Bioenergy Conference 2008

Bioenergy- making it a substainable reality

Date: Tuesday 12, February 2008

Venue: Tullamore Court Hotel, Tullamore, County Offaly

Teagasc and the Irish Bioenergy Association (IrBEA) will jointly host a one-day conference on Tuesday, 12 February 2008 in the Tullamore Court Hotel, Tullamore, County Offaly. The conference focus is on making the bioenergy supply chain work and the three sessions will discuss policy, vehicle fuel and solid biomass.

The panel of speakers, drawn from the different stages of the supply chain, will share their experiences on how they achieved success in the popular biofuel energy sectors and in the less-known non-energy sectors of crop-derived construction materials, renewable polymers and lubricants.

The series of presentations from the national and international speakers will cover:

Update on policy and current activity – what is happening in Ireland and abroad, and the impact on the bioenergy industry and Irish agriculture. What are the bigger issues we must now address?
New opportunities – in existing and potential bioenergy markets and in the bioenergy supply chain, as well as information on the supports that are available.
Business development – reports on successful bioenergy businesses, what works for them; and the opportunities to realise the huge market potential.

The conference will provide ample networking and exhibition time and delegates will have a unique opportunity to meet and speak with the organisers, speakers and companies already working in the sector.

Programme
8.15	*Registration*
9.00	*Opening Address*	Prof Gerry Boyle, Director, Teagasc

9.15	Chair: Tom Walsh,IrBEA
	*Government energy policy*	Richard Browne, Assistant Principal, Renewable and Sustainable Energy Division, Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources
	*Can food compete with fuel?*	Jens Bo Nielsen, Professor, Bioenergy Department, Aalborg University, Denmark
	*Biomass – too valuable just to burn*	Richard Douthwaite, Journalist, Economist and Co-founder of FEASTA
10.45	*Panel discussion with Fintan Conway, IFA and* *Bernadette Phelan, WDC*
11.15	Chair: Martin Heraghty,Assistant Secretary, Department of Agriculture,Fisheries and Food
	*The Swedish experience of supporting and creating change*	Kristina Birath, Co-ordinator, EthanolBus Buyers’Consortium
	*Vehicle biofuel production in Ireland – pure plant oil and* *biodiesel*	Liam Foley, Plant Technical Services Lead, ConocoPhillips, Whitegate Refinery John O’Meara, Founder-Director,Eilish Oils Ltd and Biofuels Consultant,Glanbia plc
	*The Cork city biofuel vehicle roll-out experience*	Brian Cassidy, Senior Executive Engineer, Cork City Council
	*Opportunities for adding value*	Adrian Higson, Technology Transfer Manager, NNFCC, UK
13.00	*Panel discussion with Eoin Gavin, Chairman, IRHA Biofuels Committee*
13.30	*Lunch and view exhibition area*
14.30	Chair: Paul Dykes, Manager, SEI Information Office,Cork
	*Hemp as a renewable resource for construction*	Alec Tong, Edenderry, County Offaly
	*Bioenergy scheme and land required to achieve our policy targets*	Barry Caslin, Bioenergy Specialist, Teagasc.
	*Animal by-products as a feedstock for anaerobic digestion*	Tom Loftus, Principal Officer, Meat Hygiene and Animal By-Products, Department of Agriculture,Fisheries and Food
	*Marketing biomass for heat*	Joe O’Carroll, Managing Director, Imperative Energy
	*Biomass supply chain*	Damian Dolan, Engineering Director, GreenTech
	*Practical experience of commercial bioenergy*	Colm Herron, Proprietor, Hillgrove Hotel, Monaghan
16.20	*Panel discussion*
16.50	*Close of conference*	Vicky Heslop, President, IrBEA
17.00	*Tea/coffee and exhibition*

Download the Conference Flyer Application Form in Word Format (52K)