Bio Economy Needs to Be Fully Tapped
Wednesday, January 11, 2012 @ 11:16 AM
l-r Eric Foster, Bob Simpson and John Rustad address the Natural Resources Forum
Prince George, B.C. – Although the focus on natural resources seems to have turned to mining and natural gas, there is a significant opportunity in what is termed the bio economy.
“There are ample opportunities around us” says John Rustad, MLA for Nechako Lakes.
The bio-economy is not just about bio-energy, Rustad referred to bio-energy as the “low hanging fruit” of the bio-economy.
Rustad was one of several MLA’s who took part in a committee of the legislature in B.C. has been looking at what can be done with the resources B.C. has . The bio economy worldwide is said to be worth $200 billion worldwide and will hit $1 trillion by 2030.
In just the renewable energy sector, in B.C., it is responsible for $1.9 billion dollars in revenue and some 18 thousand jobs.
Government must take a leading role in further development of B.C’s bio-economy. “We have to step up to the plate if we want to be at the front of this” says Nechako Lakes MLA John Rustad.
To that end, the committee looking at B.C.’s bi-economy has come forth with five recommendations:
1. Establish a clear, long term bio-economy vision,
2. Improve access to fibre and feedstock
3. Establish a technology development strategy
4. Develop markets for B.C., bio products and aggressively market B.C. advantages and
5. Integrate the bio economy’s infrastructure needs into provincial initiatives.
Rustad says there needs to be a “bio-economy team” that will move these recommendations forward.
“This is a critical issues for us as a Province and it has enormous potential” says Rustad.
Fellow committee member, Eric Foster, the MLA for Vernon Monashee, says the key issue is fibre supply as entrepreneurs can only be enabled if they know there is a stable supply of fibre . “One of the challenges is to get those piles that we normally burn in the bush out of the bush. Industry now is working on ways to get that fibre out of the bush in an economic manner.” He says he thinks he will see some innovative moves in the near future to get those piles out of the bush “ I think we will see some job creation instead of smoke creation.”
Independent MLA Bob Simpson says B.C. is a little “behind the eight ball, other jurisdictions are putting some coin behind this.” He says government has a critical role to play in working with those already involved in the bio-economy “It will focus where the entrepreneurs come into the sector and where existing industry will move.”
Comments
Bio energy (wood burning) has a low density of energy there for can it support itself or always need taxpayer subsidy?
Bio economy ….. what the heck is that???
Bio pharmaceuticals? Pine sap? Birch sap? Trees for paper? Trees for shelves? Trees for housing? Mushrooms? Human labour?
I mean all those things are bio ……
Why can’t people stick with bio-energy, biomass, catholic mass ….. :-(
Reminds me of a saying by Voltaire: “If you wish to converse with me, define your termsâ
Oh wait, I think I have it ….. that is the green grocer business …… and the prairie wheat farmer and Alberta Cattle Rancher …… ;-)
I have this image of tapping a Cattle Rancher in my head …….
Does anyone know these people’s bio-graphy?
gus: “Bio economy ….. what the heck is that???”
I was going to make the same point. The ‘bio-economy’ is one of those vague terms that the media latches onto and it makes for an interesting Powerpoint presentation.
Using the term ‘bio-economy’ makes one feel enlightened and politically correct.
Hey, oil and gas comes from the ground, that could be part of the bio-economy as well, right?
This is what the bio-economy is. Thsi guys are nowhere near that. It does not take a million hectares of trees.
http://www.economyweb.com/bio_economy.htm
from that site:
“The Bioeconomy is an economy that is based on ecological sensitive products and services produced by the use of biotechnology and renewable energy sources. An economy where the basic building blocks for industry and the raw materials for energy are derived from plant/crop-based (i.e. renewable) sources. The evolution of the biotechnology industry and its application to agriculture, health, chemical or energy industries is the best example of bioeconomic activity.”
We are not even able to muster the forces and the investments to handle the low hanging fruit. How the heck are we going to compete in the research intensive world of pharmaceuticals, for instance?
Time to get those aboriginal elders out into the woods and teach us something about traditional medicines so that modern scientists can extract the active components and commercialize it.
Anything that is carbon based is “bio” as far as I know, no matter how long it has been in the ground.
http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/research/priorities/bioeconomy.htm
That is from Ontario 3+ years ago ….
The Bioeconomy-Industrial Uses theme encompasses three major areas of focus, all of which involve use of agriculturally-derived biomass to produce some type of bioproduct. The three major product categories considered here are:
⢠Biomaterials – includes bioplastics, biobased blends, natural fibre composites, biobased nanocomposites, biofoams, biorubber, biobased paints and coatings, bioadhesives, and bioinks, and natural fibres, as well as the resulting end products (e.g. textiles, carpets, mats), rigid components (e.g. tiles, panels, beams and posts, tubes/pipes, casings, or other formed products), or granulated products (e.g. chips, pellets, dust).
⢠Biochemicals – industrial chemicals (e.g. cleaners, lubricants, sealants, solvents, ), intermediate biochemicals (e.g. ethylene), chemical inputs/feedstocks for production of other products (e.g. oils, phenols, resins) or biotech products where at least part of the product is a biological organism or component (e.g. enzymes, molecular probes, microbes, yeast, bacteria).
⢠Bioenergy – energy feedstocks (e.g. ethanol, methanol, butanol, biodiesel, bio-oil, biogas, pellets, hog fuel) as well as the end products (e.g. electricity, thermal energy).
Also – biopharmaceuticals and cosmetics are considered in the Bioeconomy-Industrial Uses research theme.
Based on that, they probably ought to rethink the WIC ….. money spent on these uses rather then see who can build the tallest wood structure would be far better spent.
Getting a biochemical engineering program here might be a better investment than a structural engineering program specializing in wood.
Maybe they should have invited someone to speak from this organization
http://www.cribe.ca
From goode olde Thunder Bay, Ontario
The Centre for Research and Innovation in the Bio-Economy is a new provincial initiative to transform the forest products industry in Northern Ontario. We’re an independent, not-for-profit research corporation that partners closely with other relevant organizations to provide support to direct and turn research results and innovative business opportunities into operational realities.
In the 2008 Budget, the Government announced an investment of $25 million over four years to move the province to the forefront of the commercialization of the forest products industry. The new Centre for Research and Innovation in the Bio-Economy in Thunder Bay will partner closely with other relevant organizations to provide support to direct and turn research results and innovative business opportunities into operational realities. As it’s done throughout its history, the entire forest-based sector will renew and restructure itself and develop new operating models to meet current challenges. Our region will become known world-wide as producers of novel value-added products in addition to, or instead of, commodity products such as pulp, newsprint and dimensional lumber.
The bio-economy will play a central role in the metamorphosis of Northern Ontario’s future – creating jobs, opportunity and prosperity.
So, given taht from Ontario …. Simpson’s words, as so often, are the most to the point …
” B.C. is a little âbehind the eight ball, other jurisdictions are putting some coin behind this.â He says government has a critical role to play in working with those already involved in the bio-economy âIt will focus where the entrepreneurs come into the sector and where existing industry will move.â
Bang on!!!
So is this something like the huge contracts and subsidies given to Independent Power Producers? Where do I sign up?
At UNBC to take a graduate degree in Biochemical Engineering (Biotechnology). ;-)
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