VIASPACE CEO Discusses Giant King Grass at Industrial Biotechnology Congress in China
2010-07-28 08:30 ET - News Release
Presentation of Comparative Benefits Over Agricultural Waste Draws Positive Responses
IRVINE, Calif., July 28 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- VIASPACE Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: VSPC), a clean energy company growing Giant King™ Grass as a low-carbon, renewable biomass crop, reported that Chief Executive Dr. Carl Kukkonen made an invited presentation at the Third Annual World Congress of Industrial Biotechnology held in Dalian, China, July 25-27, 2010, where more than 500 business executives, industry leaders, technical experts, government officials and investors attended from around the world.
Industrial Biotechnology is an applied field of biology that includes the use of living materials for engineering, producing or manufacturing useful products such as alternative energy, bio-plastics, bio-chemicals, cosmetics and textiles.
The presentation, entitled "Giant King™ Grass: High Yield Feedstock for Biofuels, Biogas, Biochemicals and Fuel for Electricity Production," is available on the lower right of the VIASPACE website homepage at www.VIASPACE.com .
Kukkonen commented, "Much of industrial biotechnology focuses on processes to convert biomass into bioenergy, biofuels, biochemicals and other biomaterials and assumes that the required biomass feedstock, typically in the form of agricultural waste, will be readily available when needed and at a reasonable price.
"However, recent experiences in India and China have shown this assumption to be faulty," Kukkonen said. "While energy is needed continuously, most of the biomass power plants in India run at partial capacity because their agricultural waste fuel supplies are seasonal and not available for parts of the year. In addition many power plants have had to close, because the price of agricultural waste has become too high for profitable operations. The trend in China is the same. Agricultural waste — which was valueless several years ago — is now in great demand and priced accordingly higher.
"In both countries, we believe we can grow Giant King Grass as a reliable and consistent source of biomass feedstock at a price lower than currently paid for agricultural waste," Kukkonen stated. "This is our value proposition and solution for their ongoing supply problems."
Kukkonen said that Giant King Grass is suitable for an increasing number of applications: burning in biomass electric power plants; forming into energy pellets for co-firing with coal in coal-burning electric power plants; and producing bio methane by a process known as anaerobic digestion. Biomethane is used to produce electricity and heat, or it can be upgraded into natural gas for supplying natural gas pipelines. The byproduct of anaerobic digestion of Giant King Grass is organic fertilizer that can be recycled for Giant King Grass cultivation. Giant King Grass can also be used as a feedstock for producing liquid biofuels such as cellulosic ethanol and green gasoline called Grassoline. In addition to alternative energy, other potential opportunities for Giant King Grass biomass were discussed, including the manufacture of important industrial chemicals, bioplastics, paper and textiles.
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