Global Infrastructure Opportunities
ID: 3986

Abstract: Margriet Drouillon

The bio-based economy is strongly developing today as a consequence of the strong price increase for fossil resources such as petroleum, the drive towards sustainable production processes and to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases such as CO2. The combination of these factors causes a strong penetration of biobased products and processes in a multitude of industrial sectors, particularly in the chemical industry, the energy sector, and the agro-industry. As a consequence, the transition from a fossil-based economy to a biobased economy has clearly begun.

The development of the biobased economy is seriously handicapped by a number of problems. First of all there is a serious gap in the innovation chain, caused by the lack of pilot and demonstration facilities. These facilities are required to scale up a process from a laboratory setting to an industrial production plant. The lack of pilot facilities for biobased processes seriously limits most industrial and academic players to realize their plans and to valorise their knowledge. As a second problem, there is a general shortage of well-trained process operators with experience in biobased processes. Apart from a generally decreasing interest for technical professions by youth, the problem is reinforced through the lack of specific training facilities for biobased activities.

Bio Base Europe is a joint initiative by Europe, Belgium and the Netherlands to alleviate these problems. They have united their forces in order to speed up the development of a sustainable biobased economy in Europe. Presently, Bio Base Europe is building research and training facilities for the biobased economy with an overall budget of 21 M€. The Bio Base Europe Pilot Plant is a flexible and diversified pilot plant, capable of scaling up and optimising a broad variety of biobased processes up to the 10 m3 scale. The pilot plant contains fermenters and reactors for green chemistry, as well as a variety of up- and down-stream processing equipment. The pilot plant is a one-stop-shop, capable of performing the entire value chain in a single plant, from the green resources up to the final product. The Bio Base Europe Pilot Plant is a completely independent facility that is operating according to the open innovation model. As such, the facilities are open for all players of the bio-based economy that can hire these facilities for service.

The Bio Base Europe Training Center houses a number of training facilities for biobased activities, and is operating according to an open education model. Companies as well as schools can rent these facilities for tailor-made training programs of their personnel or students.

Bio Based Europe is an important building block for the development of the biobased economy in Europe. This research and training infrastructure is expected to improve economic growth, innovation and sustainable development. This will lead to a strong innovation dynamic, a flood of new projects, diversified contacts, networking and collaboration and in general a reinforcement of the open innovation and education model for biobased activities.



Jennifer Hannesschlager

Due to concerns from both sides of aisle on the consumption of non-renewable resources, the United States is poised to make significant investments and establish regulations to drive “green” biotechnologies. With the election of President-elect Obama and the positioning of Representative Waxman as Chairman of the influential House Energy and Commerce Committee, additional near-term investment supporting research and development sponsored by the Department of Energy (DOE) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and long-term investment through Cap-and-Trade revenues is expected. President-elect Obama has repeatedly recognized the opportunity to stimulate the economy through government investment clean technology to create “green jobs.” This necessarily will include significant investment in next-generation biofuel research and development, as well as biofuel production/distribution infrastructure. Industrial biotechnology will play a critical role in meeting the energy and security goals of the new Administration. The proposed Government Funding Panel will address new and emerging Congressional and Administration priorities in industrial biotechnology, as well as discuss the mechanisms available to support research and development in industrial biotechnology.

While significant work and investments are occurring across the industrial biotechnology sector, the government will play a major role in setting priorities, establishing standards for energy independence and environmental impact, and appropriately incentivizing industry to accelerate the work in this space. For example, the prototype Cap-and-Trade legislation being discussed is expected to generate approximately $15 billion per year in investments in green industrial biotechnology. Until Cap-and-Trade passes, though, there are well-funded and important programs currently being administered by DOE and USDA. These include 1) The Biomass Research and Development Act with $17.5 million for R&D for biofuels and biobased products; 2) The Energy Policy Act with $1 billion in tax incentives, grants, and loans for biodiesel producers and biomass programs; and 3) The 2007 Energy Independence and Security Act with $500 million for advanced biofuels. The Energy Independence and Security Act also established higher fuel economy standards for automobiles and mandatory requirements for biofuels usage by fuel producers. Research supported by these programs includes biotechnology in the early R&D stage such as the establishment and characterization of microbial libraries, the development of genomics and genomics tools, and funding for optimization of enzymatic processes, through advanced development and investment for substantial infrastructure projects.

The opportunities available through current and pending legislation is immense making industrial biotechnology a crucial investment for success.



Bob Ingratta

British Columbia, Canada, is a leader in research, development and deployment of Cleantech technologies and listed by Price Waterhouse as the 3rd largest renewable energy sector in the world behind California and Germany. Generating over $1.9 billion in revenue and employing close to 18,000 people in the renewable energy sector, British Columbia (BC) is a clean energy hot spot!

BC has an abundance of biomass resources, in the form of logging and sawmill residues, agricultural and municipal wastes, biomarine, and over 500 million cubic meters of timber destroyed by the Mountain Pine Beetle. BC leads Canada in the use of Biomass resources for energy, with over 50% of the Biomass electricity-generating capacity of the Country.

LifeSciences BC will share the partnership advantage of industry sector working together with government and academia to enable the” ability to act” by connecting technology-business gaps with strategic solutions. Results of a March 2009 Technology Transfer and Linkages study, with National Research Council (NRC-IRAP) support, will provide insights into the Top Challenges and enabling Priority Actions that will accelerate business and commercial development in Canada and BC. This study was a unique “cross Canada” initiative to link organizations and companies with a consortium of national and regional partnerships through collaboration with Centre Quebecois de Valorisation de Biotechnologies (CQVB) and The Research Park, University of Western Ontario (Sarnia-Lambton Campus). The BioEnergy and integrated BioRefinery business accelerator initiative will help create world-class infrastructure and “best in class” business models through international partnerships.



Andrea Johnston

In 2007, the Government of Canada announced its Turning the Corner plan to reduce greenhouse gases and air pollution. A key component of this plan is a commitment to expanding production and use of renewable biofuels such as ethanol and biodiesel. The federal government has a four-pronged biofuels strategy which aims to:

• increase the retail availability of renewable fuels through regulation;

• support expansion of Canadian production of renewable fuels;

• accelerate the commercialization of new technologies, and

• assist farmers to seize new opportunities in this sector.

Canada’s gasoline supply will require an average of five per cent renewable content by 2010. Diesel fuel and heating oil will be required to have an average of two per cent renewable content by 2012, contingent on demonstration their performance in a range of domestic conditions. Several Canadian provinces have introduced complementary mandates for renewable biofuel blends.

To encourage farmer participation in the biofuels industry to help meet these targets, the government has initiated the ecoAgriculture Biofuels Capital Initiative (ecoABC) and the Biofuels Opportunities for Producers Initiative (BOPI). Product incentives are also available under the ecoENERGY for Biofuels program. Support for development and introduction of next generation technologies is being supported by creation of a NextGen Biofuels Fund™.

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada is committed to advancing the bioeconomy through development of a strategic framework to enhance conversion of agricultural biomass to new products including bio-energy, chemicals and bio-materials. Canadian agriculture will evolve through development of new crops, systems and business models.







Moderator: Karimah Es Sabar, LifeSciences British Columbia (Canada)

Presenter 1: Open Innovation and Education for the Biobased Economy: The Bio Base Europe Pilot Plant and Training Center
Margriet Drouillon, Ghent University, (Belgium)  [Confirmed]

Presenter 2: Funding and Opportunities in Industrial Biotechnology and Biofuels  
Jennifer Hannesschlager, McKenna Long & Aldridge, LLP, (United States)  [Confirmed]

Presenter 3: British Columbia’s BioEnergy & BioRefinery Business Accelerator 
Bob Ingratta, LifeSciences British Columbia, (Canada)  [Confirmed]

Presenter 4 (if necessary): Industrial Bioproducts: Fuelling Canada’s Farm Future  
Andrea Johnston, Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada, (Canada)  [Confirmed]

Panel Organizer:
Bob Ingratta, LifeSciences British Columbia, (Canada)

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