2009 AgSTAR National Conference

8:20 AM

Welcome (6 pp, 170K)
Kurt Roos, Team Lead, AgSTAR, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA)

8:30 AM

Developments in Climate Change Policy (21 pp, 236K)
Dina Kruger, Director, Climate Change Division, U.S. EPA

9:00 AM

Keynote Address
Earl M. (Chip) Jones, III, Senior Vice President, Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability, Dean Foods Company

9:30 AM

Policy and Other Challenges to Anaerobic Digester Systems

History and Current Status of Manure Anaerobic Digester Systems (7 pp, 157K)
Kurt Roos, AgSTAR, U.S. EPA

Expert Panel Discussion
Moderator: Chris Voell, AgSTAR, U.S. EPA

• Steve Dvorak, GHD
• Dennis Haubenschild, Haubenschild Farm Inc.
• Danny Kluthe, Olean Energy
• Marcus Martin, Martin Machinery/Gen-Tec LLC
• Norma McDonald, Phase 3 Renewables
• Dan Scruton, Vermont Department of Agriculture
• Scott Subler, Environmental Credit Corporation

11:15 AM

Making a Digester Project Work Financially
Moderator: Chris Cassidy, USDA Rural Development

• What's a Digester Cost These Days? (11 pp, 170K)
  John Crenshaw, Eastern Research Group (AgSTAR Contractor)
• 2008 Farm Bill and USDA – What's Available for Digester Systems (21 pp, 302K)
  Tony Crooks, USDA Rural Development
• The Role of Cooperatives in Making Digester Projects Feasible (13 pp, 61K)
  Carolyn Liebrand, USDA Rural Business - Cooperative Service
• USDA and New Market Tax Credit Financing (9 pp, 126K)
  Joel Dahlgren, Stoel Rives LLP

1:30 PM

What Are People Co-Digesting and What is the Outcome?
Moderator: Mark Moser, RCM International

• Physical, Chemical, and Biological Properties and Impacts on Gas Production (12 pp, 88K)
  Jack Martin, Hall Associates (AgSTAR Contractor)
• Co-Digestion:The European Experience (51 pp, 1.4MB)
  Heinz-Peter Mang, German Biogas and Bioenergy Society

3:15 PM

Corporate Leadership in Digester Systems
Moderator: Garth Boyd, Camco International

• The Implementation of an Animal Biomass to Energy Project at a Large Scale Dairy in Jerome, Idaho (20 pp, 390K)
  Patrick D. Wootton, PE, GE Energy/Jenbacher Engines
• Dean Foods Achieves the "Gold Standard" With Its First Digester Project (35 pp, 838K)
  Bob Joblin, Cenergy USA (part of AgPower Partners)

4:30 PM

Value-Added Opportunities from AD Systems
Moderator: Jack Martin, Hall Associates

• Making Energy and Energro Potting Mix at Crave Brothers Dairy in Wisconsin (22 pp, 2.2MB)
  Dan Nemke, Clear Horizons LLC
• New Gensets and On-Farm Direct Use Equipment (5 pp, 232K)
  Marcus Martin, Martin Machinery
• Powering Dairy Trucks with Digester Biogas at Hilarides Dairy in California (15 pp, 2MB)
  Norma McDonald, Phase 3 Renewables

7:30 AM

Pre-Conference Ad Hoc Roundtable Discussions

8:30 AM

Manure Digesters in the Swine and Poultry Sector
Moderator: Prince Dugba, Ph.D., P.E., Smithfield Foods Inc.

• Covering Swine Lagoons for Carbon Credits and Odor Control (20 pp, 7.9MB)
  Scott Tudman, Environmental Credit Corporation
• A Successful Swine Manure Digester in Nebraska (36 pp, 18MB)
  Danny Kluthe, Olean Energy
• A Digester on Broiler Manure (15 pp, 631K)
  John Logan, Brinson Farms, Prentiss, MS

10:00 AM

Pipeline Quality Gas from Digesters
Moderator: Chris Voell, AgSTAR, U.S. EPA

• Biomethane from Dairy Waste Conversion: Guidance for Introduction to Natural Gas Networks (20 pp, 817K)
  Diane Saber, Gas Technology Institute
• Three Dairy Digester Pipeline Upgrade Projects Using PSA Adsorption Process (20 pp, 1.4MB)
  Michael Mitariten, Guild Associates, Inc.
• Project Overview for AgStar (13 pp, 762K)
  Sean Mezei, QuestAir Technologies Inc.

11:30 AM

What's New in the Carbon Credit World – A Panel Discussion
Moderator: John Crenshaw, Eastern Research Group

• Will Babler, First Capitol Risk Management, LLC
• Peter Freed, TerraPass
• Andy Dvoracek, Greenhouse Gas Service, LLC (GE Energy/AES Venture) (5 pp, 82K)
• Patrick Wood, AgRefresh (4 pp, 188K)
• Melissa Weitz, U.S. EPA Climate Change Division

1:30 PM

Tracking the Performance of Anaerobic Digester Systems
Moderator: Jack Martin, Hall Associates

• Using the ASERTTI Protocol - Initial Monitoring Results from Eight Digesters in New York State (57 pp, 3.6MB)
  Curt Gooch, Cornell University
• Monitoring a Mesophilic, Plug Flow Digester Using Co-Digestion of Food Processing Substrates with Dairy Manure (10 pp, 346K)
  Craig Frear, Department of Biological Systems Engineering, Washington State University

2:30 PM

New Horizons for Biogas Use / Closing Comments (26 pp, 3.1MB)
Chris Voell, AgSTAR, U.S. EPA

3:00 PM

Adjourn