The California Biomass Collaborative

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

Forum Sponsors:

Forum Program (.pdf)
March 27 Transcript (.pdf)
March 28 Transcript (.pdf)

March 27: Advanced Bioenergy Technologies. Forum Program, with Proceedings when available (all in .pdf)
8:00-8:30 a.m.		Registration
8:30-8:35		Opening: Forum Logistics, Agenda, and Introductions Bryan Jenkins, California Biomass Collaborative
8:35-8:55		Keynote Speaker: Jim Boyd, California Energy Commission
8:55-9:05		Keynote Speaker: Nathan Dietrich, Representative Matsui's Office
9:05-10:35		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
		Discussion
10:35-10:45		Break
10:45-12:15p.m.		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
		Discussion
12:15-1:30		Lunch
1:30-3:10		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
		Discussion
3:10-3:20		Break
3:20-5:00		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
		Discussion
5:00-5:15		Wrap-up Bryan Jenkins, California Biomass Collaborative

March 28: Producing Biofuels from Waste. Program Forum, with Proceedings when available (all in .pdf)
8:00-8:30 a.m.		Registration
8:30-8:40		Opening: Forum Logistics, Agenda, and Introductions Bryan Jenkins, California Biomass Collaborative
8:40-9:00		Keynote Speaker: Margo Brown, California Integrated Waste Management Board
9:00-10:00		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.
10:00-10:15		Break
10:15-12:00 p.m.		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
12:00-1:30		Lunch
1:30-5:00		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)
5:00-5:15		Summary: Next Steps in RD&D Planning for Bioenergy from Municipal Wastes Howard Levenson, California Integrated Waste Management Board
5:15-5:30		Wrap-up Bryan Jenkins, California Biomass Collaborative