BIO Lauds Department of Energy Vision and Plan to Develop Bioenergy Centers

WASHINGTON, D.C. (June 26, 2007) — Brent Erickson, executive vice president of the Biotechnology Industry Organization’s (BIO) Industrial & Environmental Section, released the following statement today regarding the Department of Energy’s (DOE) announcement of three new partnerships for establishing Bioenergy Research Centers:

“BIO commends the Department of Energy for continuing to recognize the important benefits that industrial biotechnology and biofuels provide America and for the vision to initiate these bioenergy research centers.  Today’s announcement is an essential step toward reducing this country’s dependence on foreign sources of oil.

“Public-private partnerships, such as the one announced today by Secretary of Energy Samuel W. Bodman, are a critical element in achieving the President’s goal of cost-competitive cellulosic ethanol by 2012. Rapid commercialization of cellulosic biofuels will require simultaneous investment in the construction of large scale biorefineries with ongoing research and development in cellulase enzymes and other biorefinery processes.  This dual-development plan mirrors the petroleum industry, which has continued to improve oil refineries over the last one hundred years.”  

“The newly announced DOE Bioenergy Research Centers will help by advancing the development of pre-treatment technologies, enzyme cocktails, and fermentation organisms for a variety of biomass feedstocks to support the operation of the nation’s first cellulosic biorefineries, announced by the DOE earlier this year to make cellulosic biofuels a truly viable and cost effective alternative to petroleum by 2012.”  

For more information on biofuels see www.bio.org/ind/biofuel/

BIO represents more than 1,100 biotechnology companies, academic institutions, state biotechnology centers and related organizations across the United States and 31 other nations.  BIO members are involved in the research and development of healthcare, agricultural, industrial and environmental biotechnology products.  BIO also produces the annual BIO International Convention, the world’s largest gathering of the biotechnology industry.

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