Author: Carrie Cox

Algae Biomass Organization Applauds Senator Boxer & Senate Environment and Public Works Committee for Inclusion of Algae-based Fuels in Climate Bill

ABO believes provisions will strengthen algae industry, promote development and commercialization of algae-based fuels

WASHINGTON, D.C. – October 28, 2009 – The Algae Biomass Organization (ABO), the leading trade association for the industry, today recognized the leadership of Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Chair of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, for including the RFS amendment offered by Senator Jeff Bingaman (D-NM), Chair of the Senate Energy Committee, and Senator Tom Carper (D-DE) in the Chairman’s mark of the Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act (S. 1733). The amendment effectively levels the playing field for advanced green biofuel feedstocks, and recognizes the potential of algae to reduce CO2 emissions, create jobs and increase the nation’s energy independence.

The key provision in the chairman’s mark clarifies the mandates outlined in the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS) of the Clean Air Act. The “Advanced Green Biofuels” amendment establishes greenhouse gas reduction targets for the fuels produced from the renewable biomass and clarifies that algae and other renewable biomass which meet these standards qualify under the RFS.

“By adding the Bingaman-Carper amendment, Senator Boxer and her colleagues on the Senate Committee on the Environment and Public Works have addressed one of the biggest challenges to commercialization of algae-based biofuels – parity with other feedstocks,” said Mary Rosenthal, Executive Director of the ABO. “Since algae-based fuels meet the requirements of the RFS for emissions reductions and renewable biomass, it is only fair that they be treated the same as other feedstocks.”

In addition, ABO recognized the participation and leadership of Senator Tom Udall (D-NM) and Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) who supported algae-based fuels during the process.

About the ABO
The Algae Biomass Organization (ABO) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to promote and advocate for the development of commercially-viable transportation and power generation fuels as well as other non-energy applications for algae biomass. 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.

Contact:
John Williams, Scoville PR for ABO
206-625-0075,  jwilliams@scovillepr.com

2009 Algae Biomass Summit Expecting Record Number of Speakers & Presentations

More than 800 industry experts to attend three-day event designed to encourage knowledge sharing and highlight advances in industry

SEATTLE – September 8, 2009 – The 2009 Algae Biomass Summit, the official conference of the Algae Biomass Organization (ABO) and the algae industry’s premier global conference, announced today it is expecting to draw more than 800 attendees for a three-day event exploring the development of algae-based solutions to global energy, environmental, and economic issues. The third annual summit, which will take place October 7-9, 2009 in San Diego, will also include a record number of more than 70 expert speakers, 70 poster presentations and 25 exhibitors, providing attendees a wide range of information and expertise on the algae industry.

“The quality of speakers and presenters, record number of abstract submissions and high registrations for this year’s Algae Biomass Summit reflects the growing promise of algae as a crucial source for clean and renewable energy,” said Thomas Byrne, Chair of the ABO’s Event Committee and founder of Byrne & Company Ltd. “This conference will be the premier event for the industry and will provide a preeminent platform for cooperation and advancement in algal technology and policy.”

The ABO has posted the final conference agenda, which features dozens of presentations from national and international technologists, producers, scientists, investors, and policy-makers. During the course of the event, these leaders and the hundreds of attendees will discuss issues of critical importance to the emerging algae industry, including the commercial viability of algae production, current government and private initiatives, evolving technologies, processing concepts, and venture and project finance.

Dr. J. Craig Venter, a well-known leader in genomics and the founder of Synthetic Genomics, Inc., will open the summit with his keynote presentation titled “From Reading to Writing the Genetic Code.” Also featured at the summit will be a tribute session to Ralph Lewin, “the father of green algae genetics”, a distinguished scientist, author and professor, who spent nearly 50 years at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California, San Diego.

The Algae Biomass Summit’s founding sponsors are Byrne & Co Ltd and Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati. Additional sponsors include FedEx, Raytheon, The Boeing Company, Airbus, Stoel Rives, Invitrogen, and Sapphire Energy.

More information, including registration for the 2009 Summit, is available online: www.algaebiomass.org/events.

About the ABO
The Algae Biomass Organization (ABO) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to promote and advocate for the development of commercially-viable transportation and power generation fuels as well as other non-energy applications for algae biomass. 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.

Media Contact:
John Williams, Scoville PR for ABO
206-625-0075,  jwilliams@scovillepr.com

Algae Biomass Organization Provides Comments for U.S. DOE’s National Algal Biofuels Technology Roadmap

Industry trade organization commends government efforts and urges further leadership

SEATTLE – August 12, 2009 – The Algae Biomass Organization (ABO), the trade association for the algae industry, today posted a copy of its comments it provided to the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Algal Biofuels Technology Roadmap on its website. The ABO encouraged DOE to do three things: provide a clear vision for its plans for algae-based fuels and energy; promote public-private partnerships to accelerate commercialization; and give algae parity with other feedstocks with regard to tax incentives, regulatory and other federal policies.

The comment period is the culmination of a nearly year-long process of information gathering from the DOE’s Office of Biomass Program. Beginning in December, when the DOE hosted a series of briefings until last week’s conclusion of the commenting period, the Office of Biomass Program has been working with scientists, academics, researchers, entrepreneurs, large companies and end users to more fully understand the potential for algae and best practices to commercialization.

The ABO along with member organizations have provided key insights throughout the process through testimony at workshops, briefings with DOE staff and elected officials, as well as the comments submitted to the DOE.

“The DOE Roadmap process is an important first step to identifying both barriers and opportunities for commercialization of next generation fuels and energy derived from algal-biomass,” said Mary Rosenthal, executive director of the ABO. “The ABO and our members hope this feedback will help the DOE more clearly understand not only the tremendous potential of algae, but also the practical steps needed to take to accelerate the fulfillment of that potential.”

The ABO’s three key recommendations for the DOE Roadmap were:

Provide a clearly defined destination: The Roadmap lacks a clearly defined and government authored vision for the industry in terms of productivity, sustainability, interface with other industries, and job creation. The ABO advocates that the Roadmap make recommendations on the research priorities required to achieve this vision given the current state of algal development. Accordingly, the ABO advises this new vision section of the roadmap should clearly point out how algae’s key attribute (beneficial reuse of CO2) will best meld into and transform the present industrial ecosystem into meeting our nation’s long-term environmental, jobs and energy security goals.

Promote public-private partnership: Because the private industry has the most up-to-date understanding of the specific techno-economic requirements for building and scaling an algae industry, the ABO recommends a public-private collaborative forum be convened to identify the most pressing research required to achieve a sustainable, productive and rapidly scalable algal industry. The ABO believes this forum should be ongoing to track the necessarily rapid public and private advancements within this industry.

Develop financial parity with other feedstocks: The ABO believes a key element to the success of algae biofuels industry will be the public and private investments that are made. Accordingly, the ABO believes the government should establish a system of financial and non-financial incentives that are in parity with other renewable energy technologies. The ABO supports an approach which would be focused on national economic and environmental outcomes rather than technology specific policies.

The ABO believes with the U.S. Government’s continued support, the industry will make a significant impact on addressing the country’s need to achieve a more secure energy future while also reducing the carbon footprint of its energy options. A copy of the full comments is available on the ABO website..

About the ABO
The Algae Biomass Organization (ABO) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to promote and advocate for the development of commercially-viable transportation and power generation fuels as well as other non-energy applications for algae biomass. 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.

Contact:
John Williams, Scoville PR for ABO
206-625-0075,  jwilliams@scovillepr.com

2009 Algae Biomass Summit Announces J. Craig Venter as Keynote

Registration for premier algae industry conference now open

SEATTLE – July 22, 2009 – The 2009 Algae Biomass Summit announced today that J. Craig Venter, Ph.D., renowned scientist and CEO of Synthetic Genomics Inc (SGI), will be the keynote speaker at this year’s event. The Algae Biomass Summit is the official conference of the Algae Biomass Organization (ABO) and takes place this year October 7-9 in San Diego. Registration for the conference is now available at  www.algaebiomass.org/events/.

The Algae Biomass Summit is the algae industry’s premier global conference and is designed to highlight scientific advances and encourage knowledge sharing to accelerate the development of algae-based solutions for global energy, environmental and economic issues.

Dr. Venter, who is well known as a leader in genomics for sequencing the first draft human genome in 2001 and his complete human genome in 2007, is the co-founder of SGI, which is dedicated to using genomic-driven advances to address a variety of global issues including energy and the environment. SGI recently announced a $600 million alliance with ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company to develop next generation biofuels using photosynthetic algae. Prior to this announcement, SGI announced deals with BP in exploring biological conversion of subsurface hydrocarbons and a deal with Malaysian company, ACGT to explore oil producing crops such as oil palm and jatropha. His presentation at the Algae Biomass Summit is titled “From reading to writing the genetic code.”

“Dr. Venter is a scientific pioneer and strong advocate for next generation biofuels,” said Mary Rosenthal, executive director of the Algae Biomass Organization. “He is applying his success with genomes in ways that have the potential to help algae-based solutions deliver on the promise of renewable and sustainable energy.”
In 1995 Dr. Venter and his team of researchers decoded the genome of the first free-living organism, the bacterium Haemophilus influenzae, using his new whole genome shotgun technique. Since then, he and his teams have now sequenced hundreds of genomes using his techniques and tools.

Dr. Venter, formerly a researcher at the National Institutes of Health, is the author of more than 200 research articles and the recipient of numerous honorary degrees, public honors, and scientific awards, including the 2001 Paul Ehrlich and Ludwig Darmstaedter Prize, and the 2002 Gairdner Foundation International Award. He is also a member of the National Academy of Sciences. Dr. Venter has also been selected twice to  Time (magazine)” Time Magazine’s “Time 100” Time 100” list of the most influential people in the world.

About the ABO
The Algae Biomass Organization (ABO) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to promote and advocate for the development of commercially-viable transportation and power generation fuels as well as other non-energy applications for algae biomass. 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.

Contact:
John Williams, Scoville PR for ABO
206-625-0075,  jwilliams@scovillepr.com

Algae Biomass Organization Names Mary Rosenthal Executive Director

Experienced public affairs professional with sustainability experience to help organization advance algae industry

SEATTLE – July 8, 2009 – The Algae Biomass Organization (ABO) today announced the appointment of Mary Rosenthal as the organization’s first Executive Director. Rosenthal’s main focus will be to help the organization accelerate the development of the algal industry through increasing awareness of the benefits of algae among commercial industry, the general public and policymakers.

Rosenthal has more than 20 years experience in marketing and communications – both with large multinational corporations and entrepreneurial public relations agencies. Most recently, she was the director of Communications and Public Affairs for NatureWorks LLC (NatureWorks), a multi-million dollar business unit and joint venture between Cargill and Teijin of Japan. NatureWorks is the world’s largest manufacturer of bioplastics – the Ingeo™ family of polymers used for packaging, fibers, and non-woven applications.
“I’ve spent the past four years immersed in the world of sustainable plastics, so I am well aware of the huge potential for algae to serve many different needs, including fuel, food and chemicals,” said Rosenthal. “I’m also aware of the challenges involved in bringing new technology to market, and will apply that knowledge and experience to my role with ABO.”

Prior to joining the NatureWorks, Rosenthal served as a vice president of Fleishman-Hillard, part of Omincom, one of the ten largest PR firms in the world. She has also held executive positions with food industry companies including Sartori Foods and Grace Cocoa (now ADM Cocoa).

“This is a pivotal time for the algae industry, and ABO members will benefit from focused and centralized leadership,” said Billy Glover, managing director of Environmental Strategy for Boeing Commercial Airplanes “The ABO, with has representatives from a cross section of the industry, is increasingly turned to as a source for information, guidance and action. Mary’s experience is a perfect fit and we’re looking forward to supporting her in taking the organization to the next level.”

Founded one year ago, the Algae Biomass Organization (ABO) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to promote and advocate for the development of commercially-viable transportation and power generation fuels as well as other non-energy applications for algal biomass. During the past 12 months, members of the organization’s board as well as several member companies have been called upon by members of Congress and other policymakers for information on technical issues and economic and environmental benefits of a thriving algae industry.

The ABO will present the third annual Algae Biomass Summit October 7-9, 2009 at the Marriot San Diego Hotel & Marina in San Diego, California. During the course of the event, leaders and attendees will discuss issues of critical importance to the emerging algal industry, including the commercial viability of algal production, current government and private initiatives, evolving technologies, processing concepts, life cycle analysis and venture/project finance. The ABO is still accepting proposals for papers and presentations – information is available via the website.

About the ABO
The Algae Biomass Organization (ABO) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to promote and advocate for the development of commercially-viable transportation and power generation fuels as well as other non-energy applications for algae biomass. 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.

Contact:
John Williams, Scoville PR for ABO
206-625-0075,  jwilliams@scovillepr.com