The 2017 Heating the Midwest Conference co-located with the 2017 International Biomass Conference & Expo.
Steering Committee Member
Heating the Midwest Inc.
Thank you to all those that presented, and also to the International Biomass Conference for letting us be a part of your great event!
Conference presentations can be found in the links below.
Where We Stand: The State of the Biomass Thermal Energy Industry in the State, Region and Country
Advocacy for the biomass thermal industry happens on many fronts. This panel will provide attendees with an opportunity to hear how industry advocates are working to impress upon state and federal policymakers and regulatory agencies the impact a growing biomass thermal sector can have on rural jobs, sound forest management and climate goals. Of particular interest will be a discussion about how the industry best promotes itself to the first new federal administration it has seen in nearly a decade.
Moderator: T.J. Morice, Managing Member, TNT Ventures LLC
- Gregg Mast, Executive Director, Clean Energy Economy Minnesota
The State of Biomass Thermal: How the Industry is Positioned for Growth in Minnesota - Brian Brashaw, Program Manager-Forest Products Marketing Unit, Forest Products Laboratory
Winning their Hearts and Minds: Why the NFPA was Formed and What it Means for Biomass Thermal Stakeholders - Jeff Serfass, Executive Director, Biomass Thermal Energy Council
Federal Policy Update: Pitching Biomass Thermal to a New Administration
Unique Biomass Thermal Energy Deployments in the Upper Midwest
For the biomass thermal industry to continue to grow the projects that have survived the project development gauntlet and were built and commissioned must be celebrated for their accomplishment and closely examined for the lessons they can deliver. This panel will feature the case studies of over a half dozen biomass thermal projects including a community center, plans for an industrial deployment at a wood pellet plant and installments at a poultry barn and an operating greenhouse. These projects can and should inform the roster of thermal projects within the region working to find traction and get built.
Moderator: Chris Wiberg, Manager of Biomass Energy Services, Timber Products Inspection
- Bruno Zagar, Environmental Specialist & Energy Project Manager, Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa
Sawyer Community Center Wood Chip Storage, Handling and District Heating - David Mackett, Community Development, Whitesand First Nation
The Community Sustainability Initiative – Ontario’s First Combined Heat and Power Project: Replacing Diesel Generated Electricity and Building Economic Opportunity through a Biomass Combined Heat and Power Plant and an Integrated Wood Pellet Plant - Dalia El Tawy, Senior Marketing Manager, Siemens Energy Inc.
Combined Heat and Power Solutions to Heat the Midwest - Kevin Hennessy, Bioenergy Manager, Minnesota Department of Agriculture
Biomass Thermal Grant Projects in Minnesota
Taking All Comers: How Biomass Thermal is Gaining Traction in Unexpected Applications
Biomass thermal is not likely to compete head-to-head with natural gas to become a heating solution for a significant percentage of the homes in the Midwest anytime soon. Recognizing the economics are currently stacked against them in that application, biomass thermal professionals are increasingly turning their attention to unique opportunities to deploy technologies in applications where traditional thermal sources are either impractical or not available. Each presentation will make the argument that plenty of opportunity can be found outside the standard thermal applications for those willing to look.
Moderator: Gregg Mast, Executive Director, Clean Energy Economy Minnesota
- Eric Rund, Owner/Operator, Rund Farms – Green Flame Energy
Cheap Chipped Biomass Beats LP Gas - Alan Doering, Sr. Scientist-CoProduct, Agricultural Utilization Research Institute (AURI)
Biomass for Cooling System Technologies: A Feasibility Study - Jamie Stephen, Managing Director, TorchLight Bioresources
Biomass for Residential and Commercial Heating in Off-Grid Communities - Fritz Ebinger, Clean Energy Resource Teams – Rural Energy Development, University of Minnesota Extension – RSDP/CERTs
Thermal Biomass for Commercial Poultry Production
The Importance of System Design in Biomass Thermal Energy Projects
This panel will also rely heavily on case studies, however the focus of the discussion will center on principles of system design in biomass thermal projects. With presentations focusing on everything from feedstock availability to stack emissions, attendees can expect a thorough soup-to-nuts examination of the design lessons the industry continues to accumulate.
Moderator: Brian Brashaw, Program Manager-Forest Products Marketing Unit, Forest Products Laboratory
- Tom Wilson, President, Wilson Engineering Services
Biomass Hot Water District Heating System Design - Stacy Cook, Vice President/General Manager, Koda Energy
Hazard Mitigation in Fuel System Design from an Operator that’s Been There - Michael Marquis, Project Manager, Enegis LLC
The Biomass Energy Analytical Model - Bruce Jones, Director, MnCAR
Next Generation Biomass Thermal Energy Grant Emission Testing Program