Biocarbon and biochar projects moving toward commercialization must demonstrate credible data, regulatory readiness and disciplined risk management to attract financing. This panel brings together experts in engineering, digital infrastructure and carbon markets to explore how robust measurement, reporting and verification (MRV) frameworks strengthen carbon claims, reduce commercial and technical risk, and support investment decisions, while also addressing U.S. permitting challenges, common heat-balance and performance pitfalls, and the role of digital tools in linking feedstock, production and financial reporting for scalable, finance-ready projects.

• Varsha Ramesh Walsh, CEO & Co-Founder, Offstream
  Streamlined, Verified, Bankable: The Turnkey Approach to Carbon Credits
• Malena Maraviglia, Applications Engineer, ElectraTherm Inc.
  Don’t Get Burned by Your Heat Estimates: Reducing Commercial Risk and Strengthening Carbon Claims
• Jason Dodier, CCO & Co-Founder, Grain Ecosystem
  From Feedstock to Finance: Building the Digital Factory for Scalable Biochar and Waste-to-Value Projects
• Juergen Jesenko, Managing Director, FLOYD BioEnergy
  Generation Behind-the-Meter Biomass CHP: 24/7 Energy Independence, Biochar Production, and Monetized Carbon Credits

Cookies, coffee, decaf, hot tea, soda

Scaling biocarbon production requires tight control over thermal treatment, carbonization and densification to meet performance, handling and end-use requirements. This panel brings together market analysts, equipment suppliers and producers to examine how different thermal processing pathways influence material properties, and how pelletization, ring-die systems and milling technologies are being applied to convert carbonized biomass into consistent, market-ready products. Speakers will share technical insights on precise carbonization, densification challenges and equipment selection, offering attendees a practical look at how biocarbon pellets and powders are being engineered for industrial, energy and materials applications.

• William Strauss, President, FutureMetrics
  A Deep Dive into Thermal Treatments of Biomass
• Ben Stark, Sales Manager - Alternative Fuels, N.A., CPM Global Biomass Group
  Biocarbon Densification Pellet Technology
• Guy Penard, Vice President, Yilkins
  Precise Carbonization
• Jonah Levine, Director of Heating, Lignetics Group
  Carbon Pellets from Ring Die and Powders from ACM — Technical Update

Southern Paella Station, beer, wine, seltzers, NA beverages

Egg, chorizo & pepperjack burritos, plant-based burritos, fruit, coffee, decaf, hot tea

Myles Gray has been working in the biochar sector for nearly 15 years, in academia, consulting, private industry, and in the non-profit sector as Executive Director of USBI. In the biochar space, he is an expert in biochar material properties, standards, and industrial, agricultural, and infrastructure products and markets for biochar. He holds a BS from Cornell University and a MS from Oregon State University.He lives with his wife and two children in Portland, Oregon.

• John Teal, VP Commercial, TSI and Board Chairman, International Biomass Torrefaction and Carbonization Council Read Bio

  John Teal is Vice President, Commercial, at TSI, a leading technology and equipment provider in the biomass industry. In addition to ensuring customers’ continued success with TSI’s dryers, heating systems, furnaces, and air pollution control equipment, John focuses on torrefaction and carbonization technology; working with the team to develop technology and processes that grow biomass’ role in the circular carbon economy. He lives in Seattle and supports TSI’s customers around the globe.

• Andrew White, CEO, CHAR Technologies Read Bio

  Andrew White, as the co-founder and CEO of CHAR Technologies, stands at the helm of innovation. Holding a MASc degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Toronto, he embarked on a transformative journey when a moment of inspiration in the lab led to the birth of CHAR Tech. His work at CHAR Tech has earned him the OBBA’s Young Entrepreneur of the Year award, while his guidance has led the company to be recognized as CIX's Top 20 Most Innovative Public Companies and the 2022 Venture 50 Performance Award (clean technology & life sciences). Andrew's growth as a leader is evident in his ability to provide clear direction and actionable insights to both clients and staff, propelling the company's success. In addition to his MASc degree, he holds a Master’s in Business, Entrepreneurship, and Technology (MBET) from the University of Waterloo.

• Julie Mansfield, Head of Business Development, Americas, Carbonfuture Read Bio

  Julie Mansfield is a climate-focused business leader with deep expertise in scaling high-integrity climate strategies. As Head of Business Development for the Americas at Carbonfuture, she drives commercial growth and strategic partnerships to expand access to trusted carbon removal solutions. With over 15 years of experience in energy development, climate risk, and scaling sustainability strategies for global companies, Julie has helped organizations navigate complex climate challenges, integrate science-based solutions, and drive meaningful impact. She holds an M.S. in Geophysics and is passionate about building resilient, data-driven climate solutions. Outside of work, she’s an avid hiker, Ohio State football fan, and devoted dog owner.

• John-Paul Taylor, Founding Partner, KindlePoint Partners Read Bio

  John-Paul (JP) Taylor is a senior commercial leader in renewable commodities and clean energy market development, currently a Founding Partner at KindlePoint Partners. He advises corporates, utilities, investors, and market participants on commercial strategy, contracting, and risk management across rapidly evolving renewable fuel and decarbonization value chains.
  
  Previously, JP served as Senior Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer at Enviva, where he led global commercial strategy spanning trading, origination, sales, and fulfillment for industrial biomass supply into power and emerging decarbonization applications. Over more than decade at Enviva, he was known for building market-aligned contracting approaches and identifying capital-light opportunities to optimize and monetize infrastructure and logistics—translating market volatility into disciplined, bankable commercial value.
  
  Earlier in his career, he worked in renewable and environmental markets through Evolution Markets, strengthening a foundation in market fundamentals, pricing dynamics, and structured solutions.
  
  JP holds credentials from London Business School and Toronto Metropolitan University and is a frequent conference contributor on renewable fuels and decarbonization pathways.

• Karl Strahl, COO, Oregon Biochar Solutions Read Bio

  Karl Strahl has been working in the biochar industry since 2017. He is developing markets for biochar in several areas, including industrial agriculture, remediation, filtration, industrial materials, and roadway/pavment applications.

Southern Roundup Lunch Buffet: berry salad, corn bread, hot honey chicken thighs, plant-based dirty rice, mac & cheese, green beans, buttermilk pie, bourbon caramel cheesecake, iced tea, coffee, hot tea

Producing consistent, market-ready biocarbon products depends on how biomass is thermally treated, carbonized and ultimately densified. This panel brings together analysts, equipment providers and producers to examine the technical pathways shaping biocarbon pellets and powders, from precise carbonization and heat control to pelletization, ring-die systems and advanced milling. Panelists will share practical insights into how processing choices affect material properties, handling, performance and end-use suitability, offering a technical update on the manufacturing approaches enabling scalable, reliable biocarbon production.

• Chris Wiberg, Vice President of Biomass Energy Lab, Timber Products Inspection/Biomass Energy Laboratories
  Biocarbon Standards Update
• Irshad Khilji, Senior Product Manager – Biocarbon Products, BioProducts, LLC
  Biobased Carbon for Metals Industry to Improve ESG during Metals Production
• Scott Laskowski, President, OrganiLock, Inc.
  Thermobiological Conversion and Densification of Lignocellulosic Biomass into Labile-Carbon Pellets for Soil Carbon Regeneration
• Trip Jobe, Vice President of Forest Value Chain Sales, ResourceWise
  Carbon Market Potential

Fudge Brownies, coffee, decaf, hot tea

Turning biochar from a promising pilot output into a dependable commercial product requires navigating technical scale-up, market fit and carbon value creation simultaneously. This session explores where biochar projects gain momentum—and where they stall—through candid discussion of real-world barriers, emerging opportunities within the biomass sector, and the evolving role of verified carbon credits in project viability. Panelists will offer grounded perspectives on bridging the gap between demonstration and deployment, helping developers understand what it truly takes to move biochar into sustained, scalable production.

• Myles Gray, Executive Director, US Biochar Initiative
  Biochar at Scale: Opportunities and Obstacles for the Biomass Sector
• Rachana Malviya, Founder and CEO, Greenloop Clean TechnologyPLLC
  Advancing Biochar Projects for Verified Carbon Credits
• Siddhartha Gadiraju, PhD, Product Director, Carbo Culture
  Engineering the Scale-Up: 3 Critical Hardships from Pilot to Commercial Production
• Annie Nichols, General Manager, Biochar, Mangrove Systems
  Building Digital Data Infrastructure to Support Biochar Carbon Removal at Scale

Egg, ham & gouda brioche sandwiches, plant-based breakfast burritos, fruit, coffee, decaf, hot tea Coffee & Hot Tea

Biomass residues are increasingly being repositioned as valuable inputs for power generation, industrial heat and carbon-based products. This session explores practical pathways for converting residual biomass into revenue, from project development strategies and renewable energy applications to meeting demanding industrial process requirements with solid biomass. The discussion will also examine integrated approaches that combine biochar and power production, highlighting how whole-system design can unlock additional value, improve economics and expand the role of residues in a diversified biomass energy portfolio.

• Azadeh Rohani, Senior Consultant, Worley Consulting
  Opportunities to Valorize Biomass for Renewable Energy Production
• Beau Kush, Senior Project Manager, Azure Engineering
  A Little R&R, Residue to Revenue
• Adeem Arshad Awan, PhD, HOD Biomass Supply Chain Manager,Sapphire Finishing Mills Limited
  Optimization of Biomass Fuel for Sustainable Steam Generation
• Michael Jones, Chief Technology Officer, IAC
  Co-Production of Biochar and Power: A Whole-System Advantage Beyond the Sum of Its Parts

Feedstock choice increasingly determines the technical performance, economics and revenue potential of biomass and carbon projects. This session examines how eligibility criteria, risk-based cost analysis and verification requirements shape feedstock decisions across biomass energy, co-gasification and carbon removal pathways. The discussion will explore trade-offs among biomass, waste and coal blends, pathways for bioresource valorization, and the role of third-party verification—such as carbon-14 analysis—in validating biogenic content and unlocking project revenues, offering practical guidance for developers navigating complex feedstock strategies.

• Varsha Ramesh Walsh, Co-founder and CEO, Offstream
  From Harvest to Hopper: Why Feedstock Eligibility Determines Biomass Carbon Removal Revenue
• Yingqian Lin, Research Scientist, Idaho National Laboratory
  Strategic Feedstock Selection: Risk-Based Cost Analysis for Coal-Biomass-Waste Co-Gasification
• Michael Long, Principal, Long Thermochemical LLC
  Perspectives in Bioresource Valorization – Pathways, Insights, and Pitfalls
• Alex Henson, Account Manager, Beta Analytic
  Carbon-14 Analysis For Third-Party Verification of Biogenic Content: An Overview For Co-Processing Plants

Producing biochar at scale increasingly involves integrating multiple thermal conversion pathways to maximize carbon retention, energy efficiency and overall project value. This panel explores how pyrolysis and gasification are being applied—independently and in hybrid configurations—to convert diverse biomass and waste streams into biochar, low-carbon fuels and energy. Speakers will examine feedstock effects, life-cycle carbon outcomes, and system design considerations, while sharing case studies ranging from mobile pyrolysis for wildfire risk reduction to downdraft gasification and integrated pathways that deliver both carbon-negative biochar and sustainable aviation fuel.

• Lokendra Pal, EJ Woody Rice Professor, North Carolina State University
  Carbon-Negative Upcycling of Non-Recycled MSW Paper Fractions into Biochar via Slow Pyrolysis: Feedstock Effects and Life Cycle Carbon Removal
• Albert Ratner, Professor, The University of Iowa
  Biochar Production Through Downdraft Gasification
• Roger Smullen, CEO, Earth Foundries
  Slash Attack®: Mobile Pyrolysis for Wildfire Risk Reduction and Carbon Value Creation