A new memorandum of understanding will see Scion working more closely with the Sandia National Laboratories in the United States. Following a meeting of the New Zealand-United States Joint Commission on Science and Technology Co-operation in Rotorua on January 25, Rotorua's Crown research institute has signed the memorandum focusing on low-carbonenergy technology research. Scion chief executive Tom Richardson said there was much to be gained from US-NZ scientific collaboration in this field as both countries saw potential in creating new energy products from renewable resources. New Zealand had decades of research into creating energy from woody residues and was in a strong position to both contribute to and benefit from the large US research investment, said Mr Richardson. Sandia National Laboratories is a government-owned, contractor-operated facility aimed at supporting the United States national security through scientific developments in this area as well as nuclear weapons, defence systems and protection against terrorism. Transportation energy centre director Bob Carling said the collaboration would explore key research topics including biofuels supply chain analysis, renewable energy and alternative transportation fuels and analysis of energy resource models and systems. "The effort is aimed at leveraging complementary capabilities at each institution and furthering the strategic objectives in these areas for each party," he said. It is the first official memorandum of understanding signed relating to the organisation's Hub for Innovation in the Transportation Energy Community, which has worked with the likes of General Motors and other major US car makers. With its main laboratories in New Mexicoa and California, Sandia operates for the Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration. It has major research and development responsibilities in national security, energy and environmental technologies and economic competitiveness. In a press release highlighting the new memorandum, Scion is described as being dedicated to building a stronger bio-based economy for New Zealand, with a focus on applying a deep knowledge of plantation forestry, wood and fibre to the development of new biomaterials and energy from renewable plant resources.
