BIO Summit attendees explore new solutions to global energy challenges
January 1, 1970
BY Hope Deutscher
Web exclusive posted Sept. 19, 2008 at 3:48 p.m. CST
More than 400 business leaders and public officials gathered at the Pacific Rim Summit on Industrial Biotechnology and Bioenergy, Sept. 10-12 in Vancouver, British Columbia, to showcase new business models and public policies for commercializing advanced biofuel technology.
Session topics included: global energy, forestry and chemical industry partnerships; the path to a sustainable chemical industry; utilizing algae and marine bioresources; and third-generation biofuels: the pathway from biomass to green hydrocarbons.
Throughout the conference, speakers echoed the same sentiment – that both Canada and the United States have the opportunity to develop low carbon fuels through advanced biotechnology and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Chris Somerville, director of the Energy Biosciences Institute at the University of California Berkeley, and Don O'Connor, president of (S&T)² Consultants Inc., led the summit's opening plenary session on how advanced biofuels can reduce climate change emissions. Noting that two provinces are currently developing low carbon fuel standards similar to California, O'Connor said Canada must do something to address climate change. "Like any other activity, bioenergy and biofuels can be well done or poorly done," he said. "If they are done poorly, then the environmental and social benefits will not be delivered. It is not what you do but how you do it that creates an environmental benefit." O'Connor said Canada has made $500 million available to match investments in sustainable technologies for biofuels.
On the other hand, Somerville said the United States' energy future could be accomplished through advanced research. He defined "responsible biofuels" as those that don't displace food production, convert undeveloped land or increase erosion or runoff, but can reduce greenhouse gas emissions through a full life cycle analysis. "There is adequate land and a number of possible feedstocks that can be used to produce biofuels," Somerville said. "Further, there are new technologies that can lead to better biofuels."
BIO represents more than 1,200 biotechnology companies, academic institutions, state biotechnology centers and related organizations around the world. BIO members are involved in the research and development of innovative healthcare, agricultural, industrial and environmental biotechnology products.
According to BIO, the Pacific Rim Summit is the only global conference dedicated to building innovative collaborations in industrial biotechnology across the Pacific. The conference is co-organized by BIO, BIOTECanada, and Life Sciences British Columbia with additional support from BC Innovation Council, Genome British Columbia, Vancouver Economic Development Commission and Farris, Vaughan, Willis & Murphy LLP.
More than 400 business leaders and public officials gathered at the Pacific Rim Summit on Industrial Biotechnology and Bioenergy, Sept. 10-12 in Vancouver, British Columbia, to showcase new business models and public policies for commercializing advanced biofuel technology.
Session topics included: global energy, forestry and chemical industry partnerships; the path to a sustainable chemical industry; utilizing algae and marine bioresources; and third-generation biofuels: the pathway from biomass to green hydrocarbons.
Throughout the conference, speakers echoed the same sentiment – that both Canada and the United States have the opportunity to develop low carbon fuels through advanced biotechnology and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Chris Somerville, director of the Energy Biosciences Institute at the University of California Berkeley, and Don O'Connor, president of (S&T)² Consultants Inc., led the summit's opening plenary session on how advanced biofuels can reduce climate change emissions. Noting that two provinces are currently developing low carbon fuel standards similar to California, O'Connor said Canada must do something to address climate change. "Like any other activity, bioenergy and biofuels can be well done or poorly done," he said. "If they are done poorly, then the environmental and social benefits will not be delivered. It is not what you do but how you do it that creates an environmental benefit." O'Connor said Canada has made $500 million available to match investments in sustainable technologies for biofuels.
On the other hand, Somerville said the United States' energy future could be accomplished through advanced research. He defined "responsible biofuels" as those that don't displace food production, convert undeveloped land or increase erosion or runoff, but can reduce greenhouse gas emissions through a full life cycle analysis. "There is adequate land and a number of possible feedstocks that can be used to produce biofuels," Somerville said. "Further, there are new technologies that can lead to better biofuels."
BIO represents more than 1,200 biotechnology companies, academic institutions, state biotechnology centers and related organizations around the world. BIO members are involved in the research and development of innovative healthcare, agricultural, industrial and environmental biotechnology products.
According to BIO, the Pacific Rim Summit is the only global conference dedicated to building innovative collaborations in industrial biotechnology across the Pacific. The conference is co-organized by BIO, BIOTECanada, and Life Sciences British Columbia with additional support from BC Innovation Council, Genome British Columbia, Vancouver Economic Development Commission and Farris, Vaughan, Willis & Murphy LLP.
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