Journal of Fundamentals of Renewable Energy and Applications
Open Access
ISSN: 2090-4541
+44 1300 500008
ISSN: 2090-4541
+44 1300 500008
Frank Rosillo-Calle
Scientific Tracks Abstracts: J Fundam Renewable Energy Appl
The food versus fuel debate (FvF) is as old issue that refuses to go away. It has been plagued with many and often trivial
arguments, and ethical, moral and policy considerations rather than by a solid scientific debate. This specific session will
try to move beyond this old debate and focuson the “food and fuel” argument, in light of new evidence given the many and
intertwined considerations that affect biofuels. In particular this session will consider the following:
• Food Security and its wider implications for food production and biofuels
• Agricultural modernization and impacts on biofuels
• Land use changes [direct (DLUC) and indirect (iLUC)]
• Sustainability issues (environmental, social and economic)
Biomass for energy plays, and will continue to play, a major role in global energy supply. We need to improve our
understanding of the wider implications and interactions. For example, the argument of undernourishment and the expansion
of biofuels must be seen within the context of huge food waste, poor agricultural productivity, and lack of infrastructure, obesity,
diets changes, and social injustice. As for environmental sustainability, it often overlooks the impacts of fossil fuels, failing to
apply the same principle to all energy sources, with too much emphasis on GHG. In the case of social sustainability, now required
for all biofuels, it deals with neither underlying fundamentals e.g. applying the same principles to food production or with wider
social and policy implications. DLUC also needs to be re-visited, particularly iLUC in light of new evidence. There are many
and diverse models dealing with iLUC with a wide range of solutions given the nature, dynamism, and complexity of land use
changes. In the specific case of iLUC it is very difficult, almost impossible, to model such effects because of the innumerable
unproven assumptions; and hence it is often a case of just mere observations. Also, modelling has focused primarily on GHG
in detriment of many other factors. DLUC/iLUC suffers from a restricted and incomplete analysis which has resulted, in most
cases, in a negative assessment of biofuels. A more complete assessment could show a very different outcome. iLUC in particular
needs to move forward to deal with this high degree of uncertainty to attract new investment on biofuels.
Frank Rosillo Calle has done PhD in Biological Sciences and Policy, in the year 1985 from University of Aston. He has been working in the area of biomass for energy
for more than 30 years. His areas of interests are: Biomass resource assessment, biomass energy (production, conversion and use, biofuels), agriculture, biofuels and
food security implications. He has published about 100 research articles in the respective area. He is also the Editorial Board Member and advisor of various scientific
journals. He has worked on EU funded Projects on Biomass Energy since early 1990s. He also acted as Consultant in biomass energy for over 30 years which include
Rockefeller Foundation’s GlobalEnvironmental Leadership Programme 1991-1992, BUN, FAO, The Beijer Institute/SEI, UNDPCSD, Shell International, WEC, OTA
of the US Congress, DTI, SOPAC-South Pacific Applied Geo-science Commission, etc. He also acted as Coordinator of a British Council/CESPES project in Brazil-
Kings College London (KCL)/BUN, 1996-1999, Coordinator of British Council, KCL- Jos University, Nigeria, Higher Education Exchange, 1999-2002. He has been UK
Representative of the IEA Bioenergy Task 40 from 2004 to 2012. He has taught biomass energy-related subjects to PhD and MSc level at Universities of Campinas
and Manaus, Brazil, King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonbury, Bangkok, Thailand; and Basque Country (Bilbao), Oviedo and Vigo, Spain.