Energy research to combat climate change

Monday, March 10, 2008

Forum for latest energy research to combat climate change

The University's Centre for Energy Research and the Bioenergy Association of New Zealand will hold workshops on Wednesday 12 March at the Gateway Hotel, 206 Kirkbride Rd, Mangere, near Auckland International Airport.

The two workshops of half a day each will be to present and discuss the results of recent research into
feasibility studies funded by the FIDA Bioenergy Initiative, and biochar and pyrolysis.

Bioenergy is becoming economic in niche situations as a source of energy and projections are that it will soon start providing forest owners with an additional source of revenue. These workshops are part of the Bioenergy Association’s programme of focused workshops aimed at increasing value from wood crops for foresters; providing alternative energy sources for users; and widening our horizons with regard to utilising the immense biomass resources currently being wasted.

The two workshops will dovetail into each other with the first focusing on the issues stopping current uptake, and the second looking further ahead.

Morning workshop – Assessment of Current Bioenergy Opportunities

The Forest Industry Development Agenda Bioenergy initiative has been funding potential project developers to support feasibility studies as well as provide business grants, e.g. demonstration projects. Copies of the resulting feasibility reports are available on the Bioenergy Knowledge Centre website www.bioenergy-gateway.org.nz
The workshop will present the results of some of those studies and focus on the barriers that need to be addressed in order to increase the uptake of bioenergy and increase the financial returns to forest owners.

Afternoon workshop - Biochar and Pyrolysis: Opportunities for the NZ Forestry Industry

The Massey University Biochar Initiative launched by Massey University as part of its successful bid to establish the two new MAF Professorships in “Biochar and Bioenergy Pyrolysis Engineering”, and in “Biochar and Soil Science Research”, is a wide ranging, multi-year, internationally-linked research and development programme, which aims to advance the understanding of biochar as a mitigation solution to global climate change and to enable its uptake in New Zealand – particularly by the agricultural, pastoral and forestry sectors.

ENDS

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