Date: 31 July ，2007
This workshop was coordinated by Professor Hayashi Takahisa, a member of the Global COE. Based on the premise that plantation forests in Southeast Asia are promising production bases for bioethanol, four reports were given on the possibility of breeding using molecular biology and other techniques. Plant biomass, mainly from corn and sugarcane, is currently used as raw materials for bioethanol, but since these crops can also be used as food and feed, there is a need to develop low cost production of cellulosic ethanol using such timber. Along with domestically produced raw materials, there is a potential to convert pulp production based on plantation forests in Southeast Asia, especially acacia forests, to ethanol production, but with technological development necessary to achieve this. Professor Watanabe Takashi gave a report on how the American chemical industry is pouring massive R&D funds in developing a new key industry of “biorefineries” replacing oil refineries. Biomass, as a carbon-neutral resource, has the potential to become a key industry of the 21st century, by systematically producing chemical products, fuel and energy. Consequently, Japan needs to create a pan-Asian network covering Southeast Asia. (Sugihara Kaoru)