Biogas USA West Conference 2011

Biogas USA West Conference 2011

With over 160 attendees and an expert faculty of 50 speakers, Biogas West returned to San Francisco for a third year of intensive discussion, debate and networking. Speakers and delegates recognised the wealth of potential that the Western States, and in particular California, holds for the future growth of the biogas industry, with a host of candidate projects still to be exploited. Participants heard from representatives of the EPA, CEC and CPUC on the mechanisms in place to support the industry, with the consensus that driving forward the industry hinges upon policy developments at the federal and state level.

The versatility of biogas was highlighted as the merits and challenges of different end-uses were explored, (such as power generation, pipeline injection, CHP and transportation fuel) including a packed panel of seven utilities. A host of project developers shared their valuable experiences of building and operating biogas facilities, featuring case studies of on-farm digestion, landfill gas and municipal solid waste.

New for 2011 was a one-day seminar focusing on the utilization of biomethane in the transportation sector, an area that many see as the ultimate end-market for biogas. The day included an afternoon tour of the nation’s flagship landfill-to-LNG project at Altamont, Livermore.

Highlights from Biogas USA West 2011:

Thank you to our Keynote Speakers:

Thank you to our industry leading speakers:

Utilities

Policy & legislation

Project owners & developers

Plus:

• Gary Bautista, Project Manager, Biofuels Market Development, Southern California Gas Company
• Kevin D. Best, Chief Executive Officer, Real Energy
• Alexis Broadbent, Senior Associate, Cascadia Capital
  
• Trevor Curwin, Contributor, Kachan & Co and Report Author, The Bio Natural Gas Opportunity
• James Dack, Vice President, Stern Brothers 
• Nettie R. Drake, Managing Partner, Ag Power Development
• Göran Eriksson, Director, North America Sales, Purac Puregas
  
• Jacques Franco, Climate Change & Technology, CalRecycle - Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery
• Hanafi Fraval, Board Member, Ag Biomass Center  
• Brian Gannon, President, Biogas Energy
• Mark Grist, Manager, Business Development, Fortis BC
• Chandler Goule, Vice President of Government Relations, National Farmers Union
• Alexander Helou, Bureau of Sanitation, City of Los Angeles
• Randall Lack, Chief Marketing Officer, Element Markets
• Craig Lewis, Executive Director, Clean Coalition 
• Joel Levin, Vice President of Business Development, Climate Action Reserve
• Kevin Maas, President, Farm Power Northwest
• Jaclyn Marks, Policy Analyst, California Public Utilities Commission
• David H. Mauney, Vice President, Development & Acquisitions, Sustainable Energy Solutions
  
• Joon H. Min, President, BKT
• Michael Mitariten, Vice President, Business Development, Guild Associates
  
• Mark Moser, President, RCM International
• Lewis R. Nelson, Public Works Director, City of Tulare
• Paul Relis, Executive Vice President, CR&R
• Dean Saito, Manager, On Road Mobile Source, South Coast Air Quality Management District (AQMD)
• Patrick Serfass, Executive Director, American Biogas Council
• Lee Smith, Partner, Stoel Rives
  
• Kurt Sorschak, President & Chief Executive Officer, Xebec Adsorption
• Doug Van Ornum, Business Development, R&D, GHD

Schedule of Events:

Testimonials from previous Biogas USA events:

“Great conference! I was really delighted to see the larger attendance and the continued development of this important annual event." Ag Biomass Council

“The biogas conference was very good and I learned a lot about AD technologies.” Chevron

“Very good conference” Abengoa

“The content of the presentations and discussions was on-point with current pressing issues in the industry. It was very useful to hear from others in the same industry and talk about collaborating to work towards addressing some of our common challenges.”  Humboldt Waste Management Authority

“It genuinely was a very high-quality conference.” FBE California

“Excellent gathering of the key experts from the technology, feedstocks, offtake and regulatory arenas” Yield Energy

“Presentations were very good.” enXco

“Excellent conference” Real Energy

“Great line up of speakers” DMJ Gas Marketing Consultants

“The market is just starting and will boom” Osaka Gas Engineering