Future Fuels: The Biology and Business of Green Energy

Paul K. Mueller | January 28, 2008

Extracting fuels from simple algae is one avenue of biofuels research at UC San Diego. “The Biology and Business of Biofuels” symposium, Jan. 28-31 at the Salk Institute, explores the full range of green energy sources.

“The Biology and Business of Biofuels,” a three-day symposium on the latest science, business and policy issues about biofuels, will be held today through Wednesday at The Salk Institute near the UC San Diego campus.

Hosted by UC San Diego’s Environment and Sustainability Initiative and the San Diego Center for Molecular Agriculture, “The Biology and Business of Biofuels” gives attendees access to the world’s leading experts on the next generation of biologically based fuel.

Steve Kay, Dean of the Division of Biological Sciences at UCSD, and Maarten Chrispeels, professor of biology and organizer of the symposium, will join other experts in explaining the promise and challenges of greener forms of energy.

Biomass for fuels can be much cheaper and more plentiful than crude oil. But many experts question whether ethanol from crops can be America’s future source for biofuels. A major focus of this conference will be biofuels beyond crops.

Participants will learn the latest information on advancements in producing fuels from cellulosic biomass such as wood chips and yard waste, as well as from innovative sources including algae and genetically-modified bacteria. Experts from industry will discuss taking the new generation of biofuels from lab to market.

The symposium is open to the public, but registration is required.