seth Snyder (Argonne National Lab): Renewables in a carbon-constrained world [pdf] [photo]

10:30 Break

11:00 Panel Session VI: Sustainable Society and Policy - Stakeholder Discussion [photos]

(Moderator: William Sullivan, UIUC)

1:00 Lunch

2:00 International Panel Session VII: Renewable Energy and Development

(Moderator: Joy Ready, UIUC)

4:00 Adjourn

Hotel Information

If you will need accommodations, please make arrangements as soon as possible because there are several large events going on in Champaign-Urbana during the fourth week of April. We suggest you try: Eastland Suites. 1907 N. Cunningham Ave., Urbana, IL 61801. (217) 367-8331

Airport, Hotel, and Conference Venue Map/Directions

Please use the interactive Google Map to view locations pertinent to the symposium. Feel free to use it to find directions to and from different locations.

Organizing Committee

Hans Blaschek (CABER, Institute for Genomic Biology)

Bruce Hannon (Department of Geography)

Geoff Hewings (Department of Geography, IGPA)

George Gross (Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, IGPA)

Atul Jain (Department of Atmospheric Sciences)

Madhu Khanna (Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics)

Stephen P. Long (Departments of Crop Sciences and of Plant Biology)

Hayri Önal (Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics)

Jürgen Scheffran (ACDIS, Department of Political Science and Atmospheric Sciences)

Registration until April 15 (by invitation only):

Standard Registration: $80 or $40/day

Student Registration: $40

Sponsored by:

Preregistration required. Please contact:

Dr. Jürgen Scheffran and Kathy Anderson-Conner

Program in Arms Control, Disarmament and International Security (ACDIS)
359 Armory Building, 505 East Armory Ave., MC-533
Champaign, IL 61820, U.S.A.

Phone: 217-333-7086, 217-244-0463, Fax: 217-244-5157

Email: scheffra@uiuc.edu, andconnr@uiuc.edu

Web: www.renewable-energy.uiuc.edu, www.miscanthus.uiuc.edu, www.bioenergy.uiuc.edu

Conference in the News