Workshop: China-US Workshop on Barriers to Sustainable Photosynthetic Production of Biofuels, September 2011, West Lafayette, IN

Purdue University, West Lafayette IN

Investigators

Abstract

Proposal ID: 1137087 PI: Nathan S Mosier This award will support participant travel to a China-US Workshop titled Barriers to Sustainable Photosynthetic Production of Biofuels to be held as part of the China-US Joint Research Center Symposium in September 2011 at Purdue University. Intellectual Merit Direct conversion of reduced carbon from photosynthesis to energy-rich hydrocarbons and lipids is one approach that may successful for the sustainable production of biofuels. Autotrophic organisms that directly produce biofuels in scalable systems through the photosynthetic fixation of atmospheric carbon have significant potential to enable drop-in biofuel production. The workshop will focus on identifying the critical knowledge gaps in photosynthetically driven, biocatalytic production of drop-in biofuels. The workshop will examine issues with biofuels from phototropic microorganisms (e.g. algae) and not on lignocellulosic biomass conversion. The workshop will have three research and education objectives: 1) Identify the critical knowledge gaps in photosynthecially driven synthesis of reduced carbon biomolecules for drop-in biofuels and bioproducts; 2) Identify potential research collaborations and partnerships between US and China institutions; and 3) Develop recommendations for areas of funding needs to enable the bio-economy. Broader Impacts The outcome of the workshop will be a report that outlines the knowledge gaps and identifies specific areas where joint US-China research efforts could be most effective in algae-based biofuel production. The report will also list potential research collaborations that are enabled by partnerships between US and China institutions affiliated with the China-US Joint Research Center for Ecosystem and Environmental Change. The inclusion of graduate students in the workshop will foster a greater global understanding of the impacts of their research, and a greater appreciation for the global community of scientists working in the area of sustainable energy production.