Two New Sustainable Business Trade Associations:Renewable Energy & Biobased Products

Welcome ACRE!
It’s time for Renewable Energy to go mainstream and that’s the charge of the brand new trade association, the American Council for Renewable Energy (ACRE). The trade association covers all renewable energy technologies: solar, wind, hydro, biomass, geothermal and waste energy, and biofuels and hydrogen systems; and secondarily, related technologies such as energy efficiency, energy storage, and hybrid energy systems that enhance the value of renewable energy. Most importantly, ACRE plans to “open up a gateway” to the media and to the financial community long needed in the renewable energy community.

An organizing conference convened on July 10-11 in Washington DC. to develop a common vision for the Renewable Energy industry. Much of the discussion at the conference focused on creating incentives for using renewable energy through the best methods to date – Federal Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS) and extending Production Tax Credits (PTC) beyond wind energy. Representatives from the investment community believe these incentives coupled with strong, continued government research and development funding for promising new renewable technologies will facilitate financing and investment in new firms and large scale projects. The bottom line, though, for strong growth in this sector is the price of the technologies.

American Council for Renewable Energy:www.americanrenewables.org
World Council for Renewable Energy (WCRE): [sorry this link is no longer available]


Welcome Biobased Manufacturers Association (BMA)!
This fledgling industry composed of now has a Phoenix-based trade association to promote it. The BMA will promote national awareness of
biobased products for the estimated 2500 U.S. biobased manufacturers. They plan to begin certification of biobased goods, provide maketing assistance and facilitate consumer acceptance of biobased materials.

Biobased products substitute plant-based materials for petroleum and synthetic materials. Plastics, for example, can be made from corn instead of petroleum. The biobased industry cuts across many industries. Some of the industry categories that include biobased products are: biofuels and chemicals, absorbants, adhesives, construction materials, cleaning ingredients, foods, fertilizers, inks and dyes, oils, cosmetics, solvents, paper products and waste treatment.

The BMA expects to make the term “biobased” a preferred standard for every product than can replace petroleum and synthetics.

Read other brief SB Insider articles:
The Carbohydrate Economy: Return to BioBased Products
The Carboydrate Economy: BioFuels

Biomass Research and Development Initiative www.bioproducts-bioenergy.gov
Biobased Information System www.biobased.org
Biobased Manufacturers Association www.biobased.org/association
New Uses Council Inc.www.newuses.org