Category: Press

Former director at Biotechnology Industry Organization to lead efforts to commercialize algae-derived fuel, food, feed and other products 

WASHINGTON, DC (June 18, 2014) The Algae Biomass Organization (ABO), the trade association for the algae industry, today announced Matthew Carr, Ph.D. as its executive director. Dr. Carr has more than a decade of policy and advocacy experience, most recently serving as Managing Director of the Industrial and Environmental section at the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO). He will be focused on continuing to develop ABO’s membership and lead the organization’s efforts to accelerate the development of algae technologies that serve trillion-dollar markets in fuels, feed, food and chemical industries.

Dr. Carr’s appointment comes at a time of growth in the algae industry. Increasing numbers of companies are manufacturing a range of sustainable products from algae, including biofuels, animal feeds, Omega-3 fatty acids, plastics, chemicals and pharmaceuticals.  Yet there are still a variety of regulatory issues, typical with this type of disruptive innovation, which must be addressed for the industry to fully access these markets.

“Matt is well-known and respected throughout the biotech community and among government and policy officials on The Hill and Administration,” said Margaret McCormick, chair of ABO’s board of directors. “His ability to develop strong relationships with member companies, understand and articulate their business challenges, as well as his expertise in the issues facing the algae industry make Matt the perfect fit for ABO.”

Dr. Carr spent nearly a decade at BIO, the world’s largest trade association representing biotechnology companies, academic institutions, state biotechnology centers and related organizations across the US and more than 30 other nations. Dr. Carr focused on biotechnology companies who are developing new products and technologies derived from renewable sources or manufactured in sustainable processes. He helped them navigate the complex regulatory environment and create mutually beneficial outcomes for consumers, government and the companies themselves.

“I’ve had the pleasure of working alongside ABO and several of its members during the past five years on ensuring that federal and state policy supports the growth of the biobased economy.  I have admired the passion and potential for this industry to make a significant impact on our nation’s economic, energy and food security,” said Dr. Carr. “I am honored to be joining the organization and looking forward to the road ahead.”

Prior to joining BIO, Dr. Carr was the American Meteorological Society Congressional Fellow on the Senate Agriculture Committee for Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), where he contributed to the development of the biomass provisions of the Energy Policy Act of 2005.

Before starting his career in Washington D.C., Dr. Carr was an environmental reporter for the Dallas Morning News and was a Mathematics Director at The Harbor School in Vashon, Washington. He volunteers with the Earth Conservation Corps and is a part of River Road Unitarian Universalist Congregation’s Environmental Task Force, Religious Education Program.

Dr. Carr received a Ph.D. in Atmospheric Sciences from the University of Washington and a B.Sc. in Atmospheric & Ocean Sciences (Honors) from McGill University.

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.

 

Diverse group from across industry’s value chain represents algae production, end-users and professional services 

WASHINGTON, DC (June 4, 2014) The Algae Biomass Organization (ABO), the trade association for the algae industry, today announced the election of eight members to its Board of Directors for the 2014-2016 term. The group includes both new and existing (re-elected) members who will join seven current members of the Board of Directors.

ABO’s board guides the organization in its mission to educate the general public, policymakers and industry about the benefits of algae to address energy security, food production and sustainability, and to advocate for policies that can accelerate the development of commercial markets for products made from algae.

ABO’s board is comprised of representatives from multiple sectors of an industry that is experiencing more investment and seeing new commercial facilities opening or being planned around the world. Board members come from industry sectors that include academia, professional services, algae producers, technology suppliers, project developers and end-users.

The newly elected board members are:

• Michael Lakeman, Ph.D. – Associate Technical Fellow, Boeing Commercial Airplanes
• Martin Sabarsky – Chief Executive Officer, Cellana, Inc.
• Emilie Slaby – Senior Business Development Manager, The Scoular Company

The re-elected board members are:

• Mark Allen – Vice President – Integrated Carbon Solutions, Accelergy Corporation
• John Benemann, Ph.D. – Chief Executive Officer, MicroBio Engineering, Inc.
• Tom Byrne – President and Chief Executive Officer, Byrne & Company Limited
• B. Gregory Mitchell, Ph.D. – Research Scientist, University of California San Diego, Scripps Institution of Oceanography
• Joel Murdock – Managing Director of Strategic Projects, FedEx Express

ABO’s current board members include:

• Jacques Beaudry-Losique – Senior Vice President of Corporate and Business Development, Algenol Biofuels
• Tim Burns – President, Chairman and Co-founder, BioProcess Algae, LLC.
• David Hazlebeck, Ph.D. – Chief Executive Officer, Global Algae Innovations, Inc.
• Margaret McCormick, Ph.D. – Chief Executive Officer, Director, Matrix Genetics, LLC.
• Jose Olivares, Ph.D. – Bioscience Division Leader, Los Alamos National Laboratory
• Todd Taylor – Partner and Chair, Sustainability Group, Fredrikson & Byron, P.A.
• Tim Zenk – Vice President of Corporate Affairs, Sapphire Energy, Inc.

“I am thrilled to welcome both our new as well as our re-elected board members,” said Margaret McCormick, Board Chair of the Algae Biomass Organization. “It is inspiring to see a new generation of leaders join our organization as well as reaffirming to see existing directors who have already contributed so much be given the opportunity to continue their service. We look forward to a great 2014 and beyond.”

In addition to education and outreach efforts with policymakers, ABO produces and hosts the industry’s premier global conference, the Algae Biomass Summit, which this year will be held in San Diego, California, September 29-October 2, 2014. Information about the event 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.

Algae-derived commodities can turn CO2 regulation from a problem into an opportunity for emitters facing new regulations for CO2 reduction

WASHINGTON, DC  (June 2, 2014) The Algae Biomass Organization (ABO), the trade association for the algae industry, today released the following statement calling on the EPA to include Carbon Capture and Utilization strategies in rules proposed today that would limit greenhouse gas emissions from the nation’s power plants:

The saying “if all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail” is an appropriate metaphor for the approach to CO2 emissions reductions recently. The “nail” of CO2 emissions, it is believed, can only be addressed by the “hammer” of regulations to bury, sequester or otherwise get rid of the waste.

A new crop of algae technologies can flip this approach on its head by converting CO2 into valuable commodities for trillion dollar industries, thus turning a problem – the high cost of compliance – into an opportunity – an ongoing revenue stream.

Algae digest CO2 as they grow, returning clean oxygen to the environment while they produce oils and proteins. These oils and proteins can be used in the production of transportation fuels, animal feed, chemicals and food products. The more CO2 algae can consume, the faster they grow. As such, the US algae industry has a vested interest in obtaining as much CO2 as possible.

By co-locating algae production facilities at coal or gas fired power plants and onsite at other industrial emitters, they can become customers for waste CO2. One such demonstration facility, using CO2 from a coal fired power plant, has already been built in Kentucky. Another in Iowa is using the CO2 produced from ethanol production to create proteins for animal feed. This process is known as Carbon Capture and Utilization (CCU).

By monetizing waste CO2 emissions, energy companies can, at minimum, offset the cost of compliance with regulations and thus avoid ratepayer impact. Depending on the size of the power plant, some could create an annual revenue stream that returns a profit. In either case, the CO2 will be producing commodities that create jobs at the plant and downstream, helping to create economic development in their communities and elsewhere.

The EPA stopped short of considering CCU as an approved strategy in its new rules for Existing Sources, so we will continue our efforts with EPA to try to get CCU qualified as an approved mitigation strategy. Including utilization in this proposed rule will ensure that the new regulations accelerate the adoption of CCU technologies, like algae. Furthermore, we look forward to being a resource for EGU’s to help them comply with the proposed rule.

Beneficial utilization of CO2 is the only option to turn the market forces and economics of waste CO2 into a ROI-driven, growth industry that will turn a huge problem into an economic opportunity. In doing so, we can achieve a rare trifecta – the reduction of emissions, the creation of jobs and economic development across the country, and a contribution to our food and energy security.

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.

Contact:
John Williams, Scoville Public Relations for ABO
206-625-0075 x1, jwilliams@scovillepr.com

WASHINGTON, D.C.  (March 26, 2014) A new survey of the algae industry conducted by the Algae Biomass Organization (ABO) broadly shows an industry that is growing, from increased production of biomass and oils, to increased hiring, to a wider variety of end products. The survey was conducted in March 2014 and includes more than 280 responses from companies and individuals involved in directly producing and buying algae or algae-derived products, as well as equipment manufacturers, research laboratories, providers of equipment or materials, government agencies and service providers.

As in the previous two annual surveys, respondents this year continued their optimism that algae-derived fuels are likely to be price competitive with fossil fuels by 2020 (83% agreement); that production will increase in existing and new facilities (72 percent agreement); and that improved supportive federal policy would accelerate both the production of algae based fuels, feeds, fertilizers and other products as well as the number of jobs across the industry (86 percent agreement).

Optimism in co-products, such as feed, food and chemicals was significant, with 97 percent predicting that algae-based feeds and 96 percent predicting algae-based plastics and chemicals will be commercially available by 2020. Respondents noted that in some cases these products were already reaching certain markets.

Some of the increased optimism in the 2014 results could be attributed to the widespread progress of the industry in commercialization efforts and research breakthroughs in the past year. During 2013 several companies opened or continued successful operations at pilot or commercial production facilities, made new advances in yields and algae biology, and attracted renewed policy attention with the formation of the Congressional Algae Caucus.

Regulatory approvals for siting algae industry facilities as well as algae-derived products were cited as the top two priorities for federal policies not yet enacted, suggesting that companies are looking forward to moving from research and testing stages to commercialization. Tax credits and incentives as well as the Renewable Fuel Standard were ranked the top two existing federal policies, suggesting companies seek a level playing field with fossil fuels and other biofuels, as well as a predictable policy environment.

“The Algae Biomass Organization’s survey once again shows an industry that continues to fire on all cylinders,” said Margaret McCormick, chair of the Algae Biomass Organization board and CEO of Matrix Genetics. “In just five short years, this industry has blossomed from a loose collection of researchers and labs to an integrated network and commercial markets, creating jobs and contributing to food and energy security for the United States.”

Other key findings of the survey included:

• The algae industry supports a wide variety of jobs across the United States. Respondents reported holding all types of positions in their organizations including executives, scientists and researchers, operations or production positions, finance, students and professors.
• Heavy job growth is projected by 2020, with the percentage of employers with 51-100 employees expected to quintuple and the percentage of employers that expect 101-500 employees more than doubling.
• Congressional engagement is high—67 percent of respondents’ organizations either have met with or plan to meet with legislators, and more than half of ABO members reported having elected officials tour their facilities.
• More than 25 percent of producers project the cost of algae-based fuel to be less than $3.00 per gallon and more than 40 percent project the cost to be less than $5.00 per gallon by 2020.

An executive summary of the survey’s results is available at:
https://algaebiomass.org/resource-center/references/industry-statistics/

Products made from algae are the natural solution to the energy, food, economic, and climate challenges facing our world today. Algae have the power to simultaneously put fuels in our vehicles, recycle CO2, provide nutrition for animals and people and create jobs for millions of Americans. More information can be found at www.allaboutalgae.com.

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.

Media Contact:
John Williams, Scoville Public Relations for ABO
206-625-0075 x1, jwilliams@scovillepr.com

Largest Algae Conference in the World Now Accepting Speaking Abstracts and Proposals 

SAN DIEGO (March 10, 2014) The Algae Biomass Organization (ABO), the trade association for the algae industry, announced that the eighth annual Algae Biomass Summit will take place September 29-October 2 in San Diego, California, a global hub of algae research and commercial activity. The ABO is now accepting abstracts and proposals for keynote speakers, panel presentations and poster sessions at the event, the world’s largest algae industry conference. Speaking opportunities for the Summit are highly competitive, making the submission of high-quality abstracts before the April 2^nd deadline essential. Information about the event and call for abstracts can be found at http://www.algaebiomasssummit.org.

“The ability of algae to provide us with sustainable fuels, feeds and other products without depleting our freshwater supplies or our farmland has sparked more interest in this industry than ever before,” said Dr. B. Greg Mitchell, Chair of the Summit’s Program Committee and Research Biologist at the University of California San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography (SIO). “San Diego has more algae industry activity than any other city in the world, and we expect the 2014 Summit to draw on that community as well as a broader international group of scientists, entrepreneurs and Fortune 100 companies.  The Summit’s regional tours of algae facilities, including algae farms in nearby Imperial Valley, will provide unique opportunities for participants to broaden their understanding of this rapidly expanding industry.”

Speakers and attendees at the Algae Biomass Summit will include national and international technologists, producers, scientists, investors, and end user companies. During the course of the event, leaders and attendees will discuss issues of critical importance to the emerging algae industry, including the commercial viability of algal production, current government and private initiatives, evolving technologies, processing concepts, life cycle analysis and project finance.

With new pilot, demonstration and commercial production facilities planned or operating around the U.S., the algae industry is rapidly emerging as an opportunity to address many of the energy, food, economic, and environmental challenges facing the world today. Algae have the power to simultaneously put fuels in vehicles, recycle CO₂, provide nutrition for animals and people, generate useful chemical products and create jobs for millions of Americans. Algae’s ability to produce high yields, grow in saltwater and on marginal lands means that they can be cultivated at large scales without harmful impacts on freshwater supplies or valuable agricultural land. More information can be found at www.allaboutalgae.com.

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.

Contacts:
Nate Kommers, Scoville Public Relations for ABO
206-625-0075 x2, nate.kommers@scovillepr.com