Projects

Intersection of Energy & Agriculture: Implications of Biofuels & the Search for a Fuel of the Future

The social and environmental implications of the biofuels industry were examined at the conference, The Intersection of Energy and Agriculture: Implications of Biofuels and the Search for a Fuel of the Future. The meeting was Oct. 4-5, 2007, at the University of California-Berkeley. The conference was co-sponsored by the Energy Biosciences Institute, USDA Economic Research Service, Farm Foundation, and the University of California Giannini Foundation of Agricultural Economics.

Concerns about global climate change, demand for energy independence, and rising oil prices are increasing demand for energy alternatives. Biofuels have emerged a promising alternative.  Research by scientists and economists suggests the current generation of biofuels made from corn, sugar and soybeans may impose economic, social and environmental costs that could stand in the way of considerable fossil fuel displacement.

The conference program included presentations on the relationship of biofuels to environmental issues, public policy, the future of energy, food costs, global biofuel markets and carbon-neutral energy. Conference materials are posted at: http://are.berkeley.edu/%7Ezilber/conference.html

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