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Forging Canada-Brazil R&D Partnerships to Help Entrepreneurial Researchers and Companies Exploit the $100 Billion Global Biofuels MarketTuesday, March 16, 2010ISTPCanada Hosts Bilateral Workshop on the Efficient Production of Cellulosic Biofuels OTTAWA, Ontario, March 16, 2010–International Science and Technology Partnerships Canada (ISTPCanada) is helping entrepreneurial researchers and companies to capitalize on the $100 billion global biofuels market by supporting the development of new Canada-Brazil R&D and business partnerships in cellulosic ethanol. Together with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC), the NSERC Green Crop Network, the Cellulosic Biofuels Network and Embrapa (Agricultural Research Corporation of Brazil), ISTPCanada convened more than 50 scientists and delegates from academia, industry and government to explore opportunities for bilateral R&D and business cooperation at the Canada-Brazil Workshop on the Efficient Production of Cellulosic Ethanol on March 13, 2010 in Ottawa, Ontario. With a focus on the development and application of novel biofuels technologies, this initiative could help to stimulate increased trade, foreign investment and business opportunities that create competitive advantage for both countries. The workshop brought together a Brazilian delegation led by Embrapa Agroenergy, and Canadian representatives from eight companies, 11 universities, and more than a dozen government departments and research networks with expertise in cellulosic biofuels. The event enabled participants to meet with prospective partners, identify key opportunities for Canada-Brazil R&D cooperation, discuss potential bilateral R&D projects and prospective sources of investment; and define the next steps. The group is planning a follow-up meeting in Brazil in July 2010 to explore initial implementation of select bilateral initiatives. This is the first partnership development activity to be hosted by ISTPCanada as part of its recently launched Canada-Brazil R&D collaboration program, which aims to help Canadian and Brazilian companies exploit global S&T alliances to stimulate innovation and jumpstart economic growth in a post-recession economy. More broadly, it supports the implementation of a Canada-Brazil Science and Technology (S&T) cooperation agreement signed by the Honorable Stockwell Day, former Minister of International Trade and Minister of the Asia-Pacific Gateway, and Sergio Rezende, Brazil’s Minister of Science and Technology in November 2008, as well a Memorandum of Understanding established between AAFC and Embrapa. “Building on existing trade relationships, we aim to leverage our complementary strengths in cellulosic biofuels and stimulate R&D and business collaboration that increases the competitiveness of Canada and Brazil,” said Dr. Henri Rothschild, President and CEO of ISTPCanada. “The cooperation emerging from this workshop will help to increase the R&D capacity of innovators in both countries, stimulate the joint development and commercialization of novel biofuel technologies, and open up new markets for participating companies.” “Consistent with our strategic plan, Embrapa strives to capitalize on its expertise in agriculture and agro-industry, and collaborate with other countries to create renewable energy solutions with potential application around the world,” said Dr. Esdras Sundfeld, Deputy Head of R&D, Embrapa Agroenergy of Brazil. “This bilateral initiative allows us to draw on Canada’s leadership as a technology hub, and foster partnerships that accelerate the development of new innovations for the sustainable production of energy from agriculture.” The bilateral event provided delegates with an overview of Canadian and Brazilian R&D strengths in cellulosic biofuels, highlighting opportunities for mutually beneficial cooperation. Brazil has developed extensive experience in the production and use of ethanol as an energy source, leveraging its strong sugar cane industry, very large-scale fermentation and distillation technologies, and well-established distribution and utilization practices. Canada possesses research expertise in the production of cellulosic grasses and forestry crops, the conversion of cellulosic biomaterials into ethanol, and the extraction and production of specific bioproducts. “Our goal is to link labs with similar expertise in Canada and Brazil, and work together on different aspects of the entire biofuels value chain, from feedstock production to biomass conversion, distribution, utilization and sustainability,” said Dr. Don Smith, the Scientific Director of the NSERC Green Crop Network, and Professor of Plant Science at McGill University. “By combining our strengths, we could discover new ways to cultivate feedstock or source material for biofuels without compromising food production, and create more efficient methods to convert cellulosic material to ethanol.” “The Cellulosic Biofuel Network aims to accelerate the development of Canada’s biofuel industry by harnessing the expertise of more than 50 government labs and university scientists to address key R&D challenges in this sector,” said Dr. Serge Laberge, Network Leader of the Cellulosic Biofuels Network, and Research Scientist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. “Brazil is the second largest producer of ethanol in the world. Collaboration with this country will allow us to learn from an established sucrose-based biofuels industry, while promoting novel Canadian technologies and processes, and exploring new market opportunities for Canada’s emerging biofuels companies.” About International Science and Technology Partnerships Canada (ISTPCanada) About Embrapa: About the Cellulosic Biofuel Network (CBioN) About the NSERC Green Crop Network (GCN) Media inquiries:
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