VIASPACE CEO Discusses Giant King Grass at Industrial Biotechnology Congress in China

IRVINE, Calif., July 28 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- VIASPACE Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: VSPC), a clean energy company growing Giant King™ Grass as a low-carbon, renewable biomass crop, reported that Chief Executive Dr. Carl Kukkonen made an invited presentation at the Third Annual World Congress of Industrial Biotechnology held in Dalian, China, July 25-27, 2010, where more than 500 business executives, industry leaders, technical experts, government officials and investors attended from around the world.

Industrial Biotechnology is an applied field of biology that includes the use of living materials for engineering, producing or manufacturing useful products such as alternative energy, bio-plastics, bio-chemicals, cosmetics and textiles.

The presentation, entitled "Giant King™ Grass: High Yield Feedstock for Biofuels, Biogas, Biochemicals and Fuel for Electricity Production," is available on the lower right of the VIASPACE website homepage at www.VIASPACE.com .

Kukkonen commented, "Much of industrial biotechnology focuses on processes to convert biomass into bioenergy, biofuels, biochemicals and other biomaterials and assumes that the required biomass feedstock, typically in the form of agricultural waste, will be readily available when needed and at a reasonable price.

"However, recent experiences in India and China have shown this assumption to be faulty," Kukkonen said. "While energy is needed continuously, most of the biomass power plants in India run at partial capacity because their agricultural waste fuel supplies are seasonal and not available for parts of the year. In addition many power plants have had to close, because the price of agricultural waste has become too high for profitable operations. The trend in China is the same. Agricultural waste — which was valueless several years ago — is now in great demand and priced accordingly higher.

"In both countries, we believe we can grow Giant King Grass as a reliable and consistent source of biomass feedstock at a price lower than currently paid for agricultural waste," Kukkonen stated. "This is our value proposition and solution for their ongoing supply problems."

Kukkonen said that Giant King Grass is suitable for an increasing number of applications: burning in biomass electric power plants; forming into energy pellets for co-firing with coal in coal-burning electric power plants; and producing bio methane by a process known as anaerobic digestion. Biomethane is used to produce electricity and heat, or it can be upgraded into natural gas for supplying natural gas pipelines. The byproduct of anaerobic digestion of Giant King Grass is organic fertilizer that can be recycled for Giant King Grass cultivation. Giant King Grass can also be used as a feedstock for producing liquid biofuels such as cellulosic ethanol and green gasoline called Grassoline. In addition to alternative energy, other potential opportunities for Giant King Grass biomass were discussed, including the manufacture of important industrial chemicals, bioplastics, paper and textiles.

About VIASPACE Inc.

VIASPACE is a clean energy company providing products and technology for renewable and alternative energy that reduce or eliminate dependence on fossil and high-pollutant energy sources. Through its majority-owned subsidiary VIASPACE Green Energy Inc., the Company grows Giant King Grass as a low-carbon fuel for electricity generating power plants, as a feedstock for bio methane production and cellulosic biofuels, and for other low-carbon, renewable energy products. VIASPACE recently introduced its Green Log(TM) fireplace and campfire log product. For more information, please go to www.viaspace.com or contact Dr. Jan Vandersande, Director of Communications, at 800-517-8050 or [email protected].

Safe Harbor Statement

Information in this news release includes forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements relate to future events or future performance and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Such factors include, without limitation, risks outlined in our periodic filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2009, as well as general economic and business conditions; the ability to acquire and develop specific products and technologies; changes in consumer and business demand for the Company's products; competition from larger companies; changes in demand for alternative and clean energy; risks associated with international transactions; risks related to technological change; and other factors over which VIASPACE has little or no control.

SOURCE VIASPACE Inc.