The BDC Symposium Addressed Canadian / US Regulations for Bioproducts and Commercial Progress in the Bio-Industry.

BDC hosted by Ensyn had record attendance at its Fall Symposium, held in Ottawa, Ontario on September 29-30. An international group of members and guests met to hear and discuss updates on commercial start-ups of cellulosic bioprocesses and activity and direction from government agencies.  The numerous highlights included:

• Keynote by Jonathan Male, Director of Bioenergy Technologies for USDOE
• Panel on Eligible RFS2 Pathways, which included Paul Argyropoulos, Sr. Adviser, EPA, Todd Campbell, Biomass Director, USDA, Elliot Levine, Technology Manager, USDOE, and Jean-Francois Levasseur, IFIT Program Leader, NR Canada.
• Private business representatives, who provided varying viewpoints on the regulations, which complemented the agency presentations.
• Commercial Progress updates provided by Licella (Commercial Project to convert biomass and lignite to bio-crude oil and chemicals in Australia and working toward NA commercial project), Borregaard/LignoTech (Lignin Joint Venture planned for North America), West Fraser (Start-up of LignoForce lignin extraction plant in Hinton, AB), Green Biologics (Repurposing Minnesota ethanol plant to n-butanol), TRI/Fulcrum (MSW to jet fuel project in Nevada), and Ensyn (Commercial plant in Refrew, ON and new plants being announced).
• Success Story by Dr. Robert Graham, CEO and founder of Ensyn, who, based on his research and principles, had the vision to start the biofuel/biochemical company using rapid thermal processing (RTP^TM) in 1984, assembled a superior management team, and built a successful bio-company, which converts cellulosic biomass to renewable fuel oil (RFO^TM) and other products.  Ensyn is moving forward with new commercial projects and has a pathway approved by EPA for renewable eligibility to co-process their RFO to diesel through petroleum refineries.
• Tour of the Ensyn facility in Renfrew, ON, which produces about 3 million gallons per year of RFO to meet a market demand for heating oil in Northeast United States and Canada.

BDC’s mission is to help deploy economic bioprocesses, operations that will be economic without government subsidy long-term.  In addition to its efforts to broker partnerships for deployment projects, it holds two symposiums each year to provide education in areas that its membership has interest and includes a related tour of a leading edge bio-facility.  BDC’s membership is made up of Forestry companies, Pulp and Paper Companies, Bioprocess Companies, and is well attended by government agencies (see members).  The diverse make-up of the membership and environment of the meeting lead to good and honest discussion that is helpful in accelerating the bio-industry progress.

The success of the meeting is due to a combination of the mission of the organization, the make-up and participation of the membership and guests, and the ingenuity and progress of the entrepreneurial management teams in the up and coming bio-industry.