The Wisconsin Bioenergy Initiative (WBI) invites you to a policy briefing on the findings of three major studies on the biogas to energy opportunities for our state and the Midwest region. The meeting will highlight the release of “The Biogas Opportunity in Wisconsin: 2011 Strategic Plan.”

Participants will organize plans to take some of the strategic plan recommendations and form working committees to implement the ideas.

Thursday, April 28, 2011
8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
University of Wisconsin-Madison Memorial Union, Madison Room

The meeting is free and open to the public and will include lunch. RSVP is required by April 22, 2011. Register now.

Agenda: Joe Kramer from the Energy Center of Wisconsin will present the “Great Lakes Region Food Industry Biogas Casebook.”  There will be presentations on the findings of two reports, “The Biogas Opportunity in Wisconsin: 2011 Strategic Plan” and the “Got Gas? An Analysis of Wisconsin’s Biogas Opportunity” CHANGE-IGERT Capstone program paper.

The remainder of the day will be large and small group sessions to form working committees and divide up next steps projects. ??For more information about the meeting agenda please contact: Gary Radloff.

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About WBI: The Wisconsin Bioenergy Initiative (WBI) seeks to cultivate bioenergy expertise among UW-Madison, UW-System and Wisconsin stakeholders to anchor the innovative research that is being conducted within our great state. We are a university-based coalition that helps the talent across Wisconsin create, commercialize and promote bio-based solutions.

If you’re looking for financing, new deal structuring ideas or brand-new investment opportunities in the energy efficiency landscape, this event will offer more information and answer many questions. More info. . .

Early bird registration has been extended for the 2010 Ag Forum and associated events until December 18, 2009.

Simply go to:www.aceee.org/conf/10ag to get more information about registering, housing arrangements, and this year’s exciting events. Follow the quick and easy steps to register to get the Early Bird rate of $275. Make your hotel reservations by January 8, 2010 to receive the discounted room rate of $125. A draft of the program is also now available.

The 2010 Ag Forum brings together a diverse group of participants to raise awareness, share information, form new collaborations, and establish new visions regarding energy efficiency in agriculture.

The 2010 Forum on Energy Efficiency in Agriculture will focus on the importance of energy efficiency as a “first fuel” not only on the farm or ranch but also in the wider rural community.

Presentations will discuss issues of climate change, on-farm energy efficiency, the human dimensions of agricultural and rural energy efficiency, and efficiency in the dairy industry among other topics.

As a part of this year’s Ag Forum there will be a one-day conference on Wednesday, February 10th, “The Economics of Sustainability and the Dairy Industry.” This event is hosted by the Madison, Wisconsin-based Dairy Business Innovation Center.

More details about the webinar’s topics, speakers and how to register are available at: Biomass Crop Assistance Program webinar

The conference is being sponsored by Christianson & Associates, PLLP, certified public accountants and consultants for the biofuels industry.

The conference will focus on the financial challenges and opportunities for the biofuels industry. Tom Buis, CEO of Growth Energy, Brian Jennings, Executive Director of the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) and Jim Redding, Vice President Industry Relations for the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) will all take the stage and discuss how the current financial landscape is affecting the ethanol industry today and tomorrow.

Participants will also learn about commodity risk management, leadership best practices and hear technical and industry updates.

You can download a copy of the proposed agenda (including a link to directions) by going to:

Wis. Biogas Development Group

The Briefing will take place at: 406 Dirksen Senate Office Building, Thursday, April 9, 2009, starting at 2 p.m. (ending around 3:30 p.m.).

Speakers for this event include:

Robin O’Malley, Program Director, The John H. Heinz III Center for Science, Economics, and the Environment, and
V. Alaric Sample, President, Pinchot Institute for Conservation.

This briefing is largely based on the results of a February 2009 symposium, Ensuring Forest Sustainability in the Development of Wood Biofuels and Bioenergy: Implications for Federal and State Policies.

This briefing is free and open to the public.  No RSVP required. For more information, contact Jesse Caputo at (202) 662-1882 or jcaputo@eesi.org

The 2009 Wisconsin Renewable Energy Summit will be held on March 25-27 at the Midwest Airlines Center in Milwaukee.

This comprehensive summit is designed to inform and assist all stakeholders in a “great green transition”.  

Visit the Summit’s web site for more information.