C-CJCBERI successfully organized “Collaboration Strategies Workshop on Bioenergy and Bioeconomy”

C-CJCBERI has organized a "Collaboration Strategies Workshop on Bioenergy and Bioeconomy" successfully in collaboration with Nexterra and FP Innovations on Feb 23rd. About 70 people from universities, institutions, public sectors, and industry in Canada and China attended the workshop. Dr. Xiaotao Tony Bi opened the workshop on behalf of the organizing committee, followed by welcome speeches by Dr. Marc Parlange, Dean of APSC and Mr. Weiwei Kong, Deputy Consul General of China. Other speakers include representatives from Global Affairs Canada, China Ministry of Science and Technology, Natural Resources Canada, International Energy Agency, Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada, NSERC, BC Ministry of Energy and Mines, UBC VP Research Office, C-CJCBERI, and the India-Canada Centre for Innovative Multidisciplinary Partnerships to Accelerate Community Transformation and Sustainability (IC-IMPACTS).

The goal of the workshop is to strengthen and expend the network on bioenergy and bioeconomy within Canada as well as between Canada and China. After the mutual visits of Canadian PM Justin Trudeau and Chinese PM Li Keqiang in 2016, clean energy technology became one of the major areas that the two countries aim to develop collaboratively. Both countries have rich bio-resources and recognize the values of bioenergy and bioeconomy for a cleaner and sustainable environment. We believe that it is the right time now for researchers in both countries to exchange ideas, form partnerships so that a solid collaborative work plan can be developed.

The presentations in the morning sessions covered various topics, including clean energy status in Canada, China, and BC; NCE and NSERC network programs overview; current collaborations between Canada and China as well as between Canada and India; and Asia-Pacific business and trade. In the afternoon, the attendees had focused on discussions on the opportunities and challenges of bioenergy R&D, market and policy, and supply and commercialization. The workshop was concluded with a summary of the discussions and a preliminary plan for the next steps.

The workshop was sponsored by NSERC and UBC VP Research, and Chemical and Biological Engineering Department provided logistics support. The Organizing Committee members are Dr. Xiaotao Tony Bi, Director, C-CJCBERI; Dan Green, Executive Director, Innovative Clean Energy (ICE) Fund, BC Ministry of Energy and Mines; Dr. Xuantian Li, Principal Engineer and Group Leader, NORAM Engineering and Constructors Ltd.; Cliff Mui, VP Product Development, Nexterra Systems Corp.; Dr. Jack Saddler, Task Leader, IEA Bioenergy Task 39; Dr. Douglas Singbeil, Research Manager, Process Engineering, FPInnovations; Dr. Jamie Stephen, Managing Director, TorchLight Bioresources.

Here is the program of the workshop. To learn more about the workshop please contact info@ccjcberi.center.