MARINE OFFSHORE BIOREFINERY IN ISRAEL WORKSHOP, 24 MAY, 2017

Economy transition from fossil fuels to renewables is a great challenge for science, engineering, educators and policy maker in this century. One of the approaches to achieve this change is through biorefineries, where sustainably produced biomass is converted to food, chemical and fuels.

Land availability is a critical issue in future development of plants based biorefineries. Offshore production and processing of biomass can fill this gap and provide a new, mostly unaccounted source for future development. Yet, there are many challenges that offshore production and processing of biomass face.

The first workshop on Marine Offhore Biorefineries (MOBI) took place at the Porter School of Environmental Studies on 24 May 2017. The Workshop was organized jointly with the Embassy of Germany in Israel and Israel Ministry of Energy.

The workshop focused on diverse aspects needed for real-world implementation of Marine Biorefineries. It will include

• Operational Oceanography and Environmental conditions in the eastern Mediterranean
• Offshore Biomass Production (Upstream)
• Biomass Processing to Biofuels, Chemicals and Food (Downstream)
• Environmental Implications
• Economics
• Policy

Organizing Committee

Alexander Golberg – Porter School of Environmental Studies, Tel Aviv University
Yoav Lehahn – Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science
Alvaro Israel - National Institute of Oceanography
Avigdor Abelson – Department of Zoology, Tel Aviv University

Junior Organizing Committee – Porter School of Environmental Studies, Tel Aviv University

Arthur Robin
Meiron Zollmann
Noam Rosiansky
Andrey Rubin

Full Program Schedule

Energy from Offshore Kelp Farms: Technologies and Production of Laminarian Species
Prof. Dr. Bela Hieronymus Buck
Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (AWI)

Nutrient status and cycling in the Eastern Mediterranean
Prof. Michael David Krom
Haifa University

Economics of Macroalgae Utilization
Dr. Ruslana Palatnik
Yezreel Valley College and University of Haifa

Novel Methods (Microwave and Sonochemistry) for the conversion of Biomass to Biofuels
Prof. Aharon Gedanken
Bar-Ilan University

IMTA as a mitigation tool in stress-prone coastal environments
Prof.Avigdor Abelson
Tel Aviv University

Bio-Economic aspects of off-shore seaweed cultivation - food and energy security
Dr. Shiri Zemah Shamir
IDC Herzliya

Designer cellulosome technology for conversion of cellulosic biomass into biofuels
Prof. Edward Bayer
Weizmann Institute of Science

An Overview Of Seaweed Research & Cultivation Practices In Israel
Dr. Alvaro Israel
Israel Oceanographic & Limnological Research, Ltd.

Conversion of the power plants CO2 emissions into bio-coal  through algae cultivation
Dr. Gabriel Jinjikhashvily
Israel Electric Company

Environmental Conditions Offshore Israel, their Design Aspects, and Concepts of Floating Structures
Prof. Nitai Drimer
Technion

Model of techno-economical analysis for algae biofuels
Dr.Bracha Halaf
Ministy of National Infrastructures, Energy and Water Resources

Offshore marine biorefinery in Israel a consolidated approach to support bioeconomy and blue growth. Proposed Marine Biorefineries Research Center
Dr. Alexander Golberg
Tel Aviv University

Designing a consolidated microbial process for production of bioethanol from Ulva biomass
Prof. Ehud Banin
Bar Ilan University

Macroalgae- a potential new and renewable source for macronutrients
Prof.Yoav Livney
Technion

A quantitative management tool reflecting impact of nutrient enrichment from mariculture in the Levantine basin
Prof. Hezi Gildor
The Hebrew University

Biomass processing with solar energy
Prof. Abraham Kribus and Dr. Michael Epstein
Tel Aviv University

FBA modelling for two step fermentation biorefineries
Dr. Zohar Yakhini
IDC Herzliya

Introduction on offshore marine aquaculture planning efforts in Israel 
Eng. Noam Mozes
Ministery of Agriculture and Rural Development.

The Win-Wins of Wind Energy: German and European Initiatives in Algae and Marine Biodiversity Cultivation Linked to Offshore Wind Infrastructure
Prof. Miranda Schreurs
Technical University of Munich