Congress needs to be brought up to speed on the huge benefits algae has to offer as a feedstock for biofuels according to Democratic Congressman Jay Inslee from Washington State. Congressman Inslee was speaking at last week's (23rd-24th October) Algae Biomass Summit when he made a plea for the delegates to engage with their Congressional delegations and help educate them on the powerful potential of algae to serve as a renewable energy source.

"I ask you to contact your Congressmen and tell them what’s going on in your (algae) labs. You must become engaged with Washington, D.C. through work with the Algal Biomass Organization," said Inslee. "Just as the generation before us changed the world through victory in World War Two, our generation can change the world by providing long-term clean energy sources."

Certainly the airlines are fully behind the push to develop the full potential of algae as a feedstock. Representatives from the airline industry including Boeing, Airbus, UOP and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines outlined steps they are taking to address carbon dioxide emissions related to air travel, including the use of algal-based jet fuel.

"Whether for use in commercial aviation or transportation, we’ve seen this week that algae-based biofuels will have a role to play," said Billy Glover, managing director of Environmental Strategy for Boeing Commercial Airplanes and co-chair of the Algal Biomass Organization.

The 2008 Algae Biomass Summit, hosted by Byrne and Company Limited and Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, took place at the Bell Harbor Conference Center in Seattle. Further setails of the event can be found at the Algal Biomass Organization's website www.algalbiomass.org