Lee R. Lynd, Thayer School of Engineering, Dartmouth College, Mascoma Corp., 8000 Cummings Hall, Hanover, NH 03755, Carlos Enrique de Brito Cruz, FAESP, Sao Paulo, Brazil, Ethan B. Davis, Thayer School of Engineering, Dartmouth College, 03755, Andre Faaij, Copernicus Institute, Utrecht University, Van Unnikgebouw, Heidelberglaan 2, Utrecht, 3584 CS, Netherlands, Jon Foley, University of Minnesota, Jose Goldemberg, Universit of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil, Nathanael Greene, Natural Resources Defense Council, Mark Laser, Cummings 8000, Dartmouth College, Thayer School of Engineering, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH 03755, Reinhold Mann, PETRONAS Renewable Energy Laboratory, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Patricia Osseweijer, Delft University of Technology, Delft, Netherlands, Tom L. Richard, Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, 103 Land and Water Research Building, University Park, PA 16802, John Sheehan, Institute on the Environment, University of Minnesota, August Temu, World Agroforestry Centre, and Emile van Zy, University of Stellenbosch, South Africa.
The world is currently confused and uncertain about whether to look to bioenergy to play a prominent role in the future, and if so, what policies are needed to ensure a sustainable result. The Global Sustainable Bioenergy (GSB) project seeks to bring needed clarity and resolution to this situation within a three-stage framework:
1) Hold conventions on each of the world's five continents;
2) Definitively test the working hypothesis that it is physically possible for bioenergy to sustainably meet a substantial fraction of future demand for energy services (> 25% of global mobility or equivalent), while feeding humanity and meeting other needs from managed lands, preserving wildlife habitat, and maintaining environmental quality.
3) Stage 3. Analyze and recommend transition paths and policies in light of Stage 2) results, incorporating analysis of macroeconomic, environmental, ethical and equity issues as well as local-scale effects on rural economies.
This presentation will report on the GSB project mid-way through stage 1), will look forward to stage 2), and will present perspectives and selected analytical results related to biofuels and land use issues.
