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WASHINGTON, DC (June 5, 2018) The Algae Biomass Organization (ABO), the trade association for the algae industry, today announced the preliminary agenda for the 12th Annual Algae Biomass Summit, being held in The Woodlands, Texas, October 14-17, 2018. The sessions unveiled on the agenda promise a wide range of discussions about the latest advances in algae commercialization and research and the growing impact they are having on food and nutrition markets, agriculture, carbon and water management, energy and more. Registration and agenda details can be viewed at: http://algaebiomasssummit.org.
The combination of commercial and research activity, as well as a favorable climate and resource base, make Texas the perfect setting for the world’s largest algae conference. Texas is where a number of leading companies such as iWi®, ExxonMobil, and AlgEternal Technologies are harnessing algae to develop a new generation of sustainable and versatile products for nutrition, animal feed, biofuels and other markets. The state is also home to leading research institutions, such as Texas A&M and the University of Texas, that are developing the cutting-edge technologies that will make it possible for algae to become a new crop and mainstay of American agriculture.
“We’re looking forward to bringing algae industry leaders from all over the world to Texas, where some of the most successful approaches to deploying algae cultivation at commercial scales are being demonstrated,” said Matt Carr, executive director of the Algae Biomass Organization. “The Summit’s agenda is more diverse than ever, covering just about any market and any application for a new generation of algae farmers, scientists and entrepreneurs that are building value and addressing some of the world’s greatest challenges.”
In addition to plenary sessions on the most pressing topics facing the industry, the conference will feature dozens of presentations in breakout sessions organized into four tracks:
- Biology: Featuring the latest research discoveries and innovations about how algae grow, and how they can be harnessed to address global challenges or create new products.
- Commercialization, Finance & Policy: Updates from entrepreneurs and Fortune 500 companies that are deploying algae into the market, as well as investment opportunities and bipartisan policy support for algae in Congress and state legislatures.
- Engineering & Analysis: Addressing the latest techniques for cultivating and processing algae at commercial scales.
- Products & Markets: A new Summit track focusing on the latest products that are made possible with algae, and how they can upend traditional options.
The Summit’s exhibit hall will offer opportunities to see algae technologies up close, and also includes a Product Showcase with examples of the hundreds of algae-based products already on the market. More than 100 posters will be on display showcasing groundbreaking new technologies, research and commercial breakthroughs.
The 2018 Summit comes as ABO member companies have accelerated the pace of product commercialization in the past year, introducing new and more sustainable aquaculture feeds, nutritional supplements, algae-derived plastics and foams, food ingredients, and more. The new value these products are creating is complemented by an unparalleled sustainability profile for algae farming. Algae can be grown using carbon dioxide from energy production, previously unusable brackish water or wastewater from treatment plants, and marginal lands that aren’t suitable for most traditional crops.
More information about the Summit 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.
