Lining up a secure, stably priced feedstock supply with a credit-worthy supplier is a key challenge to successful biomass project development and financing. Putting in place such a supply cannot be done by simply getting on the phone and placing an order; it takes building a workable relationship between supplier and developer. Moreover, the ability to establish these successful relationships requires each party to develop a keener understanding of the other party’s needs and flexibility and then together identify practical solutions. The goal of the Biomass Feedstock Forum is to provide the biomass energy industry with a better awareness of the business models and relationships that meet the needs and abilities of biomass suppliers. This interactive event will provide an excellent opportunity to hear directly from biomass suppliers about their needs and what it will take for them to become fully involved in helping move the biomass energy industry forward.

In a world where pressures are mounting to reduce global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and meet renewable portfolio standards, the interest in co-firing biomass with coal is skyrocketing—and with good reason. Given the right location and access to low-cost biomass fuels, biomass co-firing can be an attractive option for owners of coal assets. For those wishing to better understand the merits of this option, the symposium will present a timely analysis of the track record, economic considerations, technical choices and fuel supply challenges of biomass co-firing. The symposium will also feature case studies from the owners of existing and anticipated co-fire facilities, who will relate their experiences with biomass co-firing.

The Biomass Finance & Investment Summit is the major gathering place where the industry and the financial community come together to explore the financing of biomass projects. The Summit provides an important opportunity for these groups to exchange market intelligence, share perspectives, build a mutual understanding and to discuss what it will take to get biomass deals successfully financed in 2010. The Summit will bring together a stellar lineup of speakers to provide their insights into the dynamic impacts of the financial crisis and the ARRA on the strategies and requirements of developers, utilities, investors and lenders and then explore the opportunities for accessing government support, employing new deal structures and crafting new strategies to get projects successfully financed.