Venue: Brussels (venue to be confirmed)

Date: 20-22 October 2015

Deadline for abstracts: 8 May 2015

For more information and booking: Click here

This conference will build on the four previous biomass and energy crops conferences hosted by the Association of Applied Biology (AAB) that focussed on developing a greater understanding of the potential of biomass and energy crops. As attention increasingly shifts towards deployment of biomass in Europe, this conference provides a timely opportunity to exchange ideas and foster closer collaboration and mutual understanding to identify how we can most effectively use biomass and energy crops as a means of reducing dependence on fossil fuels.

The conference is being scheduled to coincide with the conclusion of two EU funded projects that deal with energy crops. Rokwood is a Framework 7 project and involves 20 partners from six countries that is aiming to improve the policy framework, propose R&D projects and develop an international co-operation strategy for short rotation woody crops such as willow, poplar, eucalyptus and paulownia. LogistEC is also an FP7 and involves 34 partners from 8 countries. It aims to develop new or improved technologies for biomass logistics and supply chains and concentrates on miscanthus, SRC willow and poplar, triticale and sorghum crops. In addition, the conference is working alongside the Supergen Bioenergy Hub which aims to bring together industry, academia and other stakeholders to focus on the research and knowledge challenges associated with increasing the contribution of bioenergy to meet strategic environmental targets in a coherent, sustainable and cost-effective manner.

The conference provides an ideal forum for researchers, agricultural advisors, bioenergy industry representatives, policy makers and research funders, NGO’s and environmental organisations to meet and discuss future research. Proposed Sessions include:

• Production
• Supply Chain & Logistics
• Conversion & Utilisation
• Integration & Forward Strategies

Papers are invited that deal with any or combinations of the following subjects

• Agronomy
• Breeding
• Cultivation Techniques
• Multifunctionality
• Ecosystem Impacts/Services
• Regional Suitability of Crops
• Water Use
• Land Use
• Machinery Development
• Storage Drying
• Processing
• Transport Logistics
• Temporal & Spatial Considerations
• Densification
• Feedstock Composition & Quality
• Conversion Plant Performance (emissions)
• Product Diversification
• Whole Systems Analysis
• Life Cycle Analysis
• Sustainability
• Economics
• Carbon Balance

Accepted papers from the conference will be published in the Aspects of Applied Biology series which will be available to delegates at the conference. Authors will be sent instructions for the papers (6–8 pages for platform and 2–6 pages for poster presentations) by the middle of June 2015. Offers submitted by the 8th May 2015 deadline will be given priority for platform presentations. You can submit your offer using the attached form or online at our web site: www.aab.org.uk