European Pellet Conference

09.00 Pellet Update Session: What is new in policies and markets?

Europe must urgently reduce its dependence on fossil fuel imports. Pellets can play an expanding role in this transformation! The session presents new EU policies, provides insights into the latest market developments and offers a strategic outlook for pellets in Europe and globally.

• Opening and welcome
  Gerhard Dell, OÖ Energiesparverband, Austria
   
• Update on EU bioenergy policies
  Biljana Kulišić, European Commission, DG Energy
   
• Bioenergy's role in the energy transition
  Andrew Klain, IEA Bioenergy
   
• Best Young Biomass Researcher Award
   
• Pellet markets in Europe: current developments and outlook
  Gilles Gauthier, Hawkins Wright, Belgium
   
• Bioenergy trends worldwide – opportunities and challenges
  Bharadwaj Kummamuru, World Bioenergy Association
   
• Pellet heating: the heart of an intelligent home energy system
  Stefan Ortner, ÖkoFEN, Austria
   
• Biomass supply chains between markets and geopolitics
  Magnus Schou Sørensen, CM Biomass, Denmark

Discovery Session: Pellets – energy and more!

The session explores how pellets are evolving beyond heat and power into a resource for the wider bioeconomy. It presents emerging opportunities from new applications such as biochar, BECCUS or biomaterials. It also highlights why energetic use of biomass continues to make sense also in the future.

• Biomass beyond heat and electricity 
  Franziska Klauser, BEST, Austria
   
• Bioenergy with carbon capture and storage or utilisation (BECCUS): From innovation to deployment  
  Niels Christian Bang, IEA Bioenergy/Ea Energy Analyses, Denmark
   
• Energy or materials? Why biomass for energy will also make sense in the future 
  Hubert Röder, HSWT - University of Applied Sciences, Germany
   
• The European Biochar Market Report 
  Hansjörg Lerchenmüller, Biochar Europe, Germany
   
• More than heating – pellets as a carbon sink
  Christoph Ebetshuber, Guntamatic Heiztechnik, Austria
   

Chairperson:
Christiane Egger, OÖ Energiesparverband, Austria

Lunch and networking

Pellet Innovation Session

Innovation to scale up bioenergy for the energy transition! This session shows new technologies and implemented real-life projects across the pellet and bioenergy value chains, covering heating and electricity solutions, standardisation and certification as well as new business models.

• Innovative pellet solutions from Upper Austria
  • Herbert Schwarz, Hargassner, Austria
  • Werner Emhofer, Fröling, Austria
     
• Wood pellets in arctic communities – climate, economic and social benefits
  Fahimeh Yazdan Panah, Wood Pellet Association of Canada
   
• Pellet certification - trace it, trust it!
  Carsten Huljus, Sustainable Biomass Program (SBP), UK
   
• Insights from 15 years ENplus for wood pellets
  Hans Martin Behr, Deutsches Pelletinstitut, Germany
   
• Pellet quality requirements for residential pellet stoves
  Robert Mack, Technologie- und Förderzentrum (TFZ), Germany
   
• Safe storage of wood pellets – how to detect and prevent self-heating
  John Swaan, FutureMetrics, Canada
   
• Small-scale carbon capture at a woodchip-fired power plant
  Ivan Derkink, Bright Renewables, The Netherlands
   
• Helen Power Plant Salmisaari: Goodbye to coal, hello to pellets
  Jouni Koskinen, Valmet Technologies, Finland
   
• Low-temperature dryers for pellet production
  Maxwell Yernaux/Georg Reis, Technic One Engineering, Belgium

Pellet Planet Session

How can pellets contribute to the energy transition? This session brings together international experts to explore pellet market trends, emerging challenges, and future opportunities. A session focus is on rapidly evolving pellet markets in Asia.

• Chairperson and opening
  Fahimeh Yazdan Panah, Wood Pellet Association of Canada on behalf of the European Pellet Council
   
• Germany
  Martin Bentele, Deutscher Energieholz- und Pellet-Verband (DEPV)
   
• Czech Republic
  Jan Habart, Czech Association for Biomass
   
• Norway
  Steven Morris, Nobio / Solør Bioenergi
   
• Brazil
  Jose Carlos Haas Junior, Haas Madeiras
   
• India  
  Ketaki Kokil, Ecosense Appliances
   
• Indonesia
  Unggung Widhiantoro, IREEM
   
• Vietnam
  Kim Anh Luong, Forest Trends Association
   

Conference dinner