Biotechnology Companies Are Leading The Way To Sustainable Biofuels, Clean Manufacturing

Main Category: Pharma Industry / Biotech Industry
Article Date: 18 Jun 2008 - 6:00 PDT

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Biotech companies say advanced biofuels and cleantech manufacturing can offer consumers 'green' options and provide solutions to energy and environmental global challenges. California-based industrial biotechnology companies discussed the cutting-edge technology they are developing to improve manufacturing of chemicals and advanced biofuels from sustainable biomass feedstocks during the Leadership Summit on Biofuels and Cleantech, held today in conjunction with the BIO International Convention.

Brent Erickson, executive vice president of BIO's Industrial & Environmental Section, stated, "Consumers today are demanding products that have real environmental benefits. This demand is creating market and investment opportunities for products and production processes made with the help of industrial biotechnology, including advanced biofuels. Biotechnology is the key to sustainable production of chemicals, biofuels and many other biobased products from renewable raw materials.

"Industrial biotechnology is providing new tools for producing chemicals, plastics, and biobased products that reduce pollution and costs associated with manufacturing. By providing these benefits, biotechnology is helping to create a new green revolution based on molecular systems that replace older technologies."

The Leadership Summit featured two roundtable sessions, on "Sustainable Biofuels: Where Do We Go From Here?" and "The Biotech-Cleantech Nexxus," with executives from leading California industrial biotechnology companies and analysts from top venture investment firms:

- Carlos A. Riva, President, CEO, and Director, Verenium
- Richard Hamilton, Ph.D., President & CEO, Ceres, Inc.
- Robert F. Walsh, III, President, LS9, Inc
- Christophe Schilling, Ph.D., President, Genomatica, Inc
- Marianne Wu, Partner, Mohr Davidow Ventures
- Roger Wyse, Ph.D., Managing Director, Burrill & Company

For additional information on how industrial biotechnology is sparking a new and cleaner industrial revolution, see BIO's report, "New Biotech Tools for a Cleaner Environment" at http://bio.org/ind/pubs/cleaner2004/.

The BIO International Convention, the world's largest gathering of the biotechnology industry, runs through Friday, June 20.

The "Advanced Biofuels & Climate Change Information Center" presents the latest commentary and data on the environmental and other impacts of biofuel production. Drop in and add your comments, at http://biofuelsandclimate.wordpress.com/.

BIO represents more than 1,200 biotechnology companies, academic institutions, state biotechnology centers and related organizations across the United States and in more than 30 other nations. BIO members are involved in the research and development of innovative healthcare, agricultural, industrial and environmental biotechnology products. BIO also produces the BIO International Convention, the world's largest gathering of the biotechnology industry, along with industry-leading investor and partnering meetings held around the world.

Upcoming BIO Events

-- 2008 BIO International Convention
June 17-20, 2008
San Diego, Calif.

-- Pacific Rim Summit on Industrial Biotechnology and Bioenergy
Sept. 10-12, 2008
Vancouver, BC

-- BIO Investor Forum 2008
October 29-31, 2008
San Francisco, CA

-- BIO-Europe 2008
November 17-19, 2008
Mannheim/Heidelberg, Germany

http://www.bio.org