On October 10-12, the seventh annual Pacific Rim Summit on Industrial Biotech and Bioenergy will take place in Vancouver, British Columbia bringing focus to the interface between biotechnology and biomass production and utilization. An entire track of breakout sessions will focus on the issue, exploring next generation feedstocks, the challenge of sustainable feedstocks, biomass crops, forest biomass and advances in algal biomass production.

Modern biorefineries can leverage increasing agricultural productivity and biotechnology innovation to create a robust, sustainable biobased economy. Integrated biorefineries make multiple products from biomass streams. Using biomass efficiently, reusing waste streams and increasing productivity and yields are key to sustainability.

British Columbia, Canada has an abundance of natural biomass resources, including sawmill residues, mountain pine beetle-killed timber, logging debris and agricultural and municipal wastes. In a recent Vancouver Sun article, Gordon Hamilton reported on the potential for bioproducts in British Columbia to be used for energy and more thanks to the area’s abundant biomass resources. He highlighted the biorefinery concept, where mills will produce pulp, green energy and bio-chemicals that will drive the future biobased economy.

The Pacific Rim Summit will highlight the growing biobased economy, in which homegrown biomass resources are transformed into advanced biofuels, renewable chemicals and consumer products. Some of the most widely used consumer products are joining the biobased economy. Businesses see consumer benefits and a cleaner, safer and healthier environment as biobased product and renewable chemical applications reach the marketplace. Continued commercialization of industrial biotechnology is driving the creation of the bioebased conomy, building a foundation for environmentally sustainable growth of our economy, providing energy security and building a cleaner environment.

In addition to the Biomass Production and Utilization track, three other program tracks at the upcoming October conference include Biorefinery Platforms, Renewable Chemical Platforms, synthetic biology and Technical and Research Presentations. The program tracks will give you an opportunity to learn about the latest in advanced biofuels, algae, biomass production, biopolymers, bioplastics, dedicated energy crops, renewable chemicals, marine bio-resources and synthetic biology. For more information, visit www.bio.org/pacrim.