WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

The Biotechnology Industry Organizations (BIO) 2012 Pacific Rim Summit on Industrial Biotechnology and Bioenergy will feature two breakout sessions focusing on commercial applications for algae and advances in algal biomass production and processing. The Summit will bring together industry leaders, university researchers and venture capitalists to facilitate networking and business partnerships this October 9-12 at the Westin Bayshore in Vancouver, Canada.

Algae-produced oils hold the potential for replacing fossil fuel resources in many products. Algae derived starches, oils and proteins can be used in food, animal feed or nutrition supplements, and fatty acids from algae can be used in diesel biofuels as well.

Volatile pricing for fossil fuels, political instability in petroleum producing regions, and the environmental impacts of fossil fuels are some of the key reasons that producers of chemicals and plastics are searching for alternative, renewable resources like algae, said Brent Erickson, executive vice president for BIOs Industrial & Environmental Section. The continued progress in advancing algae, among other feedstocks, toward commercial applications is a vital step in building a growing biobased economy that can strengthen economic security and enhance energy security.

Featured breakout sessions include:

Microalgae: Advancing to Commercial Applications Thursday, October 11, 4 - 5:30pm

Advances in Algal Biomass Production and Processing Friday, October 12, 8:30-10am

Registration is now open.

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.

Read more from the original source:
BIO Pacific Rim Summit to Address Algae’s Role in Replacing Fossil Fuels