Fourth Annual Forum

March 27-29, 2007
Cal-EPA Building
1001 I St.
Sacramento, CA

The California Biomass Collaborative held its fourth annual Forum in Sacramento March 27-28, 2007, followed by facilities tours on March 29. The Forum provided an opportunity to discuss issues critical to the sustainable development and enhanced utilization of biomass for fuel, power, heat, and fuels in California, including:

March 27: Advanced Bioenergy Technologies

• Climate change, carbon policies, renewable energy and the role of biomass
• Technology and standards for sustainable bioenergy
• Industry integration and advanced bioenergy systems commercialization
• Biorefineries: resources and technologies

March 28: Producing Biofuels from Waste: Research and Commercialization Strategies for Upgrading Waste to Fuels and Chemicals

• Policies affecting use of biomass in municipal wastes
• Biofuel production from municipal wastes
• Breakout sessions: pathways to commercialization
• Breakout sessions: research needs

March 29: Facilities Tour

• UC Davis: APS Pilot Bio-Digester, Long Term Research in Agricultural Systems sustainable production systems
• US EPA Clean Diesel projects
• Yolo County Bioreactor Landfill Project
• Woodland Biomass Power

Program and Proceedings

March 27: Advanced Bioenergy Technologies. Forum Program, with Proceedings

• Opening: Forum Logistics, Agenda, and Introductions, Bryan Jenkins, California Biomass Collaborative
• Keynote Speaker: Jim Boyd, California Energy Commission
• Keynote Speaker: Nathan Dietrich, Representative Matsui's Office

Session I: Climate Change, Carbon Policies, Renewable Energy, and the Role of Biomass
Moderator: John Shears, The Center for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Technologies

• State Policies and Initiatives for Bioenergy Development and Greenhouse Gas Reduction, Steve Shaffer, California Department of Food and Agriculture
• Climate Change Scenarios for California, Amy Luers, Union of Concerned Scientists
• Overview of European Policies and Technologies for Bioenergy Development and Greenhouse Gas Mitigation, Sven Sommer, University of Aarhus, Denmark
• Utility Perspectives on Bioenergy for California, Hal LaFlash, Pacific Gas and Electric

Session II: Technology and Standards for Sustainable Bioenergy
Moderator: Ken Krich, California Institute for Energy and Environment

• Research, Development, and Demonstration of Advanced Bioenergy Concepts in California, Val Tiangco, California Energy Commission
• Alternative Transportation Fuel and Technology Plan for California (AB 1007), Tim Olson, California Energy Commission
• California's Low Carbon Fuel Standard: Implications for Biofuel Development, Mark Melaina, Institute of Transportation Studies
• Forestry and Sustainable Bioenergy, Jim Pena, United States Forest Service

Session III: Industry Integration and Advanced Bioenergy Systems Commercialization
Moderator: George Simons, Itron

• Integrating Biofuels into the Energy Industry, Rick Zalesky, Chevron
• GM and Biofuels, Mary Beth Stanek, General Motors,
• Potential Impact of California's Greenhouse Gas Emissions Performance Standard on Electricity from Bioenergy, Judith Ikle, California Public Utilities Commission
• Biofuels Initiatives in the Philippines, Raphael Lotilla, Philippine Department of Energy

Session IV: Biorefineries: Resources and Technologies
Moderator: Martha Gildart

• Advanced Gasification-Based System Concepts for Biorefining, Eric Larson, Princeton University
• Research and Development Needs for Biorefineries: The 30 x 30 Vision, David Dayton, National Renewable Energy Laboratory
• Demonstrating Commercial Scale Biorefineries, John Ferrell, United States Department of Energy
• Bio-Renewable Fuels: Green Diesel, Amar Anumakonda, UOP LLC

Wrap-up

• Bryan Jenkins, California Biomass Collaborative

March 28: Producing Biofuels from Waste. Program Forum, with Proceedings

• Opening: Forum Logistics, Agenda, and Introductions, Bryan Jenkins, California Biomass Collaborative
• Keynote Speaker: Margo Brown, California Integrated Waste Management Board

Session I: Policies Affecting Use of Biomass in Municipal Wastes
Moderator: Fernando Berton, California Integrated Waste Management Board

• Overview of Waste Management Techniques for Fuels and Power in Europe and in the USA, Luis Diaz, CalRecovery Inc.
• Bioenergy and Waste Policies in Europe and Britain - Lessons Learned and Prospects for Future Development, Kit Strange, Resource Recovery Forum, United Kingdom
• Climate Change, Biomass, and Waste Management, Chuck White, Waste Management Inc.

Session II: Biofuel Production from Municipal Wastes
Moderator: Rob Williams, California Biomass Collaborative

• Ethanol from California's Municipal Wastes, Necy Sumait, BlueFire Ethanol
• Advancing Cellulosic Ethanol Technology, Bin Yang, Center for Environmental Research and Technology, UC Riverside
• Advanced Biogas Production and Upgrading in Europe, Peter Knecht, Kompogas, Switzerland
• CNG, LNG, and Other Fuels from Landfill Gas: Prospects for Future Development, Patrick Sullivan, SCS Engineers

Sessions III and IV: Pathways to Commercialization and Research Needs

• Breakout Sessions: Background and Purpose
• Howard Levenson, California Integrated Waste Management Board
• Group Discussions (not recorded in Transcript)
• Summary: Next Steps in RD&D Planning for Bioenergy from Municipal Wastes, Howard Levenson, California Integrated Waste Management Board
• Wrap-up, Bryan Jenkins, California Biomass Collaborative