BIO Pacific Rim Summit to Showcase Role of Biomass in Building Biobased Economy

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Biotechnology Industry Organization’s (BIO) 2012 Pacific Rim Summit on Industrial Biotechnology and Bioenergy will feature breakout sessions focused on using biomass to replace fossil fuels in creating bioenergy, biofuels and other bioproducts. The Summit takes place October 9-12 at the Westin Bayshore in Vancouver, Canada. Online registration is available.

“Biomass has great potential to provide renewable energy for the future”

“Biomass has great potential to provide renewable energy for the future,” said Brent Erickson, executive vice president for BIO’s Industrial & Environmental Section. “Vancouver is an ideal location for this discussion as Canada’s forests represent an immensely abundant source of forest biomass. Biomass fuels and products are a way to reduce the need for oil and gas imports; to support the growth of agriculture, forestry, and rural economies; and to foster major new domestic industries — biorefineries — making a variety of fuels, chemicals, and other products.”

BIO’s Pacific Rim Summit featured breakout sessions include:

Forestry Companies Discovering the Biorefinery Within
Wednesday, October 10, 8:30-10am

• Laura McIlveen, Alberta Innovates - Technology Futures
• Robert Jost, Alberta Innovates - Technology Futures
• Geoff Clarke, Alberta-Pacific Forest Industries Inc.
• Rod Albers, West Fraser Timber Co. Ltd.
• Martin Feng, FPInnovations

Creating an Acceptable Supply of Biomass Feedstock to Satisfy Project Financing Requirements
Wednesday, October 10, 8:30-10am

• Spencer Swayze, Ceres, Inc.
• Chris Roach, Ceres, Inc.
• John May, Stern Brothers & Co.
• Bob Avant, Texas AgriLife
• Paolo Carollo, Chemtex International Inc.

Next-Gen Feedstocks: Grass, Reeds, and Macroalgae
Wednesday, October 10, 10:30am-12pm

• MJ Maloof, NexSteppe
• Sergio Trejo-Estrada, Instituto Politécnico Nacional – México
• Enrica Bargiacchi, University of Pisa
• Ajay Kshatriya, Bio Architecture Lab

The Challenge of Sustainable Feedstock: Certification and Reputation Management for Producers and Brand Owners
Wednesday, October 10, 2:30-4pm

• Jack Huttner, Huttner Strategies
• Andrew Held, Virent
• Bob Bernacki, Gevo
• Mike Schultheis, The Coca Cola Company

Media registration is now open and available. Complimentary media registration is available to editors and reporters with valid press credentials working full time for print, broadcast or web publications.

Now in its seventh year, the Pacific Rim Summit on Industrial Biotechnology and Bioenergy will address the latest issues in industrial biotechnology, including algae, advanced biofuels, biopolymers and bioplastics, dedicated energy crops, green chemistry, and synthetic biology. The annual Pacific Rim Summit is the original conference dedicated solely to growth of the industrial biotechnology sector in Asia and the Americas. Visit http://bio.org/pacrim.

The Summit features four breakout tracks with 24 sessions, designed to keep you on the cutting edge of industrial biotech. In addition to the breakout sessions, the Pacific Rim Summit will present four plenary sessions featuring international executives and academic leaders in industrial biotechnology. The plenary sessions will cover innovation and the future of advanced biofuels and biorefinery development, renewable chemicals, biomass utilization, and synthetic biology.

About BIO

BIO represents more than 1,100 biotechnology companies, academic institutions, state biotechnology centers and related organizations across the United States and in more than 30 other nations. BIO members are involved in the research and development of innovative healthcare, agricultural, industrial and environmental biotechnology products. BIO also produces the BIO International Convention, the world’s largest gathering of the biotechnology industry, along with industry-leading investor and partnering meetings held around the world. BIO produces BIOtechNOW, an online portal and monthly newsletter chronicling “innovations transforming our world.” Subscribe to BIOtechNOW.

Upcoming BIO Events

BIO Investor Forum
October 9-10, 2012
San Francisco, CA

Pacific Rim Summit on Industrial Biotechnology and Bioenergy
October 9 – 12, 2012
Vancouver, Canada

The BIO Convention in China
October 24 – 25, 2012
Shanghai, China

BIO IP Counsels Committee Fall Conference
November 12 – 14, 2012
Charleston, SC

BIO Asia International Conference
January 29 – 30, 2013
Tokyo, Japan

BIO CEO & Investor Conference
February 11 – 12, 2013
New York City, NY

BIO International Convention
April 22 – 25, 2013
Chicago, IL