Exhibition of planting machinery, aeroponics, decision support tools, breeding advances and other innovations from across the biomass supply chain.
SHOWCASE DETAILS
 | Date: 7th & 8th November 2024 |
 | Venue: The Slate, Warwick University, Coventry, CV4 7SH |
Join us for our showcase event: Harnessing innovation, the future of biomass.
- Two days of talks, demos, presentations and info stands
- Hear from biomass innovators about their experiences and views on the industry
- Networking opportunities with industry stakeholders
- A chance to be part of developing the vision for the role of UK-produced biomass in the drive towards net zero
- Food during the event and overnight accommodation at The Slate on 7th November are also included.
Draft Programme ~ Day 1 ~ Nov. 7th
| 10:00 – 10:30 | Tea/coffee and registration |
10.30 – 10.45 Welcome and opening address | Jeanette Whitaker, UKCEH. Growing a sustainable biomass sector through research, innovation and demonstration. |
10.45 – 11.00 Government perspectives on innovation | Charlotte Powell, Department for Energy Security and Net Zero. Innovations and opportunities surrounding bioenergy, hydrogen and carbon capture. |
11.00 – 11.45 Innovations in Biomass Crop breeding and propagation | Will MacAlpine, Rothamsted Research. Unlocking the potential of willow using genomic selection. Kerrie Farrar, IBERS, Aberystwyth University. Miscanspeed – genomic selection and speed breeding to accelerate the development of resilient Miscanthus varieties. Paul Carver, New Energy Farms. The role of Energycanes, synthetic seeds (CEEDS) and novel Miscanthus varieties in the future biomass industry. |
| 11.45 – 12.00 | Tim Volk, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, USA. Letters from America – reflections on willow production in the US
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| 12.00 – 1.00 | Lunch and exhibition viewing
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1.00 – 2.00 Which crop and why? Decision making for biomass crops | Kevin Lindegaard. Envirocrops. The role of decision support and information tools, in successful scaling up of the biomass industry. John Hawkins, Bagber Farms Ltd. Land use change to incorporate biomass crops. A tenant farmers perspective. Ewan Boyd, Teesdale Moorland Biomass. Developing end uses for heather – naturally occurring biomass crops and the environmental benefits of processing them into saleable products. Panel discussion with crop suppliers and existing growers.
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2.00 – 2.45 Technologies to enhance propagation, planting and harvesting | Jamie Rickerby. Willow Energy. Innovations in robotic planting and harvesting machinery to increase the potential scale up rate of SRC willow. Jason Kam, Terravesta. Optimising Miscanthus Establishment through improved mechanisation and data capture. Zoe Harris, University of Surrey. Using aeroponics to fast track the sustainable propagation of SRC willow.
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| 2.45 – 3.15 | Tea/coffee and exhibition viewing
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| 3.15 – 5.00 | Moving beyond barriers; creating a blueprint for the future biomass industry. Session facilitated by Creative Exchange.
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| 5.00 – 7.00 | Free time and networking in the lounge
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| 7.00 | Conference dinner |
Draft Programme ~ Day 2 ~ Nov. 8th
| 9.15 – 10.00 | Gail Shuttleworth, NNFCC. Facilitated workshop session. Biomass value chains – where are our gaps in understanding? |
| 10.00 – 11.00 Biomass crops for greenhouse gas removal – the rhetoric and the reality | Steve Smith, Oxford University. Carbon dioxide removal – the state of play and the global scale up challenge. Enrique Cornejo, Offshore Energy UK. Early infrastructure deployment in industrial clusters (Track 1, 2) and development of our CO2 storage sector Panel discussion |
| 11.00 – 11.30 | Tea/coffee and exhibition viewing |
11.30 – 1.30 | Moving beyond barriers; creating a blueprint for the future biomass industry. Session facilitated by Creative Exchange. Closing remarks |
1.30 – 2.30 | Lunch and exhibition viewing. Close |
