Draft Program for the Energy Pellet Workshop

Time: 26th October, 10:00 – 16:30
Venue: Lecture Theatre, Creswick School of Land and Environment, Water Street, Creswick VIC, Phone (03) 5321 4300 RSVP Essential: [email protected] or phone: 5226 4831, or [email protected] or phone: 8626 8820 – it’ll help with catering.
9.30-10.00 Morning tea, networking
10.00 – 10.10 Welcome and Introductions, workshop aims – Liz Hamilton, Victorian Bioenergy Network
10.10 -10.30 World market trends, prices, use of wood & pellets vs. chips vs. briquettes? Summary from recent world pellet conference in Wels, Austria – Andrew Lang, World Bioenergy Assoc.
10.30 – 10.50 Major pellet system related themes evident during a recent biomass heating seminar in Austria and visit to a pellet research facility in Finland – David Coote, University Of Melbourne
10.50 – 11.10 Experience with export-scale pellet production in WA & plans for expansion Plantation Energy Australia, Speaker TBC.
11.10 – 11.30 Round up of what’s happening around Australia with pellet plant procurement and installation, current domestic markets, possible sources of funding – Liz Hamilton, VBN, DPI
11.30 – 11.50 Victorian Biomass Audit: Focus on wood and agricultural residues – Ian Guss, RDV or Kelly Wickham, SV.
11.50 – 12.00 Questions
12.00 – 12.40 Lunch
12.40 – 1.30 Pellet, chip and briquette production and their use in numerous wood boiler systems in New Zealand; experience in developing a small-scale pellet industry from “across the ditch”. Speakers: Rob Mallinson, Living Energy & Peter Kernohan, Solid Energy Renewable Fuels Ltd.
1.30 – 1.40 BREAZE’s work on developing a program for bulk buy of pellet heaters in the Ballarat area as part of their aim to achieve zero emissions – Simon Reid and/or John Petherham, BREAZE.
1.40 – 1.50 Pellet heater retailer to give a brief presentation on the makers’ warranty/specifications for running of pellet heaters, current sources of pellets, opportunities etc. Opportunities for mixed/ agricultural biomass pellets in domestic heaters – if any – Speaker TBA
1.50 – 2.00 An agricultural/feedstock pellet producer who is considering producing agricultural/straw energy pellets/briquettes. The logistics and economics of producing energy pellets/briquettes from agricultural residues and potential end uses of ag. residue pellets – Speaker TBA
2.00 – 2.50 A series of 5 minute informal presentations from the various organisations/businesses, individuals or groups who are either in the process of procuring or installing a pellet making machine or furnace in Victoria. What they are planning, or have done so far, and what they are looking for – e.g. certain types of biomass, co-investors in projects, funding opportunities etc – Various speakers TBA
2.50-3.00 Afternoon tea
3.00-3.20 Presentation on a Sustainability Framework for biomass and how this will effect the emerging pellet industry in Australia – Speaker TBA
3.20-4.00 A facilitated discussion to help determine where opportunities exist based on current and projected markets for pellets etc, both domestically and overseas. Items to discuss to include:
1. Working co-operatively, and
2. Government support to help develop an industry and/or expedite pellet plant installations/projects?
3. The potential for initiating a pellet working group?
The Victorian Bioenergy Network aims to:
Promote bioenergy
Share information on bioenergy across government departments and with industry.
Collaborate and develop the bioenergy industry and avoid duplication across government.
Engage with bioenergy industry
Work towards defining government’s role in the bioenergy industry.
Be a credible source of information on bioenergy.