Program topics
Sunday, May 4
Opening Plenary Lecture
Session 1: Advances in Bioenergy Feedstock and Plant Science
The agronomic industry for dedicated energy crops is in it infancy as many initial sources of feedstock come from food and feed industry, such as corn stover. This session will discuss the broad ranging effort that is underway to identify and develop crop species solely as sources of lignocellulosic biomass sources and recent progress in this area.
Session 2: Advances in Microbial Science and Technology I
Key catalysts for the production of fuels and chemicals are microorganisms that convert portions of biomass to fuel and other products. Research continues in this important area due to the complexity of these microbial biomass conversion processes and is the subject of two sessions.
Poster Session 1
Monday, May 5
Session 3: Pretreatment and Biomass Recalcitrance: Fundamentals and Progress I
Plant material has been developed through time to be very resistant to degradation processes. To economically deconstruct this resistant biomass structure requires development of chemical and biochemical processes to allow biomass structure (carbohydrates, lignin) to be accessible to bioconversion. Advances in existing process as well as new approaches will be covered in two sessions.
Session 4: New Biofuels and Biomass Chemicals
This session will specialize in discussions of new fuels and chemicals emerging in the research community. Approaches include development of biogasoline, mixed alcohols, merging of thermochemical processes with biological conversion, as well as new targets for biomass-derived chemicals.
Session 5: Advances in Enzyme Science and Technology I
Enzymatic deconstruction of biomass works synergistically with pretreatment to promote sugar release for bioconversion. Two sessions will present the multi-front efforts that are underway to improve carbohydrase’s economic production and discover new enzymes with the eventual goal of development of biological process for complete biomass deconstruction.
Session 6: The New Biofuels Industry: Biomass Availability and Supply Chain
The new biomass-based industry must have an ample supply of feedstock at a low cost. To attain that goal the supply of biomass must be ample and the supply chain from the field to the biorefinery should be optimized. This session presents recent progress to predict special localization biomass and resulting availability as well as develops in the logistics of the supply schemes using Geographic Information System and other analysis tools.
Poster Session 2
Tuesday, May 6
Session 7: Advances in Microbial Science and Technology 2
Key catalysts for the production of fuels and chemicals are microorganisms that convert portions of biomass to fuel and other products. Research continues in this important area due to the complexity of these microbial biomass conversion processes and is the subject of two sessions.
Session 8: Pretreatment and Biomass Recalcitrance: Fundamentals and Progress 2
Plant material has been developed through time to be very resistant to degradation processes. To economically deconstruct this resistant biomass structure requires development of chemical and biochemical processes to allow biomass structure (carbohydrates, lignin) to be accessible to bioconversion. Advances in existing process as well as new approaches will be covered in two sessions.
FREE AFTERNOON
Evening Special Topic Session: International Bioenergy Centers: Plans for the Future
Federal and private funded support for centers of research and development excellence aimed at bioenergy production have emerged recently. This single special session will provide a platform for over viewing the missions and goals of many of these new exciting opportunities to move R&D for energy forward more rapidly.
Wednesday, May 7
Session 9: Advances in Bioprocessing and Related Separation Technology
An economically viable bioprocess must use the best practices for material handling and bioconversion, coupled with optimal product separation and purification. The diversity of conversion processes and product targets provide ample opportunities for these process unit operations will be the emphasis of this session.
Session 10: The New Biofuels Industry: Bioenergy Environmental Feasibility and Sustainability
The new growing bioenergy industry using lignocellulosic biomass has significant potential in the world but not without impacts on the environment. This new session will examine the issues that must be considered as the bioenergy industry grows with the aim of understanding and investigating any potential environmental and sustainability issues including proper land and water use.
Session 11: Biorefining Technology Deployment and Demonstration
After over three decades of research and development, the resulting technology for biomass utilization and fuel production is being commercialized. Federal and State support in the Untied State and elsewhere in the world is beginning to support large scale demonstrations and initial full scale biomass bioconversion facilities. This session will present current efforts and progress to demonstrate and deploy these technologies.
Session 12: Advances in Enzyme Science and Technology 2
Enzymatic deconstruction of biomass works synergistically with pretreatment to promote sugar release for bioconversion. Two sessions will present the multi-front efforts that are underway to improve carbohydrase’s economic production and discover new enzymes with the eventual goal of development of biological process for complete biomass deconstruction.
EVENING BANQUET