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Page 1: Cellulosic Biofuels Summit - WordPress.com...Jul 02, 2014  · [background] We invite you to join us in Iowa this July 23–25 for a Cellulosic Biofuels Summit, a two-day gathering

Cellulosic Biofuels SummitJuly 23–25, 2014Iowa State UniversityAmes, Iowa

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[ background ]

We invite you to join us in Iowa this July 23–25 for a Cellulosic Biofuels Summit, a two-day gathering of leading academic, industry, advocacy, and government representatives working toward a sustainable biofuels future. This meeting will include several tours of cellulosic biofuels facilities and research laboratories, as well as opportunities to hear from and speak with leading experts in the field.

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Biofuels are an important element of a comprehensive strategy to cut oil use and reduce the global warming emissions produced by our transportation system.

To realize their full potential, biofuels must move beyond today’s grain-, sugar-, and vegetable oil–based fuels to cellu-losic fuels made from biomass resources such as agricultural residues and perennial grasses. Unfortunately, the progress of cellulosic biofuels has become shrouded in confusion and controversy. This summit gives you the chance to see for yourself where things stand in the development and commercialization of this important technology.

We stand at an important moment in the development of cellulosic biofuels, with the first commercial-scale facilities coming online across the country. The epicenter of this move-ment is currently in Iowa, where industry leaders including Poet, DSM, and DuPont, along with academic experts and advocates, are leading the way to a cleaner fuel future.

Success with cellulosic fuels requires both the sustainable sourcing of biomass feedstocks and the conversion technology needed to turn this biomass into fuel; our summit will cover both topics. On the feedstock side, agricultural experts will discuss ongoing efforts to harvest agricultural residues like corn stalks and leaves sustainably, and to expand the role of perennial grasses in the agricultural landscape. On the conver-sion side we will hear firsthand from the teams starting up two of the world’s first commercial-scale cellulosic biofuel plants, as well as from researchers who are developing “drop-in” cellulosic biofuels and other advanced technologies.

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Wednesday, July 23

2:00 p.m. Convene at Holiday Inn Des Moines Airport / Conference Center

4:00 p.m. Depart for Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge

5:00 p.m. Tour: STRIPs Project, Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge,Des MoinesSTRIPs (Science-based Trials of Row crops Integrated with Prairies) is an ongoing experiment by an interdisciplinary team studying the impacts of integrating small strips of prairie and row-cropped agricultural landscapes.

6:00 p.m. Depart Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge for Holiday Inn Des Moines

7:00 p.m. Welcome Dinner at Holiday Inn Des MoinesIntroductory remarks by Iowa official TBD

8:00 p.m. Depart Des Moines for Holiday Inn Ames

Thursday, July 24

7:00 a.m. Breakfast Remarks from Bill Northey, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture

8:15 a.m. Depart for Iowa State University Agricultural Research Facilities

8:30 a.m. Opening RemarksWhy Here and Now: Understanding the Promise and Importance of Cellulosic Biofuels

9:00 a.m. Industry HappeningsLearn firsthand from industry groups on their progress in bringing cellulosic biofuels to the marketplace.Andy Heggenstaller, Agronomy Research Manager, DuPont Pioneer Robert C. Brown, Director, Bioeconomy Institute, Iowa State UniversityEmily Heaton, Assistant Professor, Iowa State University (invited)

9:45 a.m. Tour: Iowa State University Thermochemical TrainThis pilot-scale gasifier is capable of processing half a ton of biomass per day.

[ agenda ]

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10:15 a.m. Tour: Iowa State University BioCentury Research FarmThis is the nation’s first integrated research and demonstration facility dedicated to biomass production and processing.

11:15 a.m. Depart BioCentury Research Farm for Holiday Inn

11:30 a.m. Break

12:00 p.m. Lunch

1:00 p.m. Panel: Production Stover Feedstock and AvailabilityDave Muth, Senior Vice President of Analytics, AgSolver, Inc.Kishore Rane, Senior Manager, Research and Development, Novozymes North AmericaStuart Birrell, Associate Professor, Iowa State University

2:30 p.m. Break and Poster Session

3:00 p.m. Panel: A Sustainable Vision for the Future of AgricultureMatt Liebman, Professor, Iowa State UniversityLisa Schulte-Moore, Associate Professor, Iowa State UniversityMatthew Rudolf, Business Development & Americas Director, Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials

5:00 p.m. Break

5:15 p.m. Moderated Panel and Audience Discussion

6:30 p.m. Break

7:00 p.m. Depart for Dinner and Reception at Aunt Maude’s, Ames, IA

Friday, July 25

8:00 a.m.– Tours: DuPont and POET/DSM facilities

7:00 p.m. More information to come

Transportation between airport, hotel, conference space, and tours is complementary.

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[ speakers ]

sTuarT Birrell

Associate Professor, Iowa State University

Dr. Birrell’s research is concentrated in the development of sensors and controls that can be applied in advanced machinery control, precision agriculture and harvest technologies, and biomass harvesting and logistics. Present projects include developing a real-time soil nitrate sensor system for precision nitrogen applications, development of sensors based on dielectric measurements, industry-sponsored combine harvesting projects, and development of biomass harvesting systems.

roBerT C. BroWn

Director, Bioeconomy Institute (BEI), Iowa State University

Dr. Brown is the founding director of the BEI, a university-wide initiative that coordinates research, educational, and outreach activities related to bio-based products and bioenergy. The BEI has helped established several new research enterprises at ISU including the NSF-sponsored Center for Biorenewable Chemicals, the Biobased Industries Center, the BioCentury Research Farm, the Biorenewables Research Laboratory Building, the NSF-sponsored EPRSCoR RII project, and the USDA-sponsored CenUSA Bioenergy project.

Dr. Brown’s other administrative duties include directing the Center for Sustainable Environmental Technologies, a $3 million-per-year research enterprise focusing on thermo-chemical processing of biomass and fossil fuels. The center has pioneered a variety of innovative technologies including syngas fermentation, gasification of bio-oil, production of sugars, bioasphalt, co-firing pellets from the fast pyrolysis of biomass, and use of biochars as a soil amendment and carbon sequestra-tion agent.

Dr. Brown has published more than 120 refereed papers and is PI or co-PI on more than $70 million in cumulative research funding. He is a fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineering, a Distinguished Iowa Scientist of the Iowa Academy of Science, and a recipient of the David R. Boylan Eminent Faculty Award for Research at ISU. He received an R&D 100 Award from Research and Development magazine in 1997 and was named one of the top 100 researchers in bioenergy by Biofuels Digest in 2011.

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emily heaTon

Assistant Professor, Iowa State University

Dr. Heaton is an assistant professor of agronomy focusing on biomass crop production and physiology. She focuses on best management practices for perennial energy crops and the recip-rocal relationship of crop and environment.

The biomass crop production and physiology lab led by Dr. Heaton aims to understand the growth and productivity of dedicated biomass crops in the Midwest, and how they can be managed to provide multiple ecosystem services. We specifically seek to elucidate the reciprocal impact of environment on key physiological processes such as photosynthesis, biomass accu-mulation, water use, and nutrient cycling. Typical activities focus on the plant and field plot scale, with inferences at the watershed and ecosystem scale. Through collaboration, we use our data to explain observed phenomena and predict future behavior, with an ultimate goal of providing useful information to policy makers and the public about the role biomass crops can and should play in the midwestern United States.

andy heggensTaller

Agronomy Research Manager, DuPont Pioneer

Andy works with growers, universities, the USDA, and other third-party groups to develop agronomic recommendations and technical resources that demonstrate value in cropping systems for Pioneer customers. Andy also works closely with DuPont Industrial Biosciences and leads research to develop crop management practices that ensure a profitable and sustainable supply of the company’s cellulosic feedstocks, including partial corn stover harvest for cellulosic ethanol.

Andy earned a bachelor’s degree in agroecosystems science from Pennsylvania State University, and master’s and doctorate degrees in agronomy and biorenewable resource technology from Iowa State University. Andy’s hobbies include running, cycling, and backpacking.

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maTTheW helmers

Associate Professor, Iowa State University

The goal of Dr. Helmers’ research and extension work at Iowa State University is to protect and enhance the quality of water resources by providing other researchers, agency personnel/policy makers, producers, and the general public with up-to-date data and information on water resource issues. The work is focused in the area of subsurface drainage and in the broader areas of water resources and water quality management.

Dr. Helmers’ research interests are in the areas of water management and water quality, specifically non-point source pollution, drainage, in-field performance of vegetative filters, and the impact of crop and animal production systems on Iowa’s water resources. In addition, Dr. Helmers has research interests in monitoring and modeling watershed hydrology, including the hydrologic response of watersheds to land-use changes. Much of his present research focuses on subsurface drainage and its impacts on hydrology and water quality in agricultural areas. Previous research focused on multi-dimensional overland flow of water in vegetative filters; this study included a comparison of measured and modeled overland flow to evaluate the sediment-trapping efficiency of vegetative filters.

Brendan Jordan

Vice President, Great Plains Institute

Brendan has 10 years of experience leading initiatives to promote deployment of clean energy technology. He works across subject areas including bioenergy, low-carbon fuels, transportation, energy infrastructure, and sustainable communities.

Brendan is an experienced facilitator, energy researcher, policy analyst, project manager, communicator, and advo-cate. He serves as lead staff for the Bioeconomy Coalition of Minnesota, an industry-led partnership working to commer-cialize bio-based chemical and advanced biofuel technology in Minnesota. He has served for six years in a lead facilitation role for groups advising the Midwestern Governors Association (MGA) on fuels and transportation, and is currently working with the MGA on alternative-fuel refueling infrastructure.

[ speakers ]

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Brendan has a master’s of science in science, technology, and environmental policy from the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs, and an undergraduate degree in biology from Carleton College in Northfield, MN. Originally from Eau Claire, WI, Brendan lives in Minneapolis, MN, with his wife and two daughters.

maTT lieBman

Professor, Iowa State University

My research group focuses on cropping system diversification, soil amendments, and weed ecology and management. Included within the scope of our work are experiments involving crop rotations, cover crops, green manures, intercrops, conserva-tion strips, animal manures, composts, and insects and rodents that consume weed seeds. Much of the approach I take toward studying the crop-soil-weed interface is described in Ecological Management of Agricultural Weeds (Cambridge University Press, 2001), which I co-authored with Drs. Charles Mohler and Charles Staver.

Recently, I have become involved in research examining the environmental impacts of using new crops and native perennial species for biofuel production. I serve as the Henry A. Wallace Chair for Sustainable Agriculture and am a member of the graduate faculties in sustainable agriculture, ecology and evolu-tionary biology, biorenewable resources and technology, and crop production and physiology.

Jeremy marTin

Senior Scientist, Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS)

Dr. Martin is the author of more than 15 technical publica-tions and 13 patents on topics ranging from biofuels life-cycle accounting to semiconductor manufacturing and polymer physics. His most recent peer-reviewed publication in Environmental Research Letters is a collaboration between UCS, UC Berkeley, and UC Davis to correctly account for time in crop-based biofuels. This work was cited in both EPA and California Air Resources Board biofuels regulatory analyses.

Dr. Martin also acted as a technical peer reviewer for the EPA Renewable Fuel Standard Regulations on “Methods and Approaches to Account for Lifecycle Greenhouse Gas Emissions

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from Biofuels Production Over Time” and is a member of the California Air Resources Board’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard Expert Workgroup.

Before coming to UCS, Dr. Martin worked in research, devel-opment, and manufacturing of computer chips at Advanced Micro Devices. He has a PhD in chemistry and a minor in chemical engineering from the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) and a bachelor’s degree in chemistry and English literature from Haverford College. At Caltech his research focused on polymers.

dr. david muTh

Senior Vice President, AgSolver, Inc.

David Muth is the senior vice president of analytics at AgSolver, Inc. Prior to co-founding AgSolver in 2013, David led a research team at Idaho National Laboratory, working on bioenergy feed-stock production and logistics analysis. He led the development of open-source environmental process modeling tools to support the design and assessment of bioenergy landscapes. These open-source tools are used by the U.S. Department of Energy and its research partners to design sustainable and economically viable bioenergy feedstock production systems. David was raised on a farm in north central Iowa and applies his practical experience with agribusiness decision making to identify innovative data management and simulation approaches that increase profit-ability, reduce risk, and improve environmental performance in production agriculture. He received his PhD in mechanical engineering from Iowa State University in 2012.

Bill norThey

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture

Bill Northey is a fourth-generation farmer from Spirit Lake, IA, who is serving his second term as Iowa secretary of agriculture after being reelected in November 2010. As secretary, Northey has committed to traveling to each of Iowa’s 99 counties every year to hear from farmers and rural residents with a stake in the future of agriculture. These meetings allow him to listen to their needs and better lead the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship as it seeks to serve the people of the state. His priorities as secretary of agriculture are advancing science and new technologies to better care for our air, soil, and water, and reaching out to all Iowans to tell the story of Iowa agriculture.

[ speakers ]

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maTTheW rudolF

Business Development & Americas Director, Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB)

Matt leads RSB’s business development team and promotes RSB certification in North and Central America. He has 10 years of experience working in biomaterials, sustainability, and inter-national development. His work takes him to the far reaches of the globe, where he works with agricultural and industrial bioenergy and biomaterial producers to promote their efforts for better social and environmental performance. Prior to RSB, Matt was executive director of Piedmont Biofuels Inc. He is a frequent author and conference speaker on bioenergy sustain-ability. Matt earned a BA in psychology from the University of Massachusetts.

lisa sChulTe-moore

Associate Professor, Iowa State University

The focus of my research is on coupled human and natural systems; specifically, ecological and social facets of sustainable land management. Several current research projects address the strategic integration of perennials into agricultural landscapes to meet multifunctional societal goals. Other projects address the establishment of restoration baselines and impacts of restoration practices.

I use a combination of historical investigation, field studies, and both quantitative and qualitative inquiry. While my research spans plot (<100 m2) to regional scales (10,000–100,000 km2), my focus is on informing landscape-level (10–10,000 km2) manage-ment. The strength of my research lies in synthesis and integra-tion; I make use of extensive collaborative networks to bolster the disciplinary breadth and rigor of my work.

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naTional headquarTers

Two Brattle SquareCambridge, MA 02138-3780www.ucsusa.org

©2014 union of concerned scientistsPrinted on recycled paper using vegetable-based inks.

Cover Photo: © iStockphoto.com/Jon Meier

greaT plains insTiTuTe

2801 21st Avenue South, Suite 220Minneapolis, MN 55407 www.betterenergy.org


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