Argus Biomass Asia Conference

08.00 - 09.00

Morning registration and networking

09.00 - 09.10

Chairperson’s opening remarks

Speakers Include:

Steve Tan

Vice President - Business Development

Argus Media

Policy and regulatory landscape

09.10 - 09.30

Government address: Asia’s biomass transition — balancing security and sustainability

• How can Asian countries align biomass certification and sustainability standards to meet growing demand from Japan, South Korea and Europe, while ensuring credibility and traceability?
• What policies and regional partnerships are needed to scale agricultural waste, municipal solid waste (MSW) and palm residues into reliable feedstocks for power, biofuels and industrial decarbonisation?
• How can governments balance domestic energy security, carbon neutrality goals and export opportunities, given rising competition for biomass across Asia?

 

 

 

09.30 - 10.00

Market spotlight: Japan and South Korea — Evolving biomass policies

• How are recent policy shifts in Japan and South Korea influencing biomass demand and market access?
• Which sectors have the strongest demand for biomass in these markets?
• How can biomass producers adapt their strategies to meet regulatory requirements and capitalise on market opportunities?

 

 

 

Market dynamics and trade flows

10.00 - 10.30

Argus market update: Outlook on the global biomass market

• What are the implications of rising wood pellet prices and declining palm kernel shell (PKS) supply?
• How will regional production hubs and certification requirements affect trade flows?
• How do European biomass trade flows and policy shifts affect Asia’s markets, pricing and partnerships?
• Can biomass-fired power generation remain profitable without subsidies and feed-in-tariff schemes?

 

 

 

10.30 - 11.00

Morning coffee and networking

11.00 - 11.40

Panel discussion: Wood pellet demand in Asia — navigating quality, supply and policy shifts

• How are Japan and South Korea’s evolving energy policies and carbon reduction targets reshaping demand for wood pellets and influencing procurement strategies?
• What are the key challenges in maintaining consistent wood pellet quality across the supply chain and how can producers, trading companies and consumers collaborate to address these issues?
• How can the region ensure long-term certified feedstock availability with Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia as major suppliers, given rising demand and tightening sustainability standards?

 

 

 

11.40 - 12.00

NEW - Diversifying biomass supply for northeast Asia’s energy transition

• What are the emerging biomass supply opportunities in China, Cambodia, the Philippines, India and Europe, and how can producers secure financing to scale up supply from these regions?
• How are Japanese and South Korean buyers evolving their procurement strategies to reduce dependency on a single supply source?
• What role can new feedstocks  — such as black pellets, agricultural residues and torrefied biomass — play in meeting future demand?

 

 

 

12.00 - 12.45

Panel discussion: Consumer perspectives — industrial decarbonisation and fuel switching

• What are the biomass needs of the steel, cement, textile and fast-moving consumer goods industries?
• How can biomass replace petroleum coke and fossil fuels in industrial combustion processes?
• What are the key considerations for co-firing, boiler compatibility and fuel specifications?

 

 

 

Speakers Include:

Kazuyuki Nakamura

Marketing & Resource Trading Manager

Kobelco Trading Australia

12.45 - 13.45

Networking lunch

Palm to power — unlocking palm products’ biomass potential

13.45 - 14.10

Argus PKS market update: Supply, demand and future outlook

• What are the latest developments in the PKS market and how are supply-demand dynamics shaping the industry?
• How are regional supply variations, certification requirements and global energy shifts affecting PKS trade and availability?
• What are the near and mid-term projections for PKS and how should stakeholders plan for potential fluctuations and opportunities in the biomass sector?

 

 

 

 

14.10 - 14.30

NEW - Empty fruit bunch (EFB) focus — what progress has there been in EFB use?

• How are palm oil mills transforming EFBs into valuable products such as biofuels, compost and bioplastics?
• What recent technology developments have enhanced the efficiency of EFB processing and utilisation?
• How does EFB use contribute to the sustainability goals of the palm oil industry, particularly in reducing waste and promoting a circular economy?

 

 

 

Speakers Include:

David Hiel

Chief Commercial Officer

Wilhelmina

14.30 - 15.15

Panel Discussion: Harnessing palm — energy, innovation and scalable biomass solutions

• What are the current market trends and growth projections for PKS in the biomass industry and how are they influencing global energy strategies?
• What are the emerging applications of palm products beyond traditional energy generation, particularly focusing on palm oil mill effluent, EFB, palm kernel oil and crude palm oil?
• What infrastructure and aggregation models are necessary to effectively commercialise palm-based biomass while ensuring scalability and sustainability?

 

 

 

Speakers Include:

Ir. Ts. Dr. Gideon Tan

Head - Group Transformation Division

FGV Holdings Berhad

Anita Puspita Sari

VP Pengembangan Bisnis, Pemasaran & Perencanaan Biomassa

PLN Energi Primer Indonesia

15.15 - 16.00

Afternoon coffee and networking

Carbon value chain — biochar, bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (Beccs) and negative emissions

16.00 - 16.20

Unlocking the potential of biochar in biomass strategies

• How can biochar contribute to long-term carbon sequestration while enhancing soil health?
• What are the most scalable production methods for biochar using regional biomass feedstocks?
• What policy and market mechanisms are needed to accelerate biochar adoption in Asia?

 

 

 

16.20 - 16.40

NEW - Beccs and the future of negative emissions in biomass

• What are the key technical and economic barriers to deploying Beccs at scale in biomass power plants?
• How can Beccs projects be integrated into existing biomass supply chains without disrupting energy security?
• What role can Asia play in global Beccs development and what incentives are needed to drive investment?

 

 

 

16.40 - 17.00

NEW - Unlocking revenue streams from biomass power: International Renewable Energy Credits (IRECs) and carbon markets

• How can biomass power producers generate and monetise IRECs and carbon credits?
• What are the registration, compliance and auditing requirements for participating in these markets?
• How do IRECs and carbon credits align with corporate sustainability goals and evolving policies in Asia?

 

 

 

17.00 - 17.05

Chairperson’s closing remarks

 

 

 

17.05 - 18.30

Networking drinks reception

Forge valuable connections in good company and exchange insights with biomass industry experts.

 

 

 

08.00 - 08.45

Morning registration and networking

Breakfast briefing: Navigating certification for Asia’s biomass trade

08.45 - 09.15

NEW - Breakfast briefing: Navigating certification for Asia’s biomass trade

Learn from top certifying bodies about how producers can meet changing consumer requirements in Japan, South Korea and Europe.

• Explore best practices to reduce shipment rejections, penalties and disputes through rigorous quality management.
• Understand how certification frameworks can be leveraged as a commercial advantage in securing long-term contracts and new buyers.

 

 

 

09.15 - 09.20

Chairperson’s opening remarks

09.20 - 09.30

NEW - Opening interactive Slido Q&A: Technology showcase — biomass in action

• Interactive kick-off: Explore the latest biomass technologies and innovations shaping supply chains and consumer markets.
• Powered by Slido: Live polls will collect audience questions in real time, making the session more engaging and responsive.
• Audience-driven insights: Poll results and top-voted questions will guide the discussion and feed into the closing wrap-up session.

 

 

 

Black pellets: Market readiness and innovation

09.30 - 10.10

NEW - Panel discussion: Torrefied biomass — market and commercial readiness

• What are the main commercial and technical challenges in torrefied and black pellet production?
• Which regions and companies are leading in black pellet innovation?
• How can black pellets be positioned and priced as premium biomass products?

 

 

 

Speakers Include:

Michael Wild

President

International Biomass Torrefaction and Carbonization Council IBTC

10.10 - 10.30

NEW - Advancing black pellets — innovation, research and policy

• What recent research and pilot projects are advancing torrefaction and black pellet technology?
• How can scaleing and logistical barriers be overcome through collaboration?
• What market trends and policy developments are shaping black pellet adoption as coal alternatives in Asia?

 

 

 

Speakers Include:

Tamio Ida

Director/Professor/Doctor

Kindai University, Bio-coke Research  Institute

10.30 - 11.00

Morning coffee and networking

Expanding the biomass definition — feedstocks of the future

11.00 - 11.45

Panel discussion: The rise of agricultural and alternative biomass feedstocks

• Which agri-biomass sources —  such as sugar cane, cashews, husks, Napier grass, etc — have the strongest commercial potential and how can low-quality feedstocks be matched to the right applications?
• How can technology be improved to make better use of the agri-biomass that is readily available?
• What investment and aggregation models can scale agricultural waste supply chains effectively?

 

 

 

Speakers Include:

Jens Price Wolf

Founder

Voksigrene

Hector Ingram

Co-Founder and Group Strategy Director at RAW Energy

RAW Energy Ventures Pte Ltd.

Mohit Verma

Founder

Biomass Energeons India

11.45 - 12.10

NEW - From biomass to bioenergy: Syngas and methane in action

• How can biomass producers diversify into syngas, biomethane and biomethanol to unlock new revenue streams?
• What technologies, policies and market drivers are shaping growth in these advanced fuels?
• What infrastructure and partnerships are essential to scale and commercialise bioenergy opportunities?

 

 

 

Speakers Include:

Simon Yim

Chief Executive Officer

Sky Renewables

Cai Rong Lim

Senior Manager Biomass Balance Solutions Asia Pacific

BASF

12.10 - 13.30

Networking lunch

13.30 - 13.50

NEW - Biomass to sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) — will biomass fuel the skies?

• How can biomass producers position themselves in the growing SAF value chain and what feedstocks are most viable for near-term scaling?
• What role do policy incentives, certification schemes and offtake agreements play in accelerating SAF production from biomass?
• How can biomass supply chains adapt to meet the scale, quality and sustainability requirements of SAF production?

 

 

 

13.50 - 14.10

NEW - Unlocking municipal solid waste (MSW) as a growth engine for the biomass sector

• What makes the MSW market attractive for biomass producers and how can they enter profitably?
• What technologies are enabling MSW from biomass conversion to biochar, syngas and bio-coal?
• What lessons can be learned from Thailand’s MSW ecosystem development?

 

 

 

Speakers Include:

Rajesh Chaudhary

Director

Cogo Eco-tech Solutions Private Limited 

Tracking trade: Biomass shipping and supply chain trends

14.10 - 14.50

Panel discussion: Biomass on the move — trade flows, freight dynamics and supply chain shifts

• How are shifting trade flows and regional supply constraints reshaping biomass shipping routes across Asia, Europe and beyond?
• What are the key freight and logistical challenges for bulk biomass cargoes such as wood pellets, PKS and EFB, and how are shipping companies adapting?
• How might rising domestic demand in southeast Asia and evolving certification requirements — such as Green Gold Label and the Sustainable Biomass Programme — affect long-term shipping contracts and vessel availability?

 

 

 

 

Speakers Include:

Jayendu Krishna

Director - Head Maritime Advisors

Drewry

Innovation corner: What is next for biomass?

15.15

End of conference

14.30 - 14.40

NEW - Closing interactive wrap-up — biomass market outlook and poll results

• Live wrap-up: Argus experts will summarise key insights and highlights from across the two-day agenda.
• Poll results and audience input: A review of the Slido poll outcomes and top audience questions to reflect on industry sentiment and priorities.
• Looking ahead: A discussion of the emerging trends and market outlook for biomass in Asia.

 

 

 

14.40 - 14.45

Chairperson’s closing remarks and end of conference

14.45 - 15.15

Afternoon refreshments