ABO Blog

Industry leaders to highlight pathways to commercial production of algae-derived fuel, feed and other valuable products

Orlando, FL (August 8, 2013) –The 7^th Annual Algae Biomass Summit, taking place in Orlando, Florida, September 30-October 3 will showcase the rapid advances in the algae industry during the Innovation on the Road to Commercialization track of the world’s largest algae conference.  Through more than 30 presentations, algae industry professionals, global business leaders and government officials will inform audiences about the wide variety of commercialization paths for algae-based products such as fuels, animal feed, nutritional products, bioplastics and chemicals.

“An impressive array of companies and researchers will present at this year’s summit addressing innovation and advancements to commercialization across the value chain and markets for algae products,” said Mark Allen, Vice President of Integrated Carbon Solutions at Accelergy and Chair of the Summit’s Commercialization Track. “Their presentations promise to reveal how algae derived foods, fuels and products can continue to be offered to new customers. Increases in cultivation yields, harvesting techniques and innovative product design are bringing these alternative products to a wide spectrum of customers.”

Highlights from the Road to Commercialization presentations include:

• Tales from the Other Side: Crossing the Valley of Death in the Algae Industry
  Nick Donowitz, Director, Corporate Development, Heliae

• Shifting Focus From Fuels to Foods: How to Enter the Food, Feed, and Nutraceutical Markets
  Greg Sower, Manager, ENVIRON International Corp

• Enhancing the Economic Model of Algal Bio-Products
  Dil Vashi, Manager, Corporate Development, Solutions4CO2 Inc.

• A Place for Algal Biofuels Within the Energy-Water-Food Nexus
  Philip Pienkos, Principal Group Manager, National Bioenergy Center, National Renewable Energy Laboratory 

The Innovation on the Road to Commercialization track is one of three tracks, plus plenary sessions and posters, which comprise the agenda for the Algae Biomass Summit. In total, there are expected to be more than 110 live presentations during the Summit. The 2012 Algae Biomass Summit was attended by more than 800 stakeholders from more than 25 countries across the algae industry. Organizers are expecting an even larger turnout for this year’s event.

The Summit comes at a time when industry is increasingly looking for new sources of alternative fuels, feed stocks, and consumer products. Products made from algae are the natural solution to the energy, food, economic, and climate challenges facing the world today. This tiny powerful organism has the ability to simultaneously put fuels in vehicles, reuse CO₂, provide nutrition for animals and people and create jobs for millions of Americans. More information can be found at www.allaboutalgae.com.

The Algae Biomass Summit is produced by the Algae Biomass Organization (ABO), the trade association for the US algae Industry. More information about the Summit, including early bird registration rates that expire August 19^th, can be found at www.algaebiomasssummit.org.

About the Algae Biomass Organization

The Algae Biomass Organization (ABO) is a 501 c(6) non-profit whose mission is to promote the development of viable commercial markets for renewable and sustainable commodities derived from algae. Its membership is comprised of people, companies and organizations across the value chain. More information about ABO, including its leadership, membership, costs, benefits and members and their affiliations, is available at the website:www.algaebiomass.org.

This past Friday at the Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences’ National Center for Marine Algae and Microbiota (NCMA) in East Boothbay, Maine, the public was invited to an open house that was also the first Summer of Algae event of 2013.

Reports are that hundreds turned out the visit NCMA facility for tours that featured talks on the importance of maintaining the diversity of NCMA’s collection for future research in the biotechnology industry. Microscopes were also available for the attendees to view the strains close up.

Plenty of algae-related souvenirs were also available. Check out the “Got Algae” shirts in the picture on Bigelow’s Facebook page:

The Summer of Algae is ABO’s annual campaign of open-houses and educational events to raise awareness about the promise of commercial algae production to create jobs, domestic fuels, feed and food products, as well as plastics and biochemicals.

The series of open-house style events and news announcements gives local and national officials an opportunity to experience the research, products and jobs being created by leading algae companies and research institutions.

Read ABO’s press release of last week for a list of participating ABO members.