Biotechnology Industry Organization BIO <http://www.arizonabiotech.com/2007/07/biotechnology-industry-organizati\ on-bio.html> Biotech News <http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/biotech-news/>
Industrial Biotechnology Is Key to Achieving Energy Independence, BIO Says Congress' Energy Independence Day Initiative Should Focus on Tax Incentives, Renewable Fuel Standard and Biofuel Infrastructure Brent Erickson, executive vice president of the Biotechnology Industry Organization's (BIO) Industrial & Environmental Section, released the following statement today regarding Energy Independence Day legislation highlighted by House leaders: "As Americans celebrate Independence Day, they can expect to hear politicians of every stripe advocate domestically produced biofuels particularly ethanol from cellulose as the surest route to greater energy independence. We agree that biofuels can help America drastically lessen its dependence on foreign petroleum imports. In fact, ongoing advances in industrial and agricultural biotechnology can help America meet nearly half its transportation-fuel needs by the middle of this century. And Congress could do a great deal to help American companies achieve this goal. "What most Americans don't realize is that pioneering companies around the country are right now planning to build biorefineries to bring cellulosic ethanol to the pump, if the proper incentives are available. Many of these biorefineries will be built through public-private partnerships, with industrial biotechnology companies at the forefront. Leading biotechnology companies and biofuel producers are major participants in many U.S. Department of Energy projects announced this year, including the recently named Biofuels Research Centers. Through their work, the first few million gallons of ethanol from cellulose will become available to U.S. consumers by the end of 2007. AZhttp, Inc. <http://www.azhttp.com/> Biotechnology Marketing <http://www.azhttp.com/2007/04/29/biotechnology/>
