Chemists from across the world share clean energy advances

The 1st International Conference on Clean Energy Science began today with hundreds of chemists from more than 25 countries worldwide taking part at the event in Dalian, China.

The conference, hosted by the Royal Society of Chemistry, will see experts in fields such as solar energy conversion, biofuels and biomass conversion, and CO2 capture and storage discussing the latest advances.

Among the key speakers will be Angelo Amorelli, BP Alternative Energy Director of Technology, discussing the energy landscape in 2011 and Jaephil Cho, Professor of the Interdisciplinary School of Green Energy, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, South Korea, discussing what compounds will power electric vehicles in the future.

Other topics being discussed by world experts include developments in energy storage, converting C02 into fuel and the future for clean coal and fossil fuels.

Although China is responsible for more C02 emissions than any other country, it is also now investing more money in clean energy than any country. Last year's ambitious new five-year energy plan saw China introduce two major targets for energy and the environment: to increase the use of non-fossil energy to 15 percent of primary energy consumption in 2020, and to reduce carbon intensity by 40 to 45 percent in 2020 from the 2005 levels. Development of new energies is a must to achieve these two targets, according to analysts.

Opening the conference at the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Professor Xinhe Bao, ICCES chairman, said: "This 1st International Conference on Clean Energy offers a unique opportunity for international researchers to discuss the latest developments in clean energy and energy storage research, and the fundamental issues surrounding the scientific challenges faced ahead. I am sure we will learn a significant amount over the coming days."

Notes to editors:

The ICCES is co-sponsored by the Chinese Academy of Sciences, BP and the RSC journal Energy and Environmental Science. The ICCES takes place from April 10-13 2011 at the Dalian Institute for Chemical Physics.