European Algae Biomass Association

The European Algae Biomass Association EABA was successfully created by 55 founding members, including Proviron. It will represent the European algae biomass sector at EU level.

Florence, June 5th – The European Algae Biomass Association EABA was officially created during the 1st EABA Conference – General Assembly held in Florence (Italy) last June 3-4th, 2009.

The EABA was founded in order to foster synergies among science and industry, while cooperating with decision makers for the promotion of development in research and technology in the field of algae. It aims at representing the EU algae biomass sector at European level. 55 members among algae biomass companies, universities and interested parties took part to the foundation of the Association, which counts already 29 industrial members, 19 scientific and 7 individual members.

For its inaugural Conference EABA received the full support of EU Energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs whose message was brought by keynote speaker Mr. Peter VIS, Member of the Cabinet of Commissioner Piebalgs. Other speakers included representatives of the FAO and the EU feed Association FEFAC and the European Biodiesel Board. Prof. Mario TREDICI of the University of Florence was unanimously elected President, Mr. Marc VAN AKEN of the Belgian company SBAE Industries NV, Prof. Patrick SORGELOOS of the University of Ghent and Mr. Claudio ROCCHIETTA of the Italian company Oxem were elected Vice-Presidents. Prof. Sammi BOUSSIBA of the Ben-Gurion University in Israel and Mr. Marc VAN AKEN were respectively elected chairmen of the Scientific and of the Industrial Committee of the EABA.

Algae and aquatic biomass are increasingly raising the interest of the scientific community, industry representatives as well as political decision makers as they represent one of the most promising renewable sources for a wide range of new generation low-carbon applications in the field of renewable energies, biofuels (including jet fuels), nutrients, pharmaceuticals, animal feed or bio-based products.

In all these sectors, algae and aquatic biomass hold an outstanding potential to achieve a real revolution towards a fully sustainable economy. In this sense the creation of the EABA represents a successful step forward of EU industry and academia towards sustainability and innovation. During the meeting was also discussed the timeframe when large scale quantities of algae biomass would be available notably for biofuels or bio-energy purposes. Some stakeholders stressed to be ready to apply technologies for large scale in the short term, while other seem to be more prudent evoking longer term perspectives. Nor the EABA neither its Executive Director Mr. Garofalo ever took position on this issue, the answer being left to actual technology developments that EABA supports, of course, for the nearest future.

The European Algae Biomass Association EABA is established as a non-profit organisation that encourages synergies in research and the commercialisation of algae biomass production and use, including biofuels and other utilizations. EABA aims at supporting the development of an algae economy and all range of algae applications, via research and industrial support representing its members interests at EU and international level.

For further information please contact the EABA Secretariat at eaba@eaba-association.com eaba@eaba-association.com, tel: 0032 (0)2 7619501, or visit our website: www.eaba-association.eu

Proviron is a member of EABA.