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Description:

November 18, 2014, 1:00 - 2:30 pm (EST)

This session will benefit operators, utility management, engineering consultants, project developers, regulators and academics interested in the economic, regulatory, and technological advances incentivizing the anaerobic digestion (AD) of wasted food.

You will hear about federal and state initiatives supporting the Anaerobic Digestion of wasted food, including the EPA’s Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS). David Babson of EPA’s Transportation and Climate Change division will speak about the RFS, which mandates that 36 billion gallons of renewable fuel be blended into the nation's transportation fuel by 2022. Caitlin Sparks with the Prasino Group will provide a broad overview of the national and California incentives advancing wasted food AD projects.

You will also hear from two AD project developers: Brandon Julian of Pure Energy Group (PEG) and Mel Kurtz of Quasar Energy. Mr. Julian will describe PEG’s high-rate anaerobic digestion technology, which converts organic waste streams, such as food and other organic urban waste, into renewable clean energy. PEG recently completed construction of a waste-to-energy system at a California brewery. Mr. Kurtz will describe Quasar’s turn-key solutions to waste management, describing several of the company’s stand-alone and co-digestion projects in Ohio, Massachusetts and New York.

Video: Managing Food Waste with Anaerobic Digestion: Incentives and Innovations Exit 

Speakers:

David Babson, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency:
David is an AAAS Science and Technology Policy Fellow in the Transportation and Climate Division at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), where he analyzes biofuel technologies and science policy related to the Renewable Fuel Standard and other EPA initiatives aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector. He has worked on designing and studying sustainable biofuel systems for the Department of Defense at the Naval Research Laboratory, and as a post-doctoral researcher at the University of Minnesota's Biotechnology Institute. Dr. Babson holds a BS in Chemical Engineering from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, and a PhD in Chemical and Biochemical Engineering from Rutgers University.

Caitlin Sparks, The Prasino Group:
As Senior Vice President of Strategic Development for The Prasino Group, Caitlin Sparks leads Prasino’s BEAST practice – Bioenergy Environmental Assets Strategies and Tactics – which helps producers understand incentives for bioenergy projects and develop and monetize assets associated with the production of bioenergy and biofuels. Ms. Sparks also identifies sustainable energy development and investment opportunities in California and the U.S. She assists with the financing and development of Prasino’s project pipeline and works closely with her network of international investors to develop low-carbon and bioenergy projects worldwide, with an emphasis on California, Brazil and the U.S. Ms. Sparks is a founding Board Member of the Bioenergy Association of California (BAC.)

Mel Kurtz, Quasar Energy:
Since 1971, Mel Kurtz has founded, directed, and operated several businesses from start up to millions in annual sales through effective business planning, creative sales techniques, and innovative marketing. Mr. Kurtz is currently the chief executive advisor for several corporations and leads the US industry for quasar energy group.

Brandon Julian, Pure Energy Group:
Brandon is the CEO of Pure Energy Group. A skilled and highly successful entrepreneur with over 25 years of business experience in the US, Asia and Europe, he brings proven leadership, and a keen insight to creative marketing. Under his leadership, PEG acquired exclusive worldwide rights for the patented IBR - Anaerobic Digestion technology, and has successfully commissioned their first commercial full scale demonstration system located in an urban setting at a brewery in San Carlos, California.

Top of Page

• Managing Wasted Food with Anaerobic Digestion: Incentives and Innovations (PDF)(5 pp, 525 K)
  Introductory slide
• Getting the Most Out of Biogas –Biogas Derived Transportation Fuels (PDF)(8 pp, 767 K)
  David Babson slide presentation
• BEAST Bioenergy/Biofuels Environmental Assets Strategies and Tactics (PDF)(21 pp, 2 MB)
  Caitlin Sparks slide presentation
• The City of Wooster, Ohio Water Resource Recovery Facility (PDF)(15 pp, 2 MB, )
  Mel Kurtz slide presentation
• An Innovative Approach to Renewable Energy and Environmental Sustainability (PDF)(13 pp, 11 MB)
  Brandon Julian slide presentation