Agenda
For speaking opportunities contact:
Shyla Bector
Conference Producer
Email: shyla.bector@argusmedia.com
- 17:30
Welcome drinks and networking evening
Forge valuable connections in good company and exchange insights with biomass industry experts.
- 08.00 - 09.00
Morning registration and networking
- 09.00 - 09.05
Producer’s opening remarks
Speakers Include:
Shyla Bector
Conference ProducerArgus- 09.05 - 09.10
Chairperson’s opening remarks
- 09.10 - 09.30
Ministerial address: Shaping Asia’s biomass industry – future policies, mandates and incentives
Join this important session to gain better clarity on governmental policies in Malaysia and Indonesia
• How are governments encouraging growth in the biomass markets? Will new incentives and subsidies be put in place?
• What new mandates are emerging, and are regions backing them?
• How can regulatory fragmentation be reduced so that doing business is made easier?- 09.30 - 10.00
Argus Market Update: Outlook of the Global and Asian Biomass Markets
• Against the backdrop of recent volatility in the developing biomass market, gain insights on new developments and opportunities as Argus experts discuss supply demand trends and biomass price volatility
Speakers Include:
Erisa Senerdem
Editor, BiomassArgusDale Hazelton
Principal, ConsultingArgus- 10.00 - 10.40
Morning coffee and networking
END-USER PERSPECTIVES – IPPs AND POWER UTILITIES
- 10.40 - 11.20
Japan as a key demand centre: Key market drivers behind changing biomass consumption
• What are the causes of Japan’s lower than usual biomass demand, and how is this affecting the market?
• How are Japanese utilities adapting their strategies to enhance biomass utilisation amid market challenges?
• What role do government policies and incentives play in shaping the future of biomass demand in Japan?Speakers Include:
Yoshinobu Kusano
Founder and CEOYK PartnersFumie Akiyama
Senior AssociateSumitomo CorporationMiho Okuno
RepresentativeBiomass Power Association JapanShimon Hama
Associate Director of InvestmentsNew Forests Asia- 11.20 - 11.40
South Korea’s evolving biomass landscape: Adapting to REC changes and evolving market demands
• How are the changes to REC requirements in South Korea affecting market dynamics?
• What are buyers seeking from biomass producers in terms of specifications and quality?
• How are South Korean power producers’ strategies for utilising biomass evolving in response to the energy transition?Speakers Include:
Marco Kim
Global Cooperation AdviserKorea Forest Biomass Energy Association- 11.40 - 12.20
FMCG, steel, and cement industries – creating new trends in biomass demand and co-firing
• How are increasing targets to phase out coal consumption and the rising preference for biomass influencing regional biomass demand?
• How is the evolving demand for biomass as a coal alternative shaping market dynamics in the FMCG, steel and cement sectors?
• What challenges are operators facing as they shift towards co-firing and small to medium-scale biomass applications, and what strategies can be employed to overcome these obstacles?Speakers Include:
Dipjay Sanchania
Director - Climate and EnergyAdidas- 12.20 - 13.20
Networking lunch
PRODUCERS’ CORNER – OUTLOOK OF TRADITIONAL BIOMASS, FROM PKS TO PELLETS
- 13.20 - 14.00
Pellets panel discussion: Strategies for sustainable supply amid tightening resources and market pressures
• How will Asia meet long-term pellet supply needs?
• As raw material supplies tighten, how is the pellet industry competing with other sectors, such as the furniture industry, for resources?
• How is severe weather in SEA affecting the supply chain, and what role does growing storage capacity play in reducing costs?Speakers Include:
Mads Thomsen
Director- Trading, CM BiomassHiroaki Goto
General ManagerErexMai Ly
DirectorPhu Ninh Green Energy (Tam Sen Group)- 14.00 - 14.40
PKS Panel discussion: PKS and its future, looking at southeast Asia
• What factors in the past 12 months have contributed to the present challenges and opportunities for palm kernel shell (PKS) suppliers in Indonesia and Malaysia?
• How are regional governments, including Japan with its new April 2024 regulations, handling biomass regulations, and what steps should producers take to adapt to this evolving and fragmented landscape?
• How are PKS trade flows to Thailand evolving, particularly with cargoes moving to non-traditional markets, and what changes in trade patterns can we anticipate?Speakers Include:
Dato Leong Kin Mun
PresidentMalaysia Biomass Industries ConfederationThareq Ariffin
Manager - Market TransformationRoundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO)Muhamad Fadhil
SVP Strategy and Business DevelopmentArgus- 14.40 - 15.20
Afternoon coffee and networking
CERTIFICATION – LOOKING AT THE BIOMASS COMPLIANCE MARKET
- 15.20 - 16.00
Certification panel discussion: Asia’s new biomass rules – compliance and certification in Asia
• What emerging regulations should producers and end-users in Asia be aware of, with a focus on recent changes in Japan and South Korea?
• What are the latest updates and essential aspects of regulatory compliance, including key import/export regulations and tips for successful certification?
• How is the quality of biomass being evaluated, and what strategies can be employed to meet the growing and complex certification requirements?
• What is the impact of the European Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) on biomass production and trade in Asia?Speakers Include:
Carsten Huljus
Chief Executive OfficerSustainable Biomass Program (SBP)
REGIONAL SPOTLIGHTS
- 16.00 - 16.40
Key developments in India's biomass and bioenergy sector
• With the introduction of new co-firing mandates in India, what are the recent governmental drivers and policy updates influencing biomass production in India, including incentives and penalties for producers?
• How is India advancing its biomass utilisation goals, focusing on woody biomass, palm waste and agricultural residues for energy generation and sustainability?
• What is the outlook for agri-biomass and biogas in India, and how are Indian steelmakers contributing to the demand for biomass in the domestic market?Speakers Include:
Mohit Verma
FounderBiomass Energeons India- 16.40 - 17.00
Biomass in China’s energy transition: How does the biomass industry compete with other diverse energy sources?
• China plans to phase out coal faster than any other country in Asia. How is the biomass industry fitting into the country’s decarbonisation strategy?
• With China being the largest global producer of pellets, what are the prospects for its domestic market, and is there a future for pellet exports?
• In the context of increasing power consumption and diverse renewable energy sources, how is the biomass industry positioning itself alongside co-firing initiatives with green hydrogen and competition with CCUS, solar and wind energy?Speakers Include:
Kelvin Hong
ChairmanResources- 17.00 - 17.05
Chairperson’s closing remarks
- 17.05
Networking drinks reception
Forge valuable connections in good company, and exchange insights with biomass industry experts.
- 08.00 - 09.25
Morning registration and networking
- 09.25 - 09.30
Chairperson’s opening remarks
- 09.30 - 10.15
Panel discussion: Exploring the role of co-firing with alternative energy sources
• Exploring the role of biomass in co-firing with alternative energy sources such as ammonia and hydrogen: What does the future hold, and how might this affect opportunities for stakeholders in the biomass industry?
• What are the latest advancements in co-firing technologies with thermal coal, including improvements in burn rates, retrofitting and safety procedures? What key technological considerations should be taken into account?
• As Asian countries adopt stricter co-firing regulations, will the supply of biomass be sufficient to meet these new standards?Speakers Include:
Chia Chi Chang
Senior ResearcherTaiwan Bio-energy Technology Development Association- 10.15 - 11.00
Morning coffee and networking
FEEDSTOCK FOCUS
- 11.00 - 11.40
Panel discussion: The rise of alternative agri-biomass and how it is transforming the traditional biomass market
• What are the growth rates and contributions of increasing agri-feedstock, including sources such as empty fruit bunches, olive pits, bagasse, rice husks, sugar cane, coconut shells and pineapple residue?
• Agri-biomass presents unique processing challenges and higher costs. What are the key price drivers, and how prepared is the biomass industry, along with government incentives, to address these issues?
• How does the use of agri-waste byproducts impact sustainability? Is it financially viable to invest in agri-biomass at this stage, and what are the anticipated timelines for its adoption?Speakers Include:
Dennis Lai
Vice PresidentSSGE BIO Energy- 11.40 - 12.20
Panel discussion: The market for liquid fuels – how biomass players can capitalise on the booming biofuels industry?
• How can biomass players leverage opportunities in the thriving biofuels market, including sustainable aviation fuels, POME and traditional biofuels, while identifying preferred feedstocks and key industry players?
• What essential regulations should biomass producers be aware of to align with advanced biofuels and ensure compliance?
• What does the potential future of the biogas industry look like, and how does it fit within the broader liquid fuels market?Speakers Include:
Gideon (Xiang Yee) Tan
Head - Group Transformation DivisionFGV Holdings Berhad
BIOMASS GOING GREEN – THE BIOMASS CARBON CORNER
- 12.20 - 13.20
Networking lunch
- 13.20 - 13.50
Heat treated pellets: Torrefied biomass, a sustainable solution or just hype?
• Explore the latest developments, longevity and feasibility of torrefied biomass pellets as a coal substitute
• With increasing regulations in countries such as India and Indonesia mandating 5-10pc co-firing, what is the projected growth trajectory for torrefied biomass in the energy sector?
• As demand rises from sectors such as steel manufacturing, what is the commercial viability of torrefied pellets, and how can they capitalise on this growing interest?Speakers Include:
John Teal
Vice PresidentTSIDominique Kuehner
Industry Director, BiofuelAndritzMichael Wild
PresidentInternational Biomass Torrefaction and Carbonization Council IBTC- 14.00 - 14.40
The role of biochar in reducing carbon emissions and opportunities for biomass producers
• Biochar is emerging as a promising solution for carbon sequestration and coal replacement in certain applications. How can biomass industry players fully capitalise on this opportunity? An overview of the biochar carbon credit system.
• With increasing social and economic pressure to use biomass locally, how can biochar contribute to meeting carbon emissions reduction targets?
• Explore the advancement of biochar, biocarbon and bio-coal, focusing on standardisation, key industry players and end-user expectationsSpeakers Include:
Prateek Tiwari
Managing DirectorAlcomNikunj Nangalia
Head of Asia, BDReNew- 14.40 - 15.10
Afternoon coffee and networking
- 15.10 - 15.30
Trade flows: How shipping can affect pricing and business strategy
• From shifting freight costs to evolving trade routes, how will the future of global shipping affect your business and expenses?
• With conflicts affecting key routes through the Suez and Panama Canal, and the Red Sea, how will these disruptions affect your costs?
• What are the financial implications of changing points of origin? Explore supply reliability, quality and offtake agreements in the evolving marketSpeakers Include:
Rob Aaravold
Commercial DirectorSwire Bulk Pte Ltd- 15.30 - 15.50
Briquettes in Asia: Growth, innovations and government support
• Asia’s briquette market is expected to grow significantly in the coming years. What role will briquettes play in the future, and where will we see the most growth?
• What new technological innovations are addressing current challenges such as bulk density, handling and logistics in the briquette sector?
• Exploring the intersection of briquettes and torrefaction: Is briquetting the way to go?
• Why is briquetting used in special applications like biogas?Speakers Include:
Bo Andersen
Area Sales ManagerC.F. Nielson- 15.50 - 16.30
Panel discussion: Financing in the biomass industry
• Who is funding new biomass projects? Where is investment needed, and who are the key players in the market?
• What do financiers and major lenders seek? Gain insights directly from industry experts on the future of green investment and the role of biomass
• What steps are necessary to secure funding, and what criteria lead to successful investments?- 16.30 - 16.45
Fighting fires – how to protect your plant from damages
• Examine the impact of recent dust explosions and fires on the biomass market and the current state of affairs
• Anticipate changes in plant operations to prevent fire accidents and understand expectations for facilities returning to operation
• Discover strategies for risk mitigation and insights into effective industrial fire prevention and protection systems- 16.45
Chairperson’s closing remarks and end of conference