Algae Biofuel Leaders Converge on the Capitol

Leaders of the algae biofuel industry will meet on Capitol Hill today to brief congressional legislators on sector-wide technology and production advancements allowing for commercially-viable fuels, and advocate for continued federal support to help see the technology to maturity.

Algae-based biofuel has captured widespread interest for its ability to deliver significantly higher yields than plant-based technologies, recycle CO2 directly from industrial sources and not compete with agricultural land or water supply. To better inform legislators in setting a Renewable Fuel Standard, Tax Code and Recovery Act funding inclusive of such promising technologies, executives from leading algae biofuel companies Aurora Biofuels, LiveFuels, and Solix Biofuels - together with representation from the Biotechnology Industry Organization - will gather in Washington D.C. to provide government representatives with contextual information relevant to this rising interest in algae fuel generation.

"We applaud the leadership of the United States in forwarding carbon sequestration initiatives like the Carbon Capture and Storage Program," said Bob Walsh, CEO of Aurora Biofuels. "Algae biofuels provide superior benefits in trapping and eliminating industrial carbon waste, and present a great opportunity to attain these program goals."

"Nurturing an algae biofuel industry in the United States will create jobs that cannot be outsourced," said David Jones, COO of LiveFuels. "By supporting this industry, we can ensure new high-quality, well-paid jobs - not only in science and technology, but operations as well."

Doug Henton, CEO of Solix Biofuels, commented that "at the end of the day, no one single solution will address our domestic energy demands, but a continued focus on energy independence and technology neutrality will allow algae biofuels and other promising technologies to rise up and meet these 21st century energy demands."

"The decisions Washington will make in the days ahead will determine the future of our industry, and our ability to fulfill demand for an abundant renewable fuels marketplace," said Matt Carr, Policy Director, Industrial & Environmental Section at BIO. "We want to help inform representatives to the realities of algae biofuel production and encourage measures that are inclusive of systems like these and with other advanced biofuels in any mandates to come."