Programme

09:30 - 17:30

Biogases Masterclass – Derisking a biogas plant

This 1-day course will provide a comprehensive view on how to derisk your biogas plant. It focusses on 4 main areas: financing, technology, operations and health & safety. Those areas have a direct impact on project development and operational excellence of the plant and when executed well, will ensure proper control and effectiveness.

What are the advantages?
– Comprehensive overview on de-risking a biogas plant
– Learning about financial drivers, do’s and don’ts
– Creating an overview of technology choices in relation to efficiency and operational excellence
– Understanding the role of operations
– Raising awareness on best practises in health & safety

The Biogases Masterclass will launch the activities of the European Renewable Gas Training Centre, initiated by EBA. This masterclass will be followed by a series of 4 deep-dive courses in 2025.

What are the objectives?
– Financing: Get an overview of financing structures and needs for security for both developers and financers.
– Technology: Focus on how technology can secure operational performance.
– Operations: get insights on running a plant efficient and how to avoid mistakes
– Health & Safety: Introduction to best practises, both on technology level and (personal) safety precautions, to ensure trustworthy and safe operations.

Who should attend?
This 1-day course is particularly suited for project developers, operational managers and new comers to the sector. It offers both people new to the sector as well as those who are already involved for several years comprehensive insights in de-risking a biogas plant.

Programme
The masterclass on de-risking a biogas plant will give a detailed overview of the 4 topics: finance, technology, operations, health & safety. Each topic will be introduced by experts.

Practical Information
Date: 22nd of October, full day
Time: 9:00-17:30 followed by a networking cocktail until 19:00
Limited availability

Location: Comet Louise – place Stéphanie 20, 1050 Brussels
Lunch and cocktail included

Register here
Non-Members: €845
EBA Members: €425

By registering to the Masterclass, you will receive a rebate voucher of 10%, which will be applicable to each of the deep dive courses.

08:30 - 09:50

Registrations. Welcome coffee and opening exhibition

Rooms: Hall (Registrations). Restaurant, Aquarium, Grand Hall (Welcome coffee and exhibition)

10:00 - 10:20

Opening conference

Room: Auditorium. Moderator: Sasha Twining

Speakers

Anders Mathiasson

Anders Mathiasson

President, European Biogas Association (EBA)
François Gemenne

François Gemenne

FNRS Senior Research Associate, University of Liège
Sasha Twining (Moderator)

Sasha Twining (Moderator)

Television and radio presenter
10:20 - 10:30

Spotlight speech

Room: Auditorium

Speakers

Xavier Passemard

Xavier Passemard

Director of biomethane, Gaz Réseau Distribution France (GRDF)
10:30 - 12:00

Morning plenary – The future of agriculture, today. Resilience, Sustainability and Food Security

Room: Auditorium. Moderator: Sasha Twining

Farmers are pioneering the 4th agricultural revolution based on state-of-the-art clean tech and resource efficiency. This session will tackle the importance of leveraging biogas to mitigate farming emissions and use of advance agronomic techniques to ensure food security and soil health. The session will also explore challenges of European farmers in their transition towards a sustainable agriculture.

Speakers

Connie Miller

Connie Miller

Deputy Coordinator of the Secretariat of the Global Bioenergy Partnership, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
Gaëlle Marion

Gaëlle Marion

Head of Unit for Environmental Sustainability, DG AGRI, European Commission
Diana Lenzi

Diana Lenzi

President, Farming for Future Foundation
Sasha Twining (Moderator)

Sasha Twining (Moderator)

Television and radio presenter
12:00 - 12:20

EBA Awards: Finalists announcement

Room: Auditorium. Moderator: Sasha Twining

Speakers

Sasha Twining (Moderator)

Sasha Twining (Moderator)

Television and radio presenter
12:20 - 13:45

Networking lunch and exhibition

Room: Restaurant, Aquarium, Grand Hall

13:45 - 15:00

Parallel breakouts// Session 1 – Inclusive biogas: with the communities for the communities

Room: Auditorium. Moderator: Sasha Twinning

The positive socio-economic and environmental externalities of biogases are still largely unknown by policymakers, civil society organisations and society at large. Biogases source local waste to turn it into renewable energy and valorise other by-products, which improve the circularity of industries and farms. This session will dive into the myths and facts surrounding the impact of biogas plants in their closest environment.

Speakers

Jeroen Callewaert

Jeroen Callewaert

Chief Commercial Officer, DESOTEC
Roozbeh Feiz

Roozbeh Feiz

Associate professor, Biogas Research Centre, University of Linköping, Sweden
Mélinda Rolo

Mélinda Rolo

Coordinator of the Energy Network and the Sustainable Mobility Territories Network, France Nature Environnement

, European Federation of Agencies and Regions for Energy and Environment (FEDARENE)
Sasha Twining (Moderator)

Sasha Twining (Moderator)

Television and radio presenter
13:45 - 15:00

Parallel breakouts// Session 2 – Biogas 4.0: boosting efficiency with tech wizardry

Room: Studio. Moderator: Dirk Bonse, Head of Department Renewable Gases, German Biogas Association

AI-based applications are drivers of sustainability in the biogas sector by enhancing efficiency and mitigating GHG emissions. AI and advanced software can upgrade different aspects of the biogas production process, enabling optimised feedstock composition or improved plant performance. This session will explore the latest AI trends in the sector and their contribution to biogas sustainability.

Speakers

Maja Rosiak

Maja Rosiak

Lead Biogas Center of Excellence, Xylem
Philippe Breuils

Philippe Breuils

Founding Partner, Green Data Science
Jhuma Sadhukhan

Jhuma Sadhukhan

Director of Research & Innovation, University of Surrey, UK
Anna Schnürer

Anna Schnürer

Professor, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
Dirk Bonse (moderator breakout session 2)

Dirk Bonse (moderator breakout session 2)

Head of Department Renewable Gases, German Biogas Association
15:00 - 15:30

Coffee break and exhibition

Room: Restaurant, Aquarium, Grand Hall

15:30 - 15:50

Biogas: can a vision be pragmatic? Live double interview

Room: Auditorium. Moderator: Sasha Twining

Speakers

Tatiana Marquez Uriarte

Tatiana Marquez Uriarte

Member of the Cabinet of the EU Commissioner for Energie, European Commission
Harmen Dekker

Harmen Dekker

CEO, European Biogas Association (EBA)
Sasha Twining (Moderator)

Sasha Twining (Moderator)

Television and radio presenter
15:50 - 17:30

Afternoon plenary – On target towards 2040 by resilience and pragmatism

Room: Auditorium. Moderator: Sasha Twining

As the EU looks towards the 2040 interim target to achieve climate neutrality by 2050, the biogas and biomethane sectors offer a sustainable, ready-to-use and pragmatic solution to defossilise the EU economy while contributing to the EU’s energy flexibility and resilience. This session will explore the road ahead to 2040, and the potential of biomethane and biogas to get us there.

Speakers

Alexandre Paquot

Alexandre Paquot

Director of Innovation for Low Carbon, Resilient Economy, DG CLIMA, European Commission
Giulia Laura Cancian

Giulia Laura Cancian

Secretary General, European Biogas Association (EBA)
Olivier Guerrini

Olivier Guerrini

Vice President of the Biogas Business Unit, TotalEnergies
Andreas Graf

Andreas Graf

Programme Lead EU Climate & Energy Policy, Agora Energiewende
Goetzm Baumgarten

Goetzm Baumgarten

Vice President Membranes at Evonik Operations GmbH, Marl Germany, Evonik
Sasha Twining (Moderator)

Sasha Twining (Moderator)

Television and radio presenter
17:30 - 17:40

Wrap-up Day 1

Room: Auditorium.

17:40 - 19:00

Networking Cocktail and exhibition

Room: Restaurant, Aquarium, Grand Hall

19:00 - 22:00

Networking Dinner

Room: Riverside

08:45 - 09:50

Registrations. Welcome coffee and opening exhibition

Rooms: Hall (Registrations). Restaurant, Aquarium, Grand Hall (Welcome coffee and exhibition)

10:00 - 10:20

Welcome and Keynote speeches

Room: Auditorium. Moderator: Sasha Twining

Speakers

Sasha Twining (Moderator)

Sasha Twining (Moderator)

Television and radio presenter
10:20 - 11:40

Morning plenary – Biomethane frontrunners

Room: Auditorium. Moderator: Sasha Twining

Following the update of National Energy and Climate Plans and the proposal of a 2040 climate target to provide a mid-term vision towards climate-neutrality, this session will interrogate national representatives from multiple EU Member States on the state of play of biomethane scale-up at national level and their contribution to the EU’s climate and energy strategy.

Speakers

Ditte Juul Jørgensen

Ditte Juul Jørgensen

Director-General for Energy, DG ENER, European Commission
Lukasz Tomaszewski

Lukasz Tomaszewski

Director, Department of Renewable Energy Sources - Ministry of Climate and Environment, Poland
Jorge Castro de Prado

Jorge Castro de Prado

Head of Service, Sub-directorate General for Hydrocarbons and New Fuels. Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge, Spain
Sasha Twining (Moderator)

Sasha Twining (Moderator)

Television and radio presenter
11:40 - 12:00

EBA Awards: Winners announcement

Room: Auditorium. Moderator: Sasha Twining

Speakers

Sasha Twining (Moderator)

Sasha Twining (Moderator)

Television and radio presenter
12:00 - 13:20

Networking lunch and exhibition

Room: Restaurant, Aquarium, Grand Hall

13:20 - 13:30

Spotlight speech

Room: Auditorium

Speakers

, Air Liquide
13:30 - 14:20

Inspiration Challenge

Room: Auditorium. Moderator: Sasha Twining

The Inspiration Challenge is aimed at promoting innovation and solutions that can change the biogases industry. The session will include inspirational ideas on sustainability, development of biogas plants and/or examples of companies speeding up the delivery of their biogas project. More information about the EBA Inspiration Challenge here

Speakers

Sasha Twining (Moderator)

Sasha Twining (Moderator)

Television and radio presenter
14:20 - 15:30

Parallel breakouts// Session 3 – Biomethane across borders: trading and procurement explained

Room: Studio. Moderator: Tim Hamers, Secretary General, ERGaR

Biomethane is increasingly part of corporate decarbonisation strategies and quota obligations. Energy suppliers, traders, brokers and corporate users mobilise plans and strategies to procure biomethane and get biomethane moving from one EU country to another. This joint session organised in collaboration with Ergar will discuss the most pressing issues on cross-border transfers, end-user strategies, short-term expectations and future steps towards the implementation of a single EU biomethane market.

Speakers

Henning Singelsö

Henning Singelsö

Senior Development and Porfolio Manager, Renewable Gases, Gasum
Diego Radlmaier

Diego Radlmaier

Responsible for the international sales and origination of rewenable gases, bmp greengas
14:20 - 15:30

Parallel breakouts// Session 4 – Beyond AD: the future is now

Room: Auditorium. Moderator: Sasha Twining

Anaerobic Digestion is an already advanced biological technology essential for a sustainable, circular and resource efficient society, but new innovative approaches and technologies can reshape the future of the sector. This session will focus on two alternative technologies, methanation and gasification, exploring their potential, applications, and impact.

Speakers

Maria Georgiadou

Maria Georgiadou

Senior Expert, DG Research & Innovation, European Commission
Mieke Decorte

Mieke Decorte

Technical Director, European Biogas Association (EBA)
Leonardo Senatori

Leonardo Senatori

Global Renewable Innovation & Marketing Manager, Pietro Fiorentini
Jeremiah Murphy

Jeremiah Murphy

Director, SFI MaREI Centre for energy, climate and marine

, Hitachi Zosen Innova
Sasha Twining (Moderator)

Sasha Twining (Moderator)

Television and radio presenter
15:30 - 16:00

Coffee break and exhibition

Room: Restaurant, Aquarium, Grand Hall

16:00 - 17:30

Afternoon plenary – Charting new horizons: biomethane’s voyage in maritime and aviation

Room: Auditorium. Moderator: Sasha Twining

Sustainable biomethane represents one of the few readily available and cost-competitive alternatives to defossilise long distance and energy-intensive transport segments, such as maritime and aviation. This session will look into the current impact of biomethane in transport decarbonisation and how the EU legislation can speed up this process by facilitating the further deployment of alternative fuels.

Speakers

Annika Kroon

Annika Kroon

Head of the Maritime Transport and Logistics Unit, DG MOVE, European Commission
Filippo Munna

Filippo Munna

Sales Director Mobile Pipeline, Hexagon Agility
David Chiaramonti

David Chiaramonti

Professor, Department of Energy, Politecnico di Torino
Andrea Qualiano

Andrea Qualiano

Head of Green Gas Origination & Gas Supply Portfolio Decarbonization, Edison Spa
Sasha Twining (Moderator)

Sasha Twining (Moderator)

Television and radio presenter
17:30 - 17:45

Conference closing

Room: Auditorium

Speakers

Harmen Dekker

Harmen Dekker

CEO, European Biogas Association (EBA)