As the world, country and state seek alternative energy sources and work to respond to the ecological problems that are quickly becoming economic challenges, Minnesota’s biological diversity, coupled with its well-established forest products and energy industries, positions the state to lead the country in finding solutions to these complex challenges.

Seizing Opportunity: Forestry and the Bioeconomy" conference, co-sponsored by the Blandin Foundation and Iron Range Resources, focused on aligning actors in the region to take best advantage of emerging technologies and markets for the region's communities and forest products industry.

Media Coverage

Forest Industry at a Crossroads
A battered industry’s search for new value-added products turns to bioenergy and biochemicals
by Wayne Nelson
BusinessNorth, October 4, 2007

• Conference Proceedings (.pdf)
• Media Link
• Agenda (.pdf)
• Speaker Bios and Abstracts (.pdf)
• Informing Report: An Assessment of the Potential for Bioenergy and Biochemicals Production for Forest-derived Biomass in Minnesota.
• Informing Report: Minnesota ’s Woody Biomass Resources and Opportunities in the Emerging Energy Industry,

Thursday, September 20, 2007

• Keynote - Opportunities in the Emerging Bioeconomy: Seeing the Forest Through a Different Lens; Dr. Robert Elde, Dean, College of Biological Sciences, University of Minnesota, discussed how new developments in the bioeconomy could lead to opportunities for the forest industry.

Download Presentation (.pdf)

Friday, September 21, 2007

• Minnesota’s Position in the Big Picture: Imagining the Possibilities
  Dr. Shri Ramaswamy, Department Head, Bioproducts and Biosystems Engineering, University of Minnesota, reviewed the key findings of a Dovetail Partners, Inc. commissioned research report, An Assessment of the Potential for Bioenergy and Biochemicals Production for Forest-derived Biomass in Minnesota.

Download Presentation (.pdf)

• State of the State's Forest BioMass Resource: What is the Resource? Who Owns It? Bill Berguson, Program Director, Natural Resources Research Institute, presented key findings from his commissioned research, Minnesota ’s Woody Biomass Resources and Opportunities in the Emerging Energy Industry, which describes how much forest resource is available in Minnesota for this emerging industry, where it’s located and who owns it, and examins Minnesota’s - and the industry’s - competitive advantage.

Download Presentation (.pdf)

• Where the Rubber Meets the Road: Regional and Environmental Perspectives on What’s Already Going On in Minnesota. Energy sector officials discussed their on-the-ground experience with resource procurement and mandate. Moderator: Dave Zumeta, Executive Director, Minnesota Forest Resource Council.

Panelists:
Allison Hellman, Senior Analyst, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
Terry Leoni, General Manager, Virginia Public Utilities
Eric Norberg, Senior Vice President, Strategy and Planning, Minnesota Power

• The Biggest Bang: Forestry and Biochemicals, Alan Rudie, Supervisory Research Chemist, USDA Forest Products Lab, addressed the implications and opportunities for the forest products industry of biomass potential as a significant source for a wide array of industrial chemicals and chemical feedstocks. Download Presentation (.pdf)



• Highest and Best (Sustainable) Use, Part II: Economic Considerations, Dean Current, Department of Forestry, University of Minnesota, focused on the economic and environmental implications and opportunities of carbon credit markets for forest industry and forest management. Download Presentation (.pdf)



• Luncheon Presentation - Bio-liquid Fuels: A National and Regional Perspective
  Ted Wegner, Assistant Director, U.S. Forest Products Lab (Madison), described the state of biorefinery technologies and commented on opportunities for Minnesota from a national and regional perspective. Download Presentation (.pdf)



• Seizing Opportunity Part I: Maximizing Community Benefits, Drawing on experiences from the wind energy sectorand innovation in cellulosic ethanol production technology, panel members explored community wealth creation and retention implications of different ownership and production models in the renewable energy sector. Moderator:Jerry Nagel, President, Northern Great Plains, Inc.

Panelists:
John Hurley, Senior Research Advisor, University of North Dakota, Energy & Environmental Research Center
Dan Juhl, DanMar & Associates, Woodstock, Minnesota, owner of Woodstock Wind Farm (which produces over 29,000 MWh per year), will talk about how his experience developing community-based wind farms can be adapted to the forestry sector.

• Seizing Opportunity Part II: Attracting Private Capital, Moderator: Doug Cameron, Chief Scientific Officer, Khosla Ventures, Menlo Park, California, will interview a panel of investors, asking: “How do we capitalize on our opportunities to attract investment?” “What factors influence investors’ decisions?”

Panelists:
Robert Elde , Initiative on Renewable Energy and the Environment and Dean, College of Biological Sciences, University of Minnesota
Robert Ryan, President, Sunrise Agra Fuels