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Tuesday, February 02, 2010
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Hong Kong Biofuel Centre Launched

HONG KONG - Edinburgh Napier University and City University of Hong Kong (CityU) have formed a partnership to establish Hong Kong’s first Biofuel Research Centre.

The Centre will be the first of its kind in Hong Kong and will be a key component of CityU’s new School of Energy and Environment.

The Centre will address the rising global demand for sustainable and non-fossil-based fuels and Hong Kong’s urgent need to develop sustainable solutions to accommodate its ever-increasing volume of waste matter.

Edinburgh Napier University and CityU signed a Memorandum of Understanding to form a sister Biofuel Research Centre.

The focus of the new Centre will be on the development of renewable energy via second generation biofuels from a diverse range of non-food crops and waste matter.

Edinburgh Napier University is already home to the Biofuel Research Centre (BfRC) – the UK’s first research centre dedicated to the development of sustainable biofuel.

The Director of BfRC, Professor Martin Tangney, is an internationally recognised expert in microbial biofuel production and a key figure in the renewable energy sector in Scotland.

Edinburgh Napier University will initially help CityU recruit academic personnel for the new biofuel centre. Collaboration between the two universities will then be extended to joint research projects, student and faculty exchange programmes and joint partnerships with private industries in Hong Kong and Mainland China.

“Scotland is at the forefront of renewable energy research and this new partnership is an important step in the global search for new and more sustainable energy solutions,” said Professor Dame Joan Stringer, DBE, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of Edinburgh Napier University.

“Sustainability is a huge issue and one of Edinburgh Napier’s highest priorities. We have already had over 20 years of experience of working with partners in Hong Kong and this is another key collaboration.”

Professor Martin Tangney said: “Edinburgh Napier University’s Biofuel Research Centre has achieved international acclaim and we look forward to sharing our experiences and expertise in establishing this joint research centre at CityU. 2010 is a critical moment for renewable energy research.

"This is a tremendous opportunity for Hong Kong to become the R&D hub and commercialisation centre for renewable energy technologies in China and beyond. This is the decade where it will all happen.”

Professor Johnny Chan chung-leung, Dean of the CityU School of Energy and Environment, said: “This Centre represents a key development for the School of Energy and Environment at CityU.

"We expect that it will become an important hub for scientific research in the area of biofuel, which will eventually lead to the commercialisation of new technologies and enhance our professional education to benefit various sectors of society, including the government, industries, academia and the general public.”

TheBioenergySite News Desk


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