Moving towards the bio-based economy: First Bio-Based Economy Conference at BIOTECHNICA 2009

Opportunities and risks, trends and prospects of a bio-based economy

29-Sep-2009 - Germany

For the first time BIOTECHNICA will be holding a conference on the bio-based economy. The keynote theme of the Bio-Based Economy Conference 2009 takes place October, 6th in Hannover and presents developments and perspectives of a bio-based economy which is based on renewable resources. The conference is focused on integrated bio-refineries and bio-based economies.

Biotechnology, already of huge importance in medicine, is rapidly gaining ground in other industries. In today’s globalized world scientific and technological progress is no longer an isolated achievement. Only by exchanging ideas and through interdisciplinary co operations higher targets such as climate protection and sustainability in industrial production can be reached. The use of renewable resources, biological products or biotechnological processes is the basis for sustainable production, efficient use of energy and brand new products allowing the economy to grow. Traditional economic sectors such as the automobile, - chemical and energy-sector will be prospering.

The one-day conference on 6 October will examine the trends and developments, hurdles and prospects that characterize the shift towards a broader bio-based economy. The list of illustrious speakers from industry, science and politics includes representatives from the German Ministry of Education and Research, the European Commission as well as the chemical companies DSM, Henkel, Roquette Frères, Stora Enso, Süd-Chemie and Volkswagen. Various concepts and technologies for integrated bio-refineries in Germany, Finland, France and Italy will be presented.

Climatic change and dwindling resources of fossil fuels have underlined the need for a long-term strategy of sustainable production based on renewable resources. However this poses various questions. For example, how can energy, chemicals and other resources be sustainably produced from renewable raw materials? Does Europe, or the rest of the world, have sufficient agricultural or forest areas to produce the quantities of resources required? Indeed, what kind of resources will be needed? These issues will be addressed in four conference sessions and a panel discussion, which take up the theme of the bio-based added value chain.

The Conference will illustrate the potential of biotechnology by presenting examples from various sectors such as bio-materials, textiles, the paper industry and the consumer goods sector. These are all areas where bio-based production has already proven invaluable. Another interesting item on the agenda will be the presentation of programs supported by the European Union. The concluding panel discussion will consider how the European economy can be steered towards a bio-based economy, which conditions will need to be created to achieve this transformation and how the leading position enjoyed by science and technology in Europe can be maintained and extended.

The Bio-Based Economy Conference is aimed at scientists and engineers, representatives from global players as well as SME’s, industry associations, bio-regions and politics and will be held in English. Due to its international outlook it offers an ideal platform for business leads and making new contacts. The conference will be organized by Capgemini Consulting in cooperation with Deutsche Messe Hannover. It takes place on Tuesday, 6 October 2009, from 9.00 a.m. to 6.00 p.m. in Saal Bonn at the Convention Center, which is located at the Hannover Exhibition Grounds.

https://www.bionity.com/en/news/107086/moving-towards-the-bio-based-economy-first-bio-based-economy-conference-at-biotechnica-2009.html