IAI 2007 Conference Agenda and Presentations

Friday, April 27, 2007

Field Trip to the NSW Department of Primary Industries, Environmental Center of Excellence, in Wollongbar, Australia, where Dr. Lukas Van Zwieten has field trials underway, utilizing the BEST process (see Wednesday Field Trip description, below), applying Agrichar.
More information on the Dr. Van Zwieten’s work at the NSW Department of Primary Industries, the facility and its operations. 

Monday, April 30, 2007: Conference Day 1

8:00 am – 8:30 am: Welcome to Country, Welcome to Conference, Meeting Overview

• Stephen Joseph, BEST Energies, Australia
• Debbie Reed, International Agrichar Initiative, USA
• Johannes Lehmann, Cornell University, USA

8:30 am – 9:00 am: Keynote Address by Mike Mason, Biojoule

9:00 am – 9:10 am: Meeting Logistics, Adriana Downie, BEST Energies, AUS

9:10 am - 9:30 am: Break and networking opportunity

9:30 am – 11:30 pm: Agrichar Research and Development: Understanding the Impacts and Benefits 
(Each presentation 15 minutes, plus 5 minutes Q&A)

• Chair: Janice Thies, Cornell University, USA
• Blackwell P, Shea S, Storer P, Kerkmans M, Stanley I: Improving wheat production with deep banded Oil Mallee charcoal in WA
• Chan KY, van Zwieten L, Meszaros I, Downie A, Joseph S: Assessing the agronomic values of contrasting char materials on an Australian hardsetting soil
• Lehmann J, Cheng CH, Nguyen B, Liang B, Major J, Smernik R: Permanency and long-term changes of bio-char in soil
• Yoshizawa S, Tanaka S, Ohata M: Proliferation effect of aerobic micro-organisms during composting of rice bran by addition of biomass charcoal
• O’Neill B, Grossman JM, Tsai SM, Lehmann J, Thies JE: Analysis of bacterial communities in Amazonian Dark Earths through community-level molecular analysis and identifying dominant species in soils from the Eastern and Central Amazon
• Smernik R: The influence of soil charcoal on the absorption of organic molecules

11:30 am – 12:00 pm: Agrichar Research and Development: Understanding the Impacts and Benefits
(Each Poster Mini presentation 1 – 2 minutes)           

• Chair: Janice Thies, Cornell University, USA
• Singh B, Cowie A: Quantifying char-carbon turnover, and implications for greenhouse balance
• Sohi S, Yates H, Lehmann J: Carbon stabilization in Terra Preta soils
• Downie A, Van Zwieten L, Doughty W, Joseph S: Nutrient retention characteristics of chars and the agronomic implications
• Lopez Capel E, Manning DAC: Characterisation of Terra Preta soils and chars by thermal analysis-quadrupole mass spectrometry
• Major J, Lehmann J, Rondon M: Field maize yield and yield determining factors for four years following biochar application on a Colombian savanna Oxisol
• Hill RA, Harris A, Stewart A, Bolstridge N, McLean KL, Blakeley R: Charcoal and selected beneficial microorganisms: plant trials and SEM observations
• de Arruda, Murilo R., and Wenceslau G. Teixeira:  Use of charcoal, chicken manure and bones meal in Guarana (Paullinia cupana var. sorbilis) - preliminary results
• Hongyan J, Zhong, Z, Thies JE: Soil Microbial Community Response to Amending Rice Soils with Bamboo Charcoal  

12:00 pm – 1:00 pm: Lunch        

1:30pm – 2:50 pm: Agrichar Production and Testing
(Each Presentation 15 minutes, plus 5 minutes Q&A)         

• Chair: Robert Brown, Iowa State University
• Tadeo BD: Carbonized rice husk and the automated carbonization system in the Philippine rice industry
• Downie A, Joseph S, Crosky A, Munroe P: Assessing the Physical and Chemical Nature of Poultry Manure Chars
• Hawkins B: Influence of pyrolysis conditions on char properties
• Glover M: Renewed Fuel: Consideration of Issues to Promote Commercialization of Agrichar Products and Applications 
   

2:50 pm – 3:00 pm: Agrichar Production and Testing 
(Each Poster Mini presentation 1 – 2 minutes)

• Chair: Robert Brown, Iowa State University
• Novotny EH, Hayes MHB, deAzevedo ER, Bonagamba TJ: NMR characterisation of Biofine's by-products char
• Zhong Z, Flanagan R: The physical and chemical properties of Bamboo charcoal and its application as a soil conditioner
• Hossain MK, Strezov V, Nelson P: Evaluation of agricultural char from sewage sludge
• Joseph S, Downie A, Lehmann J: Classification of chars for agricultural use

3:00 pm – 3:30 pm: Break and networking opportunity

3:30 pm – 4:50 pm: Economics, Environment and Policy
(Each Presentation 15 minutes, plus 5 minutes Q&A)

• Chair: Mark Glover, Renewed Fuels, Australia
• Radlein D, Kingston A: The role of Agrichar in the Commercialization of Dynamotive's Fast Pyrolysis Process
• Bryant D, Downie A: Agrichar: Building a commercial venture
• Gaunt J, Lehmann J: Prospects for carbon trading based on the reductions of greenhouse gas emissions arising from the use of bio-char
• Larson RW: RD&D issues for agrichar, emphasis on energy and developing countries

4:50 pm – 5:00 pm: Economics, Environment, and Policy         

• Chair: Mark Glover, Renewed Fuels, Australia
• Somerville M, Van Berkel R: The utilisation of waste biomass in SA as a renewable resource for agriculture or metallurgy
• Bezerra, JC:  How has historical research changed our understanding of the Amazonian environment?

Tuesday, May 1, 2007: Conference Day 2

8:30 am – 8:45 am: Introduction and Overview of Day 2, Johannes Lehmann, Cornell University, USA

8:45 am – 9:15 am: Panel Discussion:  Agrichar Research and Development

• Panel Facilitator: Johannes Lehmann, Cornell University, USA

Panel Participants: 

• Lukas Van Zwieten, New South Wales Department of Primary Industries, Australia
• Robert Brown, Professor, Iowa State University, USA
• Stephen Joseph, Chief Engineer, BEST Energies and Visiting Professor University of NSW, Australia
• Dr. Joe Herbertson, Crucible Carbon 

9:15 am – 10:00 am: Plenary Discussion, Facilitated by Johannes Lehmann, Cornell University, USA

10:00 am – 10:30 am: Break and Networking Opportunity

10:30 am – 11:00 am: Panel Discussion: Agrichar Production and Utilization: Markets and Commercialization 

• Panel Facilitator, Peter Read, Massey University, New Zealand

Panel Participants:

• Desmond Radlein, Chair, Research and Development, Dynamotive, Canada
• Neil Young, Co-founder, President and CEO, BEST Energies, USA
• David Bryant; Rural Funds Management, Australia
• Jim Fournier, President, Bioenergy and Charcoal, USA
• Robert Flanagan SAFFE, China

11:00 am – 11:45 am: Plenary Discussion, Facilitated by Peter Read, Massey University, New Zealand

11:45 am – 12:30 pm: Facilitated Plenary Discussion: Prioritizing Key Management Questions

• Facilitatored by Hellen Scott-Orr, Director, Health Sciences, NSW Department of Primary Industries, Australia 

Panel Participants:

• Johannes Lehmann, Cornell University, USA
• Peter Read, Massey University, New Zealand

12:30 pm – 1:30 pm: Lunch         

1:30 pm – 2:30 pm: Keynote Reflections: Tim Flannery, Sydney, Australia

2:30 pm – 3:00 pm: Break and Networking Opportunity

3:00 pm – 4:00 pm: Tying it all Together: The Agrichar Business and Development Plan
Chair: Debbie Reed, International Agrichar Initiative

4:00 pm – 5:30 pm: Wrap-up and Next Steps for the International Agrichar Initiative

• Debbie Reed, International Agrichar Initiative, USA
• Stephen Joseph, BEST Energies, Australia
• Johannes Lehmann, Cornell University, USA

Wednesday, May 2, 2007

Field Trip to an Agrichar production unit at Biomass Energy Services and Technology Pty Ltd (BEST), Somersby, Australia

Bus transport will be provided to and from the Terrigal conference site for registered participants.  Light lunch will be provided at the BEST facility.

Click here for more information on the BEST facility and its operations.