The special issue of the International Journal of Oil, Gas and Coal Technology, includes a number of scientific articles initially selected among more than 200 contributions during the IBSCE 2015 – Asian Bioenergy Conference 2015, held in Shanghai in October 2015.
This special issue aims at providing a small, first, qualified contribution to the scientific dialogue between Asia and Europe on that matter. Eight scientific articles comprise this special issue. The topics presented range from GHG/bioenergy policy analysis, to thermochemical and biochemical processing of biomass, upgrading and use of liquid fuels, and production of biochemicals.
Editorial: Building a bridge in bioenergy between Asia and Europe
by David Chiaramonti, RE-CORD/CREAR, c/o Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Florence
“The present special issue includes a number of scientific articles initially selected among more than 200 contributions during the IBSCE 2015 – Asian Bioenergy Conference 2015, held in Shanghai in October 2015. Authors of these papers were invited to prepare and submit a full journal article for peer review: this issue is the result of the scientific work carried out by scientist from Europe and Asia to address scientific innovation and deployment of biomass, bioenergy and bioproducts.
Asia represents a key area for sustainable bioenergy and bioproducts. In fact, its impressive economic and industrial growth is associated with increased global and local pollution, especially in urban areas, while the development of rural regions requires a new and sustainable supply of energy: thus, renewable energy is a fundamental component of sustainable development. Asian companies have clearly understood it as an opportunity for economic development, and thus have invested in the fast growing renewable energy sector, such as photovoltaics, where China has rapidly become the dominating country. On the other hand, the EU has also invested large human and financial resources in the renewable energy field, developing innovative technologies, processes, systems and value chains.
The joint conference aimed at favouring the direct dialogue between these two regions of the world, promoting the sharing of scientific and technical information in the field of bioenergy, presenting the most recent research results and contributing to strengthening the links between Europe and Asia.
This action is today more and more welcome, as the implementation of the COP21 Paris Agreement, already endorsed by the USA, the EU and China, will require a tremendous effort and very focused and concrete actions, where innovative systems, processes and technologies will play the key role.”