Experts in the field, including government researchers, university specialists, and industry leaders, will provide instruction in this two-day course covering various aspects of biomass conversion including sessions on technology, economics, operations, and policy issues. CE/PDH credits are available for participants.

Specific topics for the short course include:

• Thermochemical Conversion Pathways
• Alternative Products and Coproducts
• Pretreatment and Saccharification
• Fermentation Strategies
• System Scale-Up
• Technology Maturation

A full agenda is available here.

An optional tour of bioenergy facilities at Renmatix, Valley Forge and USDA ARS Research Lab, Wyndmoor, is also included as a part of the course, during which attendees will be able to visit the facilities and speak with researchers and project developers. Networking opportunities and a business development roundtable will round out the event.

The biofuels industry finds itself at an important strategic point right now. This short course is perfect for companies and individuals looking to capitalize on these opportunities in the current environment.

—Dr. Daniel Ciolkosz, co-organizer for the event and Penn State Extension associate

This short course is part of Penn State Extension’s ongoing Bioenergy Short Course Series, and is partially supported by the USDA-sponsored NEWBio Bioenergy Consortium (Northeast Woody/Warm-Season Biomass Consortium)—a regional partnership of universities, companies, and government agencies working together to grow the bioenergy industry in the Northeast US.

A complementary “next steps” short course is being planned for Berkeley, California in the spring of 2014.

Venue: Desmond Hotel and Great Valley Conference Center in Malvern
Registration: Early bird registration for the event is $780 per person (up to October 22), after that the price rises to $960.
Register online at: http://agsci.psu.edu/biomass/biofuel-conversion
Web-based attendance is available for persons that are not able to travel to the venue of the short course.

Confirmed speakers include:

• Ben Ballard – SUNY Morrisville
• Dante Bonaquist - Praxair
• Stacy Bonos – Rutgers University
• James Gardner – Lawrence Berkeley National Lab
• Susan Hennessey – DuPont
• Tom Richard – Penn State
• Rob Rioux – Penn State
• Colin South – Novogy
• Paul Smith – Penn State
• Sabrina Spatari – Drexel University
• Deepti Tanjore – Lawrence Berkeley National Lab
• Bob Wallace – Booz Allen Hamilton

Contact: Daniel Ciolkosz at [email protected], 814-863-3484 or Sandy Maitland at [email protected], 814-865-1507