FIU to host one-day conference on natural gas and renewable energy

Concerns about climate change and energy security have converged to boost the development of alternative and renewable fuels that can be produced domestically.  Efforts are underway to commercialize next-generation biofuels derived from agricultural residues and energy crops, but these remain several years away.  Cleaner energy is needed now to bridge the gap.

On Tuesday, Nov. 9, FIU will host a one-day conference titled “Gas and Renewables: Building a Cleaner Energy Bridge to a Sustainable Fuels Future” that will explore intermediate options for abundant, cleaner energy. The event will take place from 8:15 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the MARC International Pavilion at FIU’s Modesto A. Maidique Campus. The conference is free and open to students, faculty and the general public.

“The energy bridge to the future must have lower emissions to address concerns about global warming and climate change,” said Edward Glab, co-director of FIU’s Global Energy Security Forum in the School of International and Public Affairs.

“As a result of advances in gas production technology, natural gas has emerged as the most promising fuel to replace coal for power generation and perhaps even gasoline in vehicles. Gas is abundant, cleaner than other fossil fuels, and enormously price competitive. It could be a partner to biofuels in lowering emissions while next-generation biofuels are being developed,” he added.

Recent advances in hydraulic fracturing techniques and technology have unlocked huge resources of unconventional gas around the world. Some observers have said the global potential of unconventional and conventional gas could change the international geo-political balance of energy politics. Others have criticized fracturing, claiming it has contaminated drinking water supplies and impacted air quality and have called upon government to implement new regulations governing its use.

This FIU conference will bring together international experts in natural gas and biofuels to discuss the strategic, technical, market and environmental aspects of how these alternatives can work together to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and our dependence on foreign sources of energy while contributing to the growth of an entirely new green economy around the world.

The conference is sponsored by Chevron Corporation and the Shepard Broad Foundation, Inc., and is organized by the Global Energy Security Forum in collaboration with the Applied Research Center, School of International and Public Affairs, College of Business Administration, School of Environment and Society, and Department of Earth and Environment.

For more information, please contact the Global Energy Security Forum at 305-348-7266.

For the conference agenda, please click here.