March 3, 2008 For immediate release
New Zealand Research Expertise Sought at International Renewable Energy Conference
Dr Tom Richardson, chief executive of Crown Research Institute Scion, is one of a 10-strong New Zealand delegation
heading to the United States this week, presenting at the U.S. Government-hosted Washington International Renewable
Energy Conference (WIREC 2008).
Dr Richardson will address the conference which runs March 4-6. He will present on March 5, before participating in a
panel discussion on the role of forestry in renewable energy and the corresponding issues of economics, environment, and
sustainability.
The delegation includes New Zealand's Associate Minister of Energy Harry Duynhoven and representatives from the Ministry
of Economic Development, Ministry of Transport, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, and the Foundation for Research,
Science and Technology.
The conference comes as Scion and its national and international collaborators release their findings from a major
feasibility study into the potential for New Zealand to use biofuels generated from plantation grown feedstocks.
The report by the New Zealand Lignocellulosic Bioethanol Initiative has found that biofuels generated from softwood
feedstocks present a feasible, large-scale option for meeting both the low-carbon transport vision of the Government's
2007 Energy Strategy (NZES) and Biofuels Sales Obligation (BSO).
It also outlines the feasibility of a potential scenario where New Zealand's entire vehicle fleet could run on
nationally grown and manufactured wood-derived biofuels.
Dr Richardson says New Zealand researchers have investigated the real possibility of transforming our economy from a
petrochemical-based to a carbohydrate-based one and that this type of research is capturing the attention of the rest of
the world.
"The New Zealand Lignocellulosic Bioethanol Initiative first set out to explore options for using existing pulp and
paper infrastructure to produce bioethanol from softwood resources.
"Internationally, softwood feedstocks have largely been undervalued as a potential source of biofuels as they are
considered technically too difficult and too expensive.
"Our work in the area of using forests for biofuels is in contrast to the majority of international activity which is
focused on using grains, sugarcane or grasses, which are often part of the world's current food supply, or grown on land
following deforestation.
"In contrast to recent concerns raised regarding the production of biofuels from food crops, the New Zealand study
indicates biofuels produced from wood are a sustainable and environmentally beneficial option."
Whilst at the WIREC 2008 conference, Dr Richardson will discuss the findings from a number of Scion-led studies that
illustrate how New Zealand can provide renewable and sustainable energy alternatives from environmentally sound
resources, including sustainably managed plantation forests.
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For more information:
Deborah Gray Communications Manager +64 7 343 5757 +54 21 579 488
About WIREC 2008
Hosted by the United States Government, in cooperation with the American Council On Renewable Energy, WIREC 2008 is the
third global ministerial-level conference on renewable energy, following events in Beijing in 2005 and Bonn in 2004.
WIREC 2008 will build upon the outcomes of the conferences in Bonn and Beijing to foster increased political support and
public awareness for renewable energy, new and innovative actions to promote widespread adoption of renewable energy,
and advanced tools for collecting and disseminating best practices to end users.
www.wirec2008.gov
About Scion
Crown Research Institute Scion is focused on applying a deep knowledge of plantation forestry, wood and fibre
processing, plant/industrial/environmental biotechnology and biomaterials engineering to the development of new
biomaterials and energy from renewable plant resources. Founded in 1947, the organisation has provided more than 60
years of support and stability for the plantation forest industry.
www.scionresearch.com
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