Conference Programme and Presentations

The OECD Global Science Forum (GSF) two-day Conference on Scientific Challenges for Energy Research was organised in order to advance understanding of the scientific and technological challenges of a sustainable, mid-21st century energy system. The maturity, feasibility, principal scientific obstacles and R&D needs for new technologies were discussed, in the areas of:

• liquid fossil fuels and biofuels
• coal power and carbon capture and storage
• nuclear energy
• solar power and electricity networks & storage
• hydrogen and fuel cells

The conference aimed to strengthen ties between basic research priorities and the potential returns in the energy domain and to reveal opportunities for enhanced international scientific cooperation.

Audience

The audience was made up of research funding organisations and others concerned with energy research priorities. There were approximately 180 participants, including researchers from basic and applied fields, officials of funding agencies, parliamentarians, industrial R&D managers, representatives of international organisations in the energy policy domain, and relevant organisations from civil society . Attendance was by invitation.

Image © Getty Images\Michael Banks