CanBio  is the dynamic voice for the Canadian bioeconomy. Our mission is to promote industry development of bioenergy, biomaterials and biochemicals.  Established in 2002, CanBio is an industry-driven, non-profit organization that provides its members with:

       Policy advocacy research, publications, and meetings     

       Business-to-business conferences, and coast to coast networking

       International missions accessing offshore markets and investors

Members - Our members are leading companies, major utilities, start-ups, consultants, manufacturers, project developers, researchers, public sector agencies, and individuals.

Visit the websites of our leading corporate members

Board - Canbio is governed by a nine-member Board consisting of senior executives in companies nationwide.

Annual General Meetings - CanBio's Annual General Meetings are typically held in conjunction with a particular year's annual national conference. The location of the meeting varies from year to year.

Canada has unmatched biomass potential in forest harvest residues, unmerchantable timber, mill residue on sawmill industry recovery, and agricultural residues.  We are world leaders in next generation biomass technologies, are the world's largest exporter of wood pellets, and have the largest proportion of certified sustainable forests. We have extensive experience in the forest sector, and the will to try to adopt biomass heat and power. However, we are weak in understanding what are the best bioenergy technologies to adopt, are just beginning to identify and implementing the best policies to promote bioenergy, and our financial sector has only a basic understanding of the risks surrounding bioenergy projects, leading to difficulties finding funds for investment.

Our international strategic priorities are to address the weaknesses: identify the best policies and technologies, bring know-how to Canada by way of experts at our events in Canada and leading technology missions to Europe; and lead financing partnership missions to Europe and Asia. We expect our strategy will result in forming technology and financing partnerships leading to increased development in Canada of bioheat, biopower and biorefineries, trade in transportable bioproducts, and export and licensing of advanced bioenergy technologies offshore.    
 

Sector Analysis

1. Sector Overview

CANBIO's mission is to promote development of the bio-economy, encompassing biomass energy (heat and power, next generation biofuels, and advanced bioenergy technologies), and on hi-value bio-chemicals, pharmaceuticals and other products from biorefineries. Our objectives are to enable easier funding options for the industry, create a better policy environment for development, expand export markets, and develop demonstration plants with the best technologies.

The bio-economy is vital to Canada since it a vehicle to enable recovery of the forest products industry especially in faltering small and northern communities, it provides farmers with additional income, it reduces dependency on fossil fuels, and helps Canada achieve its GHG goals. The short term market outlook for exports of pellets is poor due to the fallen Euro and short term oversupply from the US South, however exports of all bio-products and Canadian technologies is very strong in the medium to long term because of renewable targets in Europe and now Asia as well. A key trend is widespread interest and planning for bioheat and power.

Our 90 members are comprised of all subsectors in the bio-economy coast to coast; advanced biofuel technology companies, forestry associations and companies, municipalities, engineering firms, entrepreneurs, equipment manufacturers, service providers, supply chain companies.

We have been very successful with our strategies to date. Our financing missions have already resulted in a multi-million dollar investment from Korea to a Canadian bio-refinery, and discussions on potentially $500 million more in foreign investment. Our technology missions have led to major development in Quebec community heating with 5 installations in the last 2 years, with 7 more under construction, and 14 more in the feasibility stage. 

2. Subsectors

We will focus on community heat, small heat & power, next gen biofuels, transportable products such as pellets, torrefied wood and pyrolysis oil, advanced Canadian bio-technology, and development of biorefineries in our forestry communities.

3. Target Markets

We are targeting China,Korea,Singapore,Tokyo and London for sources of financing and as adopters of our advanced technologies, all investment centers and extremely interested in renewable technologies and offshore investment. We are targeting Scandinavia, Austria, Italy and Denmark, unquestioned experts in bioenergy technologies, and Norway as a leader in bio-refinery development. We are targeting New Zealand and Australian bioenergy associations to partner in biomass market development in Asia. We continually have consulted our members about where they want to go.

4. Target Customers

In Europe, we are targeting manufacturers of superior bioenergy equipment, service providers, financial markets and research organizations. In Asia, we are targeting entrepreneurs, investment companies, and municipalities.

Strategic Priorities

1. Strategic Objectives

Our short term objectives are to draw to Canada those bioenergy technologies whose business model works here, find financing partners, develop demo projects in heat, power and biorefineries by way of partnerships, and find offshore markets for Canadian technologies and bio-products. In the medium term, we expect to grow offshore markets, spread licenses to new jurisdictions, and build bioenergy into a meaningful supplier of renewable energy in Canada.

2. Tactical Actions

To draw technologies and know-how in 2012, we intend to invite European experts to CanBio events in Edmonton,Vancouver, and Prince George. We will bring a technology mission to explore community heat and bio-refinery installations in Denmark and Sweden, and a financing partnership mission to Singapore and one other site to bring together Canadian project proponents with investors. Having signed an MOU with the Bioenergy Association of New Zealand (BANZ) in 2011, we will work towards a formal accord with BANZ and Bioenergy Australiain 2012 to explore specific areas of collaboration for mutual benefit.     

3. Measurement of Results

We expect to see 50 Canadian participating in our offshore missions that will result in several key contacts each and lead to sales and/or investment contracts. We expect to bring 10 European experts and companies to our conferences and trade shows that will stimulate in-ground investments in Canada. We expect to see at least 10 new projects under construction in the next year. We project pellet exports to grow by 500,000 tonnes.