Bioenergy 2016 Agenda

Welcome

• Jonathan Male, director for the Bioenergy Technologies Office, Department of Energy

Introductory Keynote(s)

• Reuben Sarkar, deputy assistant secretary for Transportation, DOE

Plenary I: Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Biomass
This session will roll out the 2016 Billion-Ton Report. Specific topic discussions will delve into the impact, usefulness, and implications of the report and overall findings.

Moderator: Alison Goss Eng, program manager, Bioenergy Technology Office, DOE

• Matt Langholtz, Natural Resource and Environmental Economist, Oak Ridge National Laboratory
• Laurence Eaton, research economist, Oak Ridge National Laboratory
• David Sudolsky, co-founder and CEO, Anellotech Inc.
• Matt Carr, executive director, Algae Biomass Organization

Plenary II: Creating Commercial Success in the Bioeconomy
This session will provide a broad perspective on biofuels, biochemicals, and bioproducts by the people and companies at the forefront of the industry. They will address questions pertaining to the technical, financial, and regulatory challenges and opportunities emerging in the global marketplace.

Moderators: Jim Lane, editor and publisher, Biofuels Digest

• Brooke Coleman, executive director, Advanced Biofuels Business Council
• Brian Foody, president and CEO, Iogen Corp.
• K’Lynne Johnson, board director, FMC Corp.
• Martin Sabarsky, CEO, Cellana, LLC
• Taite McDonald, senior policy advisor, Holland and Knight

Day One Keynote and Closing Remarks

• Vann Bush, managing director, Gas Technology Institute
•  Jim Spaeth, program manager for Demonstration and Market Transformation, BETO, DOE

Welcome Back  

• Jonathan Male, director for the BETO, DOE

Morning Keynote(s)

• David Friedman, acting assistant secretary, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, DOE
• Adam Cohen, deputy under secretary for science and energy, DOE

Plenary III: The New U.S. Billion-Ton Bioeconomy Initiative
This session brings together national leaders in industry helping to realize the benefits of a Billion-Ton Bioeconomy.

Keynote and Moderator: Catherine Woteki, under secretary for research, education and economics, U.S. Department of Agriculture

• Jeffrey Jacobs, president and CEO, Ensyn Corp.
• Brent Erickson, executive vice-president, Biotechnology Industry Organization
• Julie Felgar, managing director of environmental strategy, Boeing

Breakout Session 1
1-A: Assessing America's Biomass Potential (2016 Billion-Ton Report)
This session brings together industry representatives who are involved in the development of the 2016 Billion-Ton Report to present its implications for the bioenergy and bioproducts industry in the United States.

Moderator: Bryce Stokes, senior advisor, Allegheny Science and Technology

• Jonathan Rogers, energy consultant, Energetics
• Burton English, professor and lecturer, UT Institute of Agriculture
• Maggie Davis, associate, Climate Change Science Institute, Oak Ridge National Laboratory
• Prakash Nepal, research assistant professor, U.S. Department of Agriculture and North Carolina State University

1-B: Innovation and Sustainability: Capturing Social and Environmental Benefits As Part of Bioenergy's Value Proposition
This session will focus on the need to clearly define, quantify, and incorporate social and environmental benefits within the larger value proposition of the bioeconomy. Speakers will discuss early successes, innovative technologies, and methodologies that capture social and environmental benefits, as well as real-world tools to help spur sustainable bioenergy development.

Moderator: Kristen Johnson, sustainability technology manager, Bioenergy Technology Office, DOE 

• Kevin Comer, technology manager, ANTARES
• Jennifer Dunn, Biofuel Life Cycle Analysis Team lead and environmental analyst, Argonne National Laboratory
• Bob Emory, Southern Timberlands Environmental Affairs manager, Weyerhauser
• Daniela Thran, head of Department of Bioenergy and Bioenergy Systems, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Germany and Deutsches Biomasseforschungszentrum

1-C: Synbio and Accelerating Bioenergy Innovation
The commercial development of a new, bio-based, renewable chemical can cost between $100–200 million and take 10–15 years based on current state-of-the-art tools and approaches. Synthetic biology tools offer the potential to dramatically reduce the lead time and cost of bringing new, renewable fuels and chemicals to market using industrially relevant organisms. The BETO, in partnership with the national laboratories, is developing a Synthetic Biology Foundry to address biomanufacturing challenges.

Moderator: Ian Rowe, technology manager, Bioenergy Technologies Office, DOE

• Blake Simmons, chief science and technology officer and vice president for deconstruction, Joint BioEnergy Institute
• Jeffrey Dietrich, chief technology officer, Lygos
• Gale Wichmann, senior scientist, Amyris

1-D: Launching Renewable Aviation Fuels
This session brings together government and industry representatives working to promote the advancement of biofuels in the aviation industry. Discussion will focus on potential research and development and market opportunities that can help enable the growth of an advanced bioeconomy.

Moderator: Borka Kostova, technology manager, BETO, DOE

• Steve Csonka, executive director, Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative
• Nate Brown, Alternative Fuels Project manager, Federal Aviation Administration
• Chris Tindal, director for operational energy, U.S. Navy
• Bryan Sherbacow, president and COO, AltAir Fuels

Luncheon Panel: Strategic Plan for a Thriving and Sustainable Bioeconomy

This roundtable will feature senior BETO managers for a discussion of BETO’s new strategic plan, which calls for a thriving and sustainable bioeconomy fueled by innovative technologies. To reach this vision, the strategic plan builds on and realigns BETO’s mission to develop and transform our renewable biomass resources into commercially viable, high-performance biofuels, bioproducts, and biopower through targeted research, development, and demonstration supported through public and private partnerships.

Moderator: Valerie Reed, deputy director, BETO, DOE

• Mark Elless, technical project officer, BETO, DOE
• Sheila Dillard, communications manager, BETO, DOE
• Devinn Lambert, algae technology manager, Presidential Management Fellow, BETO, DOE
• Daniel Fishman, technology manager, BETO, DOE
• Alicia Lindauer, technology manager, BETO, DOE

Breakout Session 2
2-A: Mobilizing Biomass: Advanced Feedstock Supply Systems
This session brings together industry, national laboratory, and academic representatives who are making advanced supply systems a reality. Topics for discussion include transportation needs, depot benefits, and techno-economic analyses.

Moderator: Mark Elless, technical project officer, BETO, DOE

• Erin Searcy, Bioenergy Technologies Department manager, Idaho National Laboratory
• Bryan Bals, process development engineer, MBI, International
• Jim Dooley, CTO, Forest Concepts, LLC
• Mike Hilliard, research staff, Center for Transportation Analysis, Oak Ridge National Laboratory

2-B: Growing a Bioeconomy Workforce
This session brings together experts in the workforce development arena from industry, government, and academia to present best practices, lessons learned, and next steps in cultivating the future bioeconomy workforce.

Moderator: Dan Smolen, managing director, The Green Suits, LLC

• Dr. Siva Sureshwaran, director of the Division of Community and Education, USDA-National Institute of Food and Agriculture
• Dr. Ira “Ike” Levine, professor and CEO, University of Southern Maine, Algal Aquaculture Professionals
• Dr. Matt Garcia, senior science and technology policy fellow, Jobs Strategy Council, DOE

2-C: Bioproducts: Adding Value to Enable Biofuels
Bioproducts can enable the biofuels industry in a myriad of ways, from improving the infrastructure necessary for biofuels, to developing requisite technology, to improving the return on investment for fuels producers. This session will feature speakers who are using bioproducts to enable biofuels. A summary of our recent workshop on bioproducts will be presented.

Moderator: Christine English, senior scientist, BETO, DOE

• Joshua Yuan, associate professor, Systems Biology and Bioenergy, Texas A&M
• Andrea Bailey, Oak Ridge Institute of Science and Education Fellow –Conversion Technologies, BETO
• Mary Biddy, senior research engineer, National Renewable Energy Laboratory 
• Bryan Tracy, co-founder and CTO, White Dog Labs Inc.
• Joel Cherry, president, research and development, Amyris

2-D: Integrated Biorefineries – Building Blocks to Success
This session will highlight key challenges and approaches to commercializing technologies along the supply chain with perspectives from key leaders throughout the bioeconomy.

Moderator: Elliott Levine, technology manager, BETO, DOE

• Anna Rath, president and CEO, NexSteppe
• Alan DelPaggio, VP Upstream and Renewables, CRI Catalyst Co.
• Stacy Jordahl, VP, Innovation, Business Development and Strategic Sourcing, Ingevity
• Eric McAfee, chairman and CEO, Aemetis

Plenary IV: Policy for the Bioeconomy—Local, State, Federal, and International Perspectives 
This session brings together experts across the policy spectrum representing local, state, federal, and international perspectives on expanding markets. These experts will dive into contemporary policy issues and opportunities for the advancement of the bioeconomy.

Moderator: Wes Jurey, president and CEO, Arlington Chamber of Commerce

• Keith Kline, senior research staff, Climate Change Science Institute and Center for Bioenergy Sustainability, Oak Ridge National Laboratory 
• Tim Bearnes, CEO, Laurel Biocomposites
• Cora Dickson, senior international trade specialist, U.S. Department of Commerce
• Joe Hrdlicka, executive director, Iowa Biotechnology Association

• Bernardo Silva, executive president, Brazilian Industrial Biotechnology Association (ABBI)
• Renato Domith Godinho, head of section, Division for New and Renewable Energy Resources, Department of Energy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Brazil
• The Honorable Dennis McGinn, Assistant Secretary of the Navy, Energy, Installations and Environment
• Jim Spaeth, program manager for Demonstration and Market Transformation, BETO, DOE

Welcome Back

• Jonathan Male, director for the BETO, DOE

Morning Keynote(s)

• Austin Brown, assistant director for clean energy and transportation, White House Office of Science and Technology Policy

Breakout Session 3
3-A: Deriving Value from Wet and Gaseous Waste Streams
Wet and gaseous waste streams represent a potentially low-cost feedstock for biofuels and bioproducts. However, their distributed nature makes cost-effective conversion challenging. This session will delve into the techno-economic problems in more detail, and present some potential solutions.

Moderator: Daniel Fishman, technology manager, BETO, DOE

• Carol Babb, renewable energy VP, Leidos Engineering
• Goutham Vemuri, researcher, Denmark Technical University, Sasya Bio
• Luca Zullo, principal, Verde Nero
• Deepak Dugar, president, Visolis Inc. 

3-B: The Pitch—Solving the Bioeconomy’s Toughest Challenges
Three to four startup companies will pitch their business propositions to a panel of four investors as judges. The goal of the session is to provide advice and guidance to the companies on how to successfully pitch their businesses to potential investors and offer tips on how to capture investors’ interests.

Moderator: Jim Lane, publisher and editor, Biofuels Digest

Judges:

• Mark Riedy, partner, Kilpatrick Townsend and Stockton, LLP
• Bill Crump, director of renewable energy and chemicals, Leidos Engineering
• Mario Portela, managing director, TPG ART (Alternative and Renewable Technologies)
• Brian Baynes, partner, Flagship Ventures

Speakers:

• Dan Goodwin, director of corporate affairs, Oberon Fuels
• Karl Seck, president and CEO, Mercurius Biorefining
• Virginia Klausmeier, CEO and Founder, Sylvatex

3-C: Innovative Approaches and Materials for Clean Energy
This session will highlight novel technologies addressing the capabilities of biologically, chemically, and thermochemically derived biofuels and bioproducts from lignocellulosic, algal, and associated feedstocks. Panelists will focus on how to strategically leverage innovative and cost-effective technological solutions to meet the challenges faced by this emerging landscape.

Moderator: Jeremy Leong, ORISE fellow, BETO, DOE

• Dr. George Huber, board of directors, Anellotech Inc.
• Vesa Pylkkanen, Chief American Process Inc.
• Jeffrey Skeer, senior programme officer, International Renewable Energy Agency 
• Adam Bratis, biofuels program manager, National Renewable Energy Laboratory

3D: Opportunities for Innovation in Fuel-Engine Co-Optimization
The co-optimization of fuels and engines offers great opportunity both in accelerating the cutting edge of automotive technology and in driving the rapid growth of the biofuels industry. This session will be a deep dive into how DOE’s Co-Optima program encourages new leaps in American innovation and how the development of advanced vehicle technology can help usher in a new era of advanced biofuels.

Moderator: Alicia Lindauer, technology manager, BETO, DOE

• John Farrell, laboratory program manager – Vehicle Technologies Office, National Renewable Energy Laboratory
• Dan Gaspar, project manager, Energy Processes and Materials Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
• Paul Miles, manager, Engine Combustion Department, Sandia National Laboratories
• Jennifer Dunn, Biofuel Life Cycle Analysis Team lead and environmental analyst, Argonne National Laboratory

Morning Break

Plenary V: National Algal Biofuels Technology Review
This session highlights the release of the 2016 National Algal Biofuels Technology Review, with presentations by contributing editors who also worked to advance the state of technology of algae research and development across the supply chain, from advanced biology to conversion to final fuels and products.   

Moderator: Amanda Barry, scientist, BETO, DOE

• Matthew Posewitz, professor, Colorado School of Mines
• Valerie Harmon, principal, Harmon Consulting
• Lieve Laurens, senior scientist, National Renewable Energy Laboratory
• Doug Elliott, laboratory fellow (retired), Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
• Jacques Beaudry-Losique, senior VP Corporate and Business Development, Algenol Biotech LLC

Keynote and Conference Close

• Jan Koninckx, global business director for biofuels, DuPont Industrial Biosciences
• Jim Spaeth, program manager for Demonstration and Market Transformation, BETO, DOE