Category: Press

Largest algae conference in the world now accepting speaking abstracts and proposals for event taking place in Washington, D.C. September 30 – October 2, 2015 

WASHINGTON D.C. (January 28, 2015) The Algae Biomass Organization (ABO), the trade association for the algae industry, announced that the ninth annual Algae Biomass Summit will take place September 30 – October 2 in Washington, DC at the Marriott Washington Wardman Park. 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 March 16, 2015 deadline essential. Information about the event and call for abstracts can be found at http://www.algaebiomasssummit.org.

“Experts, entrepreneurs and Fortune 500 companies from around the world will showcase technologies and algae-derived products that can be made without impacts on freshwater or farmland, the conversion of carbon dioxide emissions into valuable products, and the rapid expansion of an industry that can revitalize rural and urban economies alike,” said Dr. Al Darzins, Chair of the Summit’s Program Committee and R&D Director at Gas Technology Institute (GTI). “We’re looking forward to seeing the new technological advances in the industry since last year’s very successful summit in San Diego.”

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 commercialization 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 in the U.S. and around the world, the algae industry is beginning 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.

Senators urge Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency to support carbon utilization throughout their programs.

WASHINGTON, DC (January 15, 2015) The Algae Biomass Organization, the trade association for the algae industry, applauded U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Joe Manchin (D-WV) for their letter today to Ernest Moniz, Secretary of the Department of Energy, and Gina McCarthy, Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency supporting the use of carbon capture and utilization (CCU) technologies in climate and energy policy.

“We thank Senators Whitehouse and Manchin for their leadership in recognizing that the diverse interests of many states can be met by exciting new technologies that transform harmful CO2 emissions into products Americans need for modern life,” said Matt Carr, Executive Director of the Algae Biomass Organization. “Congress and the Administration can play a big role in how quickly CCU technologies will become part of the solution to America’s energy and environmental challenges. We are glad to see growing support for this win-win solution.”

CCU technologies, such as algae cultivation, can transform carbon dioxide emissions into valuable products, simultaneously reducing harmful greenhouse gases and providing economic benefits. A number of algae companies across the country are working to commercialize new technology advances that convert concentrated sources of CO2 to renewable fuels, chemicals, fertilizer, plastics and feed ingredients, as well as high-value products such as Omega-3 nutritional supplements, powerful antioxidants, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics.

The Algae Biomass Organization has called on the Environmental Protection Agency to explicitly recognize that carbon utilization technologies are acceptable methods for states to achieve emissions reductions under the agency’s Clean Power Plan. Failing to do so will be a missed opportunity to encourage investments in an approach that could deliver positive environmental results along with economic growth, jobs and improved 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.

WASHINGTON, DC (December 3, 2014) The Algae Biomass Organization, the trade association for the algae industry, expressed appreciation for passage in the House of Representatives of legislation that would extend expired tax credits for advanced biofuels through the end of 2014, but called on Congress and the White House to negotiate a long-term tax policy that would accelerate the development and commercialization of new low-carbon, domestic fuels that create jobs and further strengthen the nation’s energy security.

“Algae-based technologies can help supply the full range of transportation fuels we use every day, but to make these approaches commercially available soon the industry needs more robust and predictable regulations and policies from Washington,” said Matt Carr, executive director of the Algae Biomass Organization. “A long term credit for the production of advanced biofuels would increase the confidence of investors and entrepreneurs that the United States is committed to bringing a new generation of biofuel technologies. The passage of today’s bill is a positive step forward, but we hope to see more in the future.”

The bill passed by the House today, the Tax Increase Prevention Act of 2014 (H.R. 5771), would extend the suite of advanced biofuel tax provisions – including the second generation biofuel production tax credit for algae and cellulosic biofuels – that expired at the end of 2013 through the end of 2014. Legislation approved by the Senate Finance Committee would have provided a two-year extension through 2015.

Both extensions demonstrate the support these technologies have among policy makers, but the long lead times associated with building new commercial facilities means that the foresight in a multi-year or permanent tax credit would help investors and entrepreneurs better plan for the future—and create a new industry that can improve the nation’s economic and energy security.

ABO members are currently developing algae cultivation and processing technologies that can provide sustainable solutions for commodity fuels, chemicals, food and feed applications, as well as for high-value applications such as nutraceuticals, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics, among other applications. More information about algae and its potential 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.

WASHINGTON, DC (December 2, 2014) The Algae Biomass Organization, the trade association for the algae industry, formally submitted comments to the Environmental Protection Agency, asking it to explicitly recognize the use of carbon capture and utilization (CCU) technologies as an approved emissions reduction strategy under the agency’s new power plant regulations. ABO’s comments describe how encouraging the development of innovative technologies that use greenhouse gases to make valuable products can simultaneously reduce emissions and spur economic development.

“Clarifying the role that carbon utilization can play in the EPA’s emissions rules would help unleash a wave of innovative technologies that can use greenhouse gases to manufacture more sustainable products, chemicals and fuels,” said Matt Carr, executive director of the Algae Biomass Organization. “Algae cultivation is one technology that can consume greenhouse gases, lower the costs of compliance for emitters, and reduce demand for the crude oil we currently use to make many of the products we need for daily life.”

ABO’s comments include examples of how its members are currently deploying a number of technologies that can convert CO₂ captured from power generation into renewable fuels, chemicals, fertilizers, plastics, feed ingredients and other products. By creating a market for captured carbon, carbon utilization can mitigate, offset, or even negate the cost of carbon capture, providing a CO₂ reduction mechanism that minimizes the cost to industry or ratepayers.

ABO’s submitted comments are part of an ongoing campaign to raise awareness about carbon utilization. That campaign has resulted in more than 130 letters to the EPA that specifically call for the agency to explicitly affirm that CCU is an accepted method for emissions reduction. Earlier this fall, ABO launched a “We the People” White House petition in support of CCU that attracted nearly 350 respondents from 45 states and 215 cities. Additionally, climate change legislation proposed in November by Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Brian Schatz (D-HI) offered an exemption from fees for facilities that used CCU, further demonstrating the growing support for the approach among policy makers.

A PDF of ABO’s full comments can be downloaded at:
https://algaebiomass.org/abo-comments/

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.

WASHINGTON, DC (October 29, 2014) The Algae Biomass Organization (ABO), the trade association for the algae industry, today announced that Tim Burns, Co-founder and Board Member of BioProcess Algae LLC, has been appointed Chair and Martin Sabarsky, CEO of Cellana, Inc. has been appointed Vice Chair of the organization’s Board of Directors for the 2014-2016 term. The previous Chair, Margaret McCormick, CEO of Matrix Genetics, maintains a position on the board.

Burns and Sabarsky will be leading ABO’s board, which guides the organization in its mission to educate the general public, policymakers, and industry about the benefits and potential of algae to provide sustainable solutions for commodity chemicals, fuels, food, and feed applications, as well as for high-value applications such as, nutraceuticals, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics, among other applications.  In addition, ABO’s board works closely with its executive director to advocate for policies that can accelerate the development of key market segments and commercial-scale algae production facilities for the full range of products that can be 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 biomass producers, technology suppliers, project developers, and end-users.

“Tim and Martin are highly regarded algae industry leaders, and I’m looking forward to collaborating with them as we move the industry forward,” said Matt Carr, Executive Director of the Algae Biomass Organization. “Their expertise in CO₂ utilization and the entire range of algae-derived products will be invaluable to ABO’s efforts to improve policy, markets, and investment opportunities for all our members. Outgoing Board Chair Margaret McCormick also deserves special thanks for the incredible contributions she has made to ABO and the algae industry at large.”

Tim Burns most recently served as the Vice Chair of the ABO board. He is a Co-founder and Board Member of BioProcess Algae LLC. Burns has over 25 years of experience in the development, treatment and filtration of industrial organic and inorganic for water reuse and purification using advanced technologies. He previously founded three successful companies, the most recent being BioProcess H2O. Burns is an alumnus of Brown University and Providence College serves on the Board of Directors of OceanPoint Financial Partners and BankNewport. He is a past President of the board of Save The Bay, a nationally recognized environmental organization and an Incorporator of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute.

Martin Sabarsky is the CEO of Cellana, Inc., a leading developer of algae-based products. Prior to joining Cellana, he led the corporate development function at Diversa Corp. (now known as Verenium Corp., a subsidiary of BASF) as Vice President of Corporate Development. Before Diversa, Sabarsky worked as a life sciences investment banker with Bear Stearns, where he was a lead banker on Diversa’s $200 million IPO in 2000. He also worked as a transactional attorney with Latham & Watkins LLP. Sabarsky has a B.A. in Biology and Political Science from Brown University, a J.D. from Harvard Law School, and an M.B.A. from the Rady School of Management at the University of California, San Diego. 

Products made from algae are the natural solution to the energy, food, economic, and climate challenges facing the world today. This tiny but 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.

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.