SXSW Eco Announces Biofuel Experts from Boeing and Masdar Institute as Keynote

AUSTIN, Texas, July 23, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- South by Southwest Eco (SXSW Eco), a conference connecting the urgency of global sustainability challenges with the opportunity for breakthrough solutions, today announced that Julie Felgar, Managing Director of Environmental Strategy and Integration at Boeing Commercial Airplanes, and Alejandro Rios G., Director of the Sustainable Bioenergy Research Consortium (SBRC) at the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology in Abu Dhabi will lead a dual keynote session at the event.

Felgar and Rios will share insights on progress towards development of sustainable jet fuel, which reduces carbon emissions by 50 to 80 percent compared to petroleum-based fuel through its lifecycle. They will address breakthrough research at SBRC in the United Arab Emirates on the use of halophytes, desert plants that can be irrigated with seawater, as a biofuel feedstock. Enabling local food security, socio-economic development and responsible use of land and fresh water, SBRC's research has positive implications for potential production of sustainable bioenergy crops in coastal deserts in several countries.

SXSW Eco, which last year drew over 2,800 attendees from around the world, brings together a diverse community of innovators in the areas of technology, smart cities, business, design, energy, food systems, land and water, policy and more. The three-day event, now in its fourth year, will take place October 6-8, 2014 at the Austin Convention Center in Austin, TX.           

Julie Felgar, managing director of Environmental Strategy and Integration at Boeing Commercial Airplanes, leads the team responsible for identifying ways to improve the environmental performance of Boeing products and services and the commercial aviation industry. Working with stakeholders around the world, Felgar is responsible for ensuring Commercial Airplanes has an integrated environmental strategy and a coordinated approach to environmental policy advocacy, biofuel commercialization and marketing. She also works closely with Boeing's product development team to incorporate the company's Design for Environment philosophy into future commercial products.

Dr. Alejandro Rios G. is Director of the Sustainable Bioenergy Research Consortium (SBRC) and Professor of Practice at the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology. The SBRC was established in 2009 by Masdar Institute with founding members Boeing, UOP-Honeywell and Etihad Airways and associate member Safran. SBRC is spearheading research in the use of salt-tolerant halophytes for the production of sustainable alternative fuels in Abu Dhabi. Dr. Rios was the Director of ASA Fuel Services for 11 years, where he oversaw the operation and management of a network of over 60 fuel farms and their associated 2,000+ apron into-plane operations. He was the architect of the Plan de Vuelo (Flight Plan) initiative that is promoting the development of a sustainable aviation biofuel industry in Mexico.

SXSW Eco has also announced the next installment of 27 sessions for the 2014 conference, including: "How Everyday Chemicals are Killing us," a conversation with actor Evan Handler (Sex and the City, Californication), and Michael Green from the Center for Environmental Health. Additional session topics will include "Activating Digital Communities to Drive Change" (Blue State Digital, Rockefeller Foundation/100 Resilient Cities, Sierra Club) and "How Tech is Catalyzing Conservation Innovation" (World Wildlife Fund). To view all of the newly announced sessions, visit http://sxsweco.com/news/2014/announcing-next-installment-sxsw-eco-sessions.

The SXSW Eco Exhibition occurs through October 6-7, 2014 and will feature compelling exhibitors, meet ups, startup events, and other opportunities to interact, learn and make meaningful connections. For more information, please go to http://sxsweco.com/exhibitions.

SXSW Eco is sponsored by Austin Energy, Austin Technology Incubator, Lagunitas and the Austin Chronicle. Registration is now open for SXSW Eco 2014. To register go to http://sxsweco.com/attend and save before the next deadline of August 8, 2014.

About SXSW Eco:
Now in its fourth year, SXSW Eco attracts a global community to explore, engage and co-create solutions for a sustainable world. A uniquely inclusive platform for professionals, SXSW Eco examines the critical challenges of our times through a kaleidoscopic lens of design innovation, policy tipping points, technological breakthroughs, conservation practice, entrepreneurial spirit and a culture of creativity to transform inspiration into action.

Press Credentials: If you are a member of the press interested in attending SXSW Eco, media registration is now open at http://sxsweco.com/about/press.

Media Contact:
Ariel Miller
SXSW Eco Publicist
Tel. 512-467-7979 x296
Email: [email protected]

SOURCE SXSW Eco