Surfactant and Bioenergy Research Center (SBRC) of the Institute for Research and Community Service – Bogor Agricultural University IPB LPPM) held an “International Conference on Biomass, Technology, Application and Sustainable Development; Sharing Knowledge and Experience on Biomass: Technology, Application and Sustainable Development “. It was held at the Tower Hotel Salak, Bogor (10-11 / 10). Chairman of the organizing committee, Prof. Dr. Erliza Hambali said that one of the biggest challenges in the utilization of biomass is the commercialization of high-quality, energy efficient, and less-waste products sustainably produced. He said that every country has different potential biomass, for example oil palm biomass which is widely available in Indonesia and Malaysia. Meanwhile, cassava and sugarcane are potential biomass in Thailand; rice in Vietnam, sugarcane in Brazil, and wood in Canada. “The potential biomass of such countries underlies the international conference on biomass,” said Prof Erliza. Rector of IPB, Prof. Dr. Herry Suhardiyanto said the use of biomass for renewable energy becomes important in responding to the issues of fossil fuels and environmental pollution. “Therefore, I strongly support and also thanked the SBRC-IPB’s initiative to hold an international conference, in cooperation with the Fund Manager of Oil Palm Plantation (BPDP),” he said.
