The Pan-American Liquid Biofuels Summit in Costa Rica will bring together public officials, researchers and business leaders to promote greater use of clean energy in the region
San Jose, 28 March 2023 (IICA). More than 320 persons, among them international specialists, government authorities, aviation executives, fuel industry leaders and representatives of the main biofuel associations of the Americas are slated to attend the Pan-American Liquid Biofuels Summit on March 29, 30 and 31 at the Headquarters of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), in San Jose, Costa Rica.
The summit will have three main components: the Fuel and Environment Conference of the Latin American and Caribbean Air Transport Association (ALTA); the bringing together of a specialized group on liquid biofuels in the Americas; and the Sustainable Mobility: Ethanol Talks Costa Rica seminar.
Agustín Torroba, IICA International Biofuel Specialist, described the Summit as “one of the most significant global events for the sector. It is extremely important for countries in the Americas because it allows us to simultaneously address three important issues: the decarbonization of the transport sector, agricultural development and energy diversification”.
The ALTA Fuel and Environment Conference will take place on March 29 and 30, starting at 9:00 a.m. Costa Rica time (GMT-6). It will address issues such as local legal frameworks on the production, importation and commercialization of sustainable aviation fuel, sustainable airports and carbon offsetting mechanisms for airline passengers, jet fuel market updates, infrastructure, fees and taxes.
Over the two-day period there will be academic presentations and panel discussions, in addition to working group meetings, offering an ideal setting to drive discussions on sustainability initiatives and the circular economy.
During the conference, IICA will also disseminate a publication entitled Decarbonization of the Skies: Sustainable Aviation Biofuels (in Spanish only), which proposes that sustainable aviation fuel—also known as biojet—manufactured from biological rather than fossil raw materials, can substitute or complement conventional aviation fuels, reducing greenhouse gas emissions throughout the lifetime of the product.
Among the expected 110 participants will be representatives of 20 airlines, including American Airlines, United Airlines, Copa Airlines, Delta, Iberia, Air France, Air Canada, Lufthansa, Avianca and AeroMéxico, to name a few.
Participants in the opening ceremony will include Juan Manuel Quesada, President of the Costa Rican Petroleum Refinery (RECOPE); Fernando Naranjo, Director of Costa Rica’s General Directorate of Civil Aviation (DGAC); Alberto López, General Manager of the Costa Rican Tourism Board (ICT); Manuel Otero, Director General of IICA; and the Executive Director and CEO of ALTA, José Ricardo Botelho.
On the following day, as part of the event, representatives of the main liquid biofuel associations of the Americas will meet to coordinate efforts to promote this type of sustainable energy source.
The Pan-American Liquid Biofuels Summit will close on 31 March with the seminar Sustainable Mobility: Ethanol Talks Costa Rica. Some 100 persons are expected to be in attendance, including international sugar and bioethanol experts, government officials, business leaders, scientists and legislators from Latin America and the Caribbean.
The seminar will promote bioethanol as a modern and sustainable transportation option, capable of producing an immediate positive impact on energy security and health, while also reducing greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution.
“Bioethanol is a biological fuel produced from components of sugar cane or corn mixed with gasoline. It allows for cleaner combustion as it generates less greenhouse gases”, remarked Torroba.
The seminar is organized by the Brazilian Sugar Cane Industry and Bioenergy Association (UNICA), that country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (ApexBrasil) and the Brazil Sugarcane Bioenergy Solution Project. It is being conducted by the Brazilian Ethanol Cluster (APLA) and IICA. Moreover, the event is being held with the support of the Embassy of Brazil in Costa Rica, the Central American Sugar Cane Association (AICA), the Sugarcane Industry Association (LAICA) and the Association of Latin American Sugar Producers (UNALA).
Antônio Alves Júnior, the Ambassador of the Brazilian Embassy in Costa Rica; Evandro Gussi, President of UNICA; Flávio Castellari, President of APLA; Ronny Rodríguez, Costa Rica’s Deputy Minister of Energy; and Manuel Otero, IICA Director General will be present at the opening ceremony.
More information:
Institutional Communication Division.
comunicacion.institucional@iica.int