Industry leaders partner for inaugural International Biomass Conference BBI International and the Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC) anticipate nearly 700 attendees at the first International Biomass ’08 Conference and Trade Show April 15–17 at the Minneapolis Convention Center in Minneapolis, Minn. The conference aims to facilitate the advancement of near-term and commercial-scale manufacturing of biomass-based power, fuels, and chemicals. Attendees will learn and share information on biorefining technologies for the production of biopower, bioproducts, biochemicals, biofuels, intermediate products, and coproducts. “The biomass industry is poised for heavy investment in near-term, commercial-scale biomass projects,” said Mike Bryan, CEO, BBI International. “Countries around the world are seeking new sources of power and products from renewable resources. The International Biomass ’08 Conference and Trade Show is being developed through a partnership between BBI International, a global leader in the biofuels industry, and the EERC, one of the world’s leading developers of cleaner, more efficient energy and environmental technologies. “As the technical program advisor for this conference, the EERC is drawing on more than 100 years of combined technical expertise in the area of biomass utilization and renewable energy,” said EERC Director Gerald Groenewold. “In partnership with BBI International and our technical committee members, we have compiled a world-class technical program which will offer extremely practical, market-oriented subject matter.” The International Biomass ’08 Conference and Trade Show will feature an international panel that will cover opportunities and challenges of biomass utilization around the world; technical workshops on new technologies, government policies, feedstocks, and financing; a sold-out world-class trade show with more than 90 exhibiting companies; and industry tours of the District Energy St. Paul Combined Heat and Power Plant and the Minnesota Renewable Energy Research and Demonstration Center. Registration is open and includes an all-access pass to the general sessions, technical workshops, and trade show. Registration fees also include all conference materials and meals. Technical tours will be offered Tuesday, April 15. For more information, please visit www.biomassconference.com ( http://www.biomassconference.com/ ). -- EERC.