Robust Program Agenda Announced for tcbiomass2017 Conference

Gas Technology Institute (GTI) is proud to present the technical program for the fifth international conference on thermochemical biomass conversion science, tcbiomass2017. The conference brings together experts and visionaries in bioproducts, gasification, pyrolysis, and upgrading to explore the world of bioenergy on September 19-21 in downtown Chicago, IL USA.

The 2017 event theme, The Global Future of Bioenergy, echoes the strong global representation of the event, with presenters from China, Denmark, Finland, Germany, The Netherlands, Sweden, and many more countries. Keynote speakers include:

• Vincent Chornet, Chief Executive Officer, Enerkem, Inc.
• Ingvar Landalv, Senior Project Manager Luleå University of Technology
• Jonathan Male, Director, Bioenergy Technologies Office, U.S. Department of Energy

"We're excited about the breadth of this year’s technical program," says Vann Bush, GTI's Managing Director, Energy Supply & Conversion and co-chair of the conference. “We have an outstanding slate of oral and poster presentations."

The call for abstracts received an excellent response from the bioenergy community, bringing in a record number of high-scoring submissions. The Technical Program Committee has assembled a strong agenda that includes 66 oral presentations, and more than 70 poster presentations will also be on display at the conference. Once again, a highly competitive student poster contest will offer top engineering students an opportunity to present their research and receive valuable feedback. In addition, the winning student will be awarded a cash prize.

Virtual tours, a recurring conference segment showcasing key thermochemical facilities around the world, will make their third appearance at tcbiomass2017. Attendees will tour the globe in minutes and learn how forward-looking researchers and industry experts are working to transform biomass into a viable energy option worldwide and move advanced technologies along the path to commercialization.

"These video tours have become a popular part of the conference," says Terry Marker, GTI's Bioenergy Initiatives Manager and technical program chair. "We continue to see requests from organizations wanting to be part of the program."

"Beyond the technical program, tcbiomass2017 will offer a number of rich networking opportunities. A welcome reception will kick-off the event on Tuesday evening at the Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel in the heart of downtown Chicago, near Millennium Park. On Wednesday, attendees will have another chance to interact with colleagues at a gala dinner at the Art Institute of Chicago, where they will have exclusive access to the museum’s Impressionist and Post-Impressionist collection.

"Come to Chicago this September and help accelerate the bioeconomy. Registration is open, with discounts for students as well as companies sending multiple delegates. Visit gastechnology.org/tcbiomass to register, or contact tcbiomass@gastechnology.org. For the latest event details, follow tcbiomass2017 on Twitter @tcbiomass and LinkedIn.