by Yevgeniya SIDOROVA, journalist The regular Biomass: Fuel and Energy International Congress took place in Moscow in April 2012. It was organized by the Russian Biofuel Association for exchange of knowledge and experience between scientists, representatives of national business and foreign companies, as well as public officials. The congress participants noted that rational use of renewable resources promoted not only development of economy and scientific potential of those countries which chose this course, but also, in perspective, improvement of ecological situation due to reduction of carbon dioxide and methane emissions into the atmosphere of our planet. The participants discussed production and utilization of engine and boiler fuels (ethanol, butanol, bio-oil, peat bricks, etc.) produced from renewable raw materials*. The experts expressed confidence that development of innovative economy in our country would be associated, not in the last turn, with formation of this industry. There are enough grounds for that end. FAVORABLE SITUATION At present the production of bioethanol and biodiesel has to be curtailed in Europe under the conditions of a financial crisis. However, there is no intention to abandon this component of car fuel, which lowers the level of exhaust gases. High quality standards of gasoline can be maintained upon condition of cooperation with countries possessing vast areas for cultivation of necessary agricultural crops. In other words, a favorable situation shapes well both for Russian agrarians and biotechnologists, whose potential was not used adequately up to now. This idea was advanced in a number of reports, including by Vladimir Baskov from the Russian Power Engineering Agency and Stepan Dudarev, coordinator of the Bioenergetics technological platform from the National Research Center "Kurchatov Institute". The latter noted that search for new sources of biomass for production of fuel and energy is ca ... Читать далее