Fall has been a busy time period for ABO staff. Fresh off of a successful Summit, ABO has lots of momentum and has been out meeting with key stakeholders, convening advisory committee meetings, planning upcoming member programming and expanding our member affinity programs. Below are some highlights.
SAF Financing Workshop
ABO member company, Brightwave, LLC (www.brightwavellc.com) represented the ABO at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) invite-only SAF Financing Workshop in New York City on November 14th. The purpose of this workshop was to continue the agency’s goal of increasing widespread deployment of low-carbon sustainable aviation fuels. Feedstock and fuel producers, financiers, and airlines attended this event. Brightwave founders Tim Shaw and Ken Peretti represented algae’s role as a critical feedstock in SAF production. More pathways to SAF production are advantageous for the climate and for the economy – and essential to the airlines’ ability to decarbonize. Feedstock diversity is crucial to strengthening and expanding those pathways, and the ABO will continue to demonstrate how advanced algae production technologies can contribute. Key interactions and outreach at this workshop will continue to place algae front and center in ongoing discussions related to pathways to create a carbon neutral aviation fleet by 2050. Tim and Kevin shared their key findings with members of ABO’s SAF Advisory Committee. If you are interested in joining this committee, please contact Jon Kallen directly at jkallen@algaebiomass.org.
Algae in Iowa
ABO Executive Director Jon Kallen presented an overview of ABO to the state of Iowa’s Governor Reynolds staff and the Iowa Economic Development Director on November 14th. Jon was able to promote the key role algae will play in the economy of Iowa and the upper Midwest in the areas of SAF, regenerative agriculture, feed, food and wastewater treatment. ABO is proud to call Iowa home and looks to use our new headquarters office as a platform to grow the regions economy and open up markets for our members.
ABO Executive Director Jon Kallen was also keynote speaker at the Iowa Energy Center meeting on November 15th. The Iowa Energy Center is a state-run board and includes high level representatives from rate regulated utilities, the Iowa Utilities Board, Governor’s office, large Iowa companies and Iowa’s land grant universities. Jon provided an overview of ABO and highlighted the impacts of many of our member companies, universities and national laboratories.
ABO is heading to Europe
ABO Executive Director Jon Kallen will attend and speak at the upcoming EABA AlgaEurope conference in Prague in mid-December. Jon is looking to convene a meeting for ABO members attending this conference to meet with our counterparts with EABA and their members to discuss ways to enhance collaboration and communication between the U.S. and Europe. Please reach out to Jon if you are planning to attend EABA so you can participate in this dialogue.
ABO committees ramping up on SAF, Food & Feed, regenerative agriculture and government relations.
Our SAF and Water and Environmental Resources Advisory Committees held meetings in November to continue to develop policy positions and platforms to increase member collaboration and external outreach to key stakeholders. If you are interested in joining these committees please contact Jon at jkallen@algaebiomass.org. ABO is interested in resurrecting both the Feed and Food Committee and the Executive Policy Committee (government relations). We also have some interest in creating a Regenerative Agriculture Advisory Committee. If you are interested in joining please contact Jon.
More affinity programs for ABO members
Jon Kallen and Carrie Cox from ABO continue to meet with external partners to develop potential member affinity programs. Our friends at Eurofins Craft labs have agreed to continue their member discount for testing services program for 2024. We are also in discussions with marketing providers and benefits companies to potentially roll out member discount programs in these areas. For more information on the Eurofins Craft program, please contact Jon.
Don’t forget to renew your membership!
Also, it is that time of the year – member invoices are going out. We need you all to continue to grow ABO and be an effective and strong voice for the algae industry. We are a member supported organization and have tons of momentum and we need you all! You can join or renew via the ABO member portal here. Please contact Jon if you wish to discuss your current membership or rejoin ABO – we will go to work for you!!