SIEW 2014: Biofuel integration offers promise for water, energy and food security
The demand for biofuels is set to rise as countries seek to manage issues around food, water and energy security but deeper collaboration is needed between governments and companies to strengthen the supply chain of these alternative sources of power, experts said at the Energy-Food-Nexus in Asia roundtable, hosted by the Energy Studies Institute (ESI) at SIEW 2014...
Mr. Khoo Hock Aun, Vice-President of Malaysian BioIndustry Organization and Managing Director/CEO, Cosmo Biofuels Group, says that integrating biofuel projects with food and water provisions could help improve the Water-Energy-Food security in the long term.
By Li Zhenhui
Demand for biofuels looks set to rise as countries seek to manage issues around food, water and energy security but deeper collaboration is needed between governments and companies to strengthen the supply chain of these alternative sources of power, experts said in a roundtable discussion at Singapore International Energy Week 2014 on Thursday.
The International Energy Agency projects that demand for biofuels will jump by 25 percent by 2018 but more must be done to ensure the growth of the industry and minimise disruption of food production, said Khoo Hock Aun, vice president of the Malaysian Bio-Industry Organisation and chief executive officer of Cosmo Biofuels Group.
“Integrating biofuel projects with food and water provisions, emphasising agricultural residues and waste recovery and utilisation and developing a community-based closed-loop system could help in improving water-energy-food security in the long term,” he said.
First generation biofuels – growing crops solely for fuel production – often disrupts the ecosystem and competes with food crops for space, Khoo said. Shifting to biofuels from organic waste and algae, he said, can mitigate the negative impact on the food chain and complement food production by producing energy to harvest crops.
“We should pay close attention to the relationship between the economy, energy and water because it will be availability of water that will determine the energy and food alternatives,” said Cecilia Tortajada Quiroz, a senior research fellow at the Institute of Water Policy at National University of Singapore.
She cited the example of water-saving initiatives in Singapore, which will reduce the need to produce water through energy-intensive methods such as desalination. This in turn reduces the need for more power, she said, helping to enhance energy security.
About Singapore International Energy Week (www.siew.gov.sg)
The 7th annual SIEW 2014 is the foremost platform for top policymakers, energy practitioners and commentators to discuss energy issues, strategies and solutions. SIEW brings together a robust line-up of world's leading conferences, exhibitions, roundtables and networking events to provide insights and perspectives on the emerging trends and innovations across the energy spectrum of oil & gas, clean and renewable energy, and energy infrastructure financing – in one week, one location. Please visit www.siew.gov.sg for further information.