Climate Change: Are New Policies An Opportunity Or Barrier To The Biofuel, Renewable Chemicals Industries?

Main Category: Pharma Industry / Biotech Industry
Article Date: 08 Jul 2009 - 7:00 PDT

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Pending climate change legislation and regulations for the Renewable Fuel Standard are creating an uncertain environment for investment in advanced biofuels and biobased chemicals. The Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) announced that executives of biofuel and industrial biotechnology companies as well as representatives of NGOs will offer their views on how the industry might fare under carbon accounting rules during the 2009 World Congress on Industrial Biotechnology and Bioprocessing, to be held July 19-22, 2009 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

Brent Erickson, executive vice president of BIO's Industrial and Environmental Section, said, "Growth and development of clean-tech and green product companies offer opportunities for future economic growth and the new green jobs that political leaders are talking about. Executives from companies on the cutting-edge of the industry will meet in July at BIO's World Congress on Industrial Biotechnology and Bioprocessing to share perspectives on the ability of the industry to achieve projected growth and the policies that could help or obstruct them. The World Congress has grown into the premier event for leaders from the biotechnology and bioprocessing industries, academia, and science community."

Specific panel sessions and workshops examining the U.S. policy environment include:

Biofuel Carbon Accounting Systems and Policies
Monday July 20, 8:45 a.m. - 10:15 a.m EDT
This panel will discuss biofuels and carbon policies being considered in the U.S. and abroad and their implications for the future of the biofuels market.

- Jill Euken, Iowa State University, Office of Biotechnology
- John Miranowski, Iowa State University
- Ian Purtle, Cargill, Inc
- Tristan Brown, Iowa State University

Sustainable Biofuel Certification Costs and Benefits
Monday July 20, 2:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. EDT
This panel will assess the utility of sustainable biofuel certification in the context of emerging regulatory policies of the United States, the European Union and other markets.

- Jane Earley, Earley & White Consulting Group, LLC
- Jason Potts, International Institute for Sustainable Development
- Gary Gero, California Climate Action Registry
- Jeffrey Frost, AgRefresh

U.S. Climate Change Legislation - Impacts on Biotechnology Industry.
Wednesday, July 22 7:15 a.m. - 8:45 a.m
This workshop will provide a political prognosis on enactment of U.S. legislation and examine its relationship to the upcoming international meetings in Copenhagen on the successor to the Kyoto Protocol.

- Mark Perlis, Partner, Dickstein Shapiro LLP;
- Matthew Carr, Policy Director, BIO.

Issues in Feedstock Procurement, Regulation and Storage
Wednesday, July 22 3:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m
This panel will discuss an extensive study of 24 cellulosic biofuel pilot plants examining how the technologies and biomass composition suit the location.

- Ronald Lundquist, Fish & Richardson PC
- Subbu Kumarappan, Michigan State University
- Rasto Ivanic, Mendel Biotechnology, Inc
- Bruce Ferguson, Edenspace Systems Corporation
- Megan Marshall, Pennsylvania State University

The annual World Congress on Industrial Biotechnology and Bioprocessing is the original and only conference dedicated solely to industrial biotechnology and the most recent advancements in the field. Now in its sixth year, the conference will move to its largest venue to date, the Palais des congrès de Montréal (the Montreal Convention Centre). The conference web site is http://www.bio.org/worldcongress.

All programs at the World Congress on Industrial Biotechnology and Bioprocessing are open to attendance by members of the media. Registration for the World Congress is complimentary for credentialed members of the news media. Reporters and editors working full-time for print, broadcast, and online news organizations may register onsite with valid media credentials. All freelancers, college and online publications are strongly encouraged to register in advance. For more information, please visit http://www.bio.org/worldcongress/Media/Registration.asp.

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.

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

Source
The Biotechnology Industry Organization