Summary Western Region Biomass Update Workshop August 89, 2006 Biomass R

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SummaryWestern RegionBiomass Update
WorkshopAugust 8-9, 2006Biomass RD Technical
Advisory CommitteeRalph Cavalieri, Workshop
Chair
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Overview

• 30 expert participants representing diverse
  fields
• Forestry
• Automotive
• Fuels Chemicals
• Thermochemical
• Academia laboratories
• Federal
• State/regional
• 2-day facilitated workshop
• Major barriers to achieving goals
• Policies needed to achieve goals
• RD strategies needed to achieve goals
• Discussion covered all stages of biomass
  implementation from plant science through end use
• Focus western region

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Priority Barriers

• Management of dispersed feedstocks (West)
• Lack of transmission and interconnection (West)
• Water availability (West)
• Lack of long term consistent energy policy and
  commitment to RD
• Equipment development costs
• Financial return to farmers
• Capital cost and scale of technology
• Public perception and consumer education
• Workforce education

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Policy Priorities

• Shift incentives to production (away from
  non-production) (West)
• Consolidate coordinate permitting process
  (west)
• Incentives to reduce water consumption (west)
• Incentives for capital investment in biofuels
• Consistent policies for fuels mandates/incentives
  - federal/state, state/state regional, and
  regionally.
• Expand graduate training fellowships and expand
  funding for university research and trade
  programs for biofuels and bioproducts
• Require best practices, development as industry
  grows
• Monetize CO2 emissions sequestration

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RDD Priorities

• RD that minimizes water fertilizer input
  (West)
• Quantify biomass potential in West
• Develop data on feedstock characteristics
• Educational curricula (K 12 and university
  level)
• Conversion processes that accept diverse
  feedstocks
• Develop and use value-added co-products
• Increase integration of national labs
  w/universities
• Feedstock RD (yield, harvesting, reducing
  inputs, densification)
• RD on harvesting solutions for a variety of
  forest residues
• Research on national fuel standards