• In the last session of 2009, discussed the production of biofuels from the trees, a situation that would be very favorable to Chile because of the conditions of the forest industry.
• More than 650 people attended the coffee cycle that began in May this year.
• Activity framed in the 90 years at the University of Concepción, Concepción consolidated as a reference about the popularization of science.
With the theme "Biofuels from trees: utopia or reality?", He end the Browns junior scientists in our city to about fifty people who discussed the need for biofuels in our country. The event, hosted as usual by the Biotechnology Center at the University of Concepción (CBUdeC), the Explora CONICYT Bío Bío and Extension Department of the University of Concepcion, was held at the House of Art at the University of Concepción.
The guest on this occasion was the Director of the Center for Biotechnology UdeC, Dr. Jaime Rodriguez, who spoke about energy policy, the short time remaining motor oil as a source of our current society, such as Brazil and Latin America , national news on this issue, global warming, among other topics.
Rodriguez started the conversation about oil and its imminent end. "Oil every day is going to be getting scarcer. We have to worry about energy policies and no doubt bioenergy will be a vital element in this problem " said.
Where will the energy we need to maintain our standard of living? One of the questions that the world is questioned today, and Chile is in a very bad situation to speak of a country self-sufficient in energy.
According to Rodríguez, Chile imports 72% of the energy and oil, 98%. "It's as if we have oil. The 2% is useless. The 96% we import coal because ours is not of good quality. "
For the expert, the only possible solution in the short term to improve the energy situation in our country, and mass is the use of liquid fuels, specifically ethanol. " biofuels in general, being renewable, help diversify energy sources and reduce dependence on imported oil."
Other doubts were cleared during the debate was: Can we (as a country) bioenergy and food while being power? For Rodriguez, an alternative is needed that does not compete with food resources because it brings social and political problems. "If we start to plant instead of food, plantations that are processed into biofuels, poor countries will die of hunger. Or if you want wheat and we began to turn into ethanol, the next day the price of bread soars. " Positive
balance
The session ended with the energy comparison has the advantage that Brazil with the rest of South America because not only has vast deposits of oil, but have also instilled a "green" policy and developed biotechnology for production of biofuels. "Brazilians are finally 'free', are completely energy independent. No need to import any single drop of oil, sell oil, ethanol and sell it they can say for about 3 years ago. "
The debate continued with the round of questions from the audience and ended after 2 hours of discussion to take place, for this year, a cherished dream finally came true and which are carried out with achieving success in our city to raise the attention of schoolchildren, university students, Concepción.
