3rd Annual Advanced Biofuels Forum

Aafko Scheringa has over 30 years of experience in international sales management. Before joining Electrochaea GmbH he was a Global Account Manager with Paques Technology BV, one of the world's leading companies in the development and construction of biotechnological purification systems for wastewater and gases. In this role, he was responsible for the capital sales management in North America, Northern Europe and Global Accounts. Prior to that, he spent six years as a Sales Engineer and Account Manager for a global U.S. chemical company.

Aafko Scheringa holds a degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Applied Sciences in Groningen. Within Electrochaea GmbH he is managing and leading the Sales and Business Development departments for implementing commercial bio-methanation projects.

I am a molecular biologist. After succeeding Bachelor and Master in Rome I decided to move in Berlin to work. I gained experience with many biomolecular techniques (PCR, WB, GST-Assay, Fluorescence Microscopy and T.E.M.). At the beginning of this year, I had the opportunity to work for Solaga as Production Team Leader. Our company has gained expertise in modern sectors: like biofilters and biogas. I´m currently counseling two theses about green energy production

Dr. Lee is the Founder and CEO of HedgeSPA (an AI/Big Data-driven investor for institutions consistently outperforming human portfolio managers with private investment programs in sustainability) and former Managing Director, Portfolio Management Group, BlackRock, New York. He has held a number of side appointments as a Professor of Practice.

A practising lawyer for 10 years, Charlotte Morton studied for her MBA at London Business School before setting up a car club business. Asked to establish the business side of ADBA in 2009, she saw the potential of an industry that can deliver huge potential and value to the UK. Given the even bigger global potential, which must be achieved if the Paris Climate Change targets and UN Sustainable Development Goals are to be met, Charlotte played a pivotal role in establishing the World Biogas Association in 2016 to promote and increase the rate of uptake of biogas globally. Charlotte was awarded an OBE in the 2022 Queen's Birthday Honours for her services to the biogas industry. She is also on the board of Green Gas Trading Ltd, which runs the Biomethane Certification Scheme.

Eddie started from school in the City of London as a Warrants Clerk for LME Metals traders Transworld Metals in 1980. Realising the potential the City had in the 1980s for growth of the financial services sector and recognising his natural savvy as a market trader in his youth in Petticoat Lane in London could be advantageous, he developed his career through Bullion trading at Mocatta & Goldsmid; then Energy, Agricultural, Softs, Metals Futures and Options at Gerald Commodities, FX at Dean Witter plus FX, Futures, Equity and Fixed Income at Capcom. By 1990 he’d traded or brokered all of these & had gained experience managing desks in all as well plus a temporary secondment to Chicago setting up there London based clients. In 1991 he joined Esprit Brokers Limited (precursor to ADMISI, part of Archer Daniels Midland Company) to develop FX and LME business and started what is now the 24 Hour FX Desk of ADMISI. In 2018, after 27 successful years as Head of FX, he moved over to start a new role at ADMISI as Head of Technical Analysis and Senior Markets Analyst. Back in 1984, he was originally introduced to Technical Analysis by colleagues & friend and has been an avid practitioner ever since. Eddie has most recently (December 2021) been honoured to be elected Chairman of The Society of Technical Analysts in the UK. He is also a Member of ACI-UK (the FX dealers association) & an Associate Member of the Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment. At ADMISI, Eddie produces and publishes ‘Eddie’s Crayons…’ videos on YouTube of Daily, Weekly and Annual Technical Analysis reviews of FX and selected commodity futures markets. Additionally, he’s spoken at many international conferences and seminars and was until recently visiting lecturer at the University of Essex, teaching the FX section on the short Masters level course – Financial Trading Analysis (‘FTA’).

Detlef Evers has been working in the field of biofuels since 1995. He spent most of his professional life with Archer Daniels Midland. His first task in this segment was to market biodiesel produced by the first large-scale German biodiesel plant in Leer. Detlef Evers has been working for the MVaK since 2015; a Berlin-based association representing the interests of key companies operating along the value chain for the production of waste-based and advanced biofuels. The members of the MVaK are based in Germany, Austria and the Netherlands.

With a background in biology, Freya started her career in carbon recycling as one of the first employees of LanzaTech, working directly with LanzaTech's gas fermentation process in the laboratory. She has firsthand experience of scaling and commercializing a new technology, from the R&D stage, through the challenges of fundraising and navigating the legislative environment to deploying new technologies to scale in globally.
Today she leads the Government Relations and External Relations teams at LanzaTech and plays a key part in advocacy groups around the world focused on Circular Economy, Carbon Capture and Utilization, the Bioeconomy and Low Carbon Fuels. She interacts across multiple sectors supporting the commercialization of new low carbon technologies, including contributing to reports on scale up and impact and providing insights on what common issues impacting the deployment of new technologies. Freya has an MA from Cambridge University

Gerhard Muggen is managing director and shareholder of BTG Bioliquids BV since 2008. As managing director, he is responsible for the strategy of BTG Bioliquids, the business development and the worldwide marketing and sales. Before BTG Bioliquids Gerhard has been working for Stork Thermeq, Wartsila Diesel and Holec for more than 10 years in several jobs in project management, international sales management and in his last job Gerhard was part of the management team of Stork Thermeq.

 Gerhard has a passion for renewable energy, for technology and for export.

Dr. Timilsina is a Senior Research Economist at the Development Research Group of the World Bank, Washington, DC. He has almost 25 years of experience across a broad range of energy and climate change economics and policies at the international level. His key expertise includes Biofuels, climate change, and energy economics. Prior to joining the Bank, Dr. Timilsina was a Senior Research Director at the Canadian Energy Research Institute, Calgary, Canada. He has authored more than 200 publications, including journal articles, working papers, books & chapters. He delivered thematic speeches and technical presentations at hundreds of international events.

CEO in Nordic Blue Crude since February 2016.

Have successfully developed the company and successfully funded it with

Seed capital. Have negotiated and secured important contracts together with his team, which includes off-take, utilities, CO2 supply, long term renewable Power, Oxygen deliveries / distribution.

Have built up the organization with a very high qualified management team.

Brought the company through Basic Engineering and ready for construction funding

John Archer

Founder and Chief Scientific Officer; HutanBio Leading a multidisciplinary team of engineers and scientists developing efficient, sustainable, scalable and economic solutions to the net zero transport challenge.

Background

John's research expertise includes microbiology, genomics, bioinformatics, metabolic engineering and synthetic biology of non-model, industrial micro-organisms directed at low carbon process technologies. About HutanBio HutanBio is an Asia-based technology company developing and deploying HBx fourth generation marine algal low carbon biofuels that are directly compatible with existing internal combustion powerplant without transesterification nor hydrotreatment and provide a scalable feedstock for sustainable aviation fuels. HutanBio combines bioprospecting, genetic-, metabolic- and bioprocess-engineering in the manufacture of high energy density liquid algal biofuels for marine, heavy truck and aviation sectors.

Nathan Wrench

Chief Executive Officer; HutanBio

Developing the technology platform that will enable HutanBio’s customers to produce low carbon and carbon-negative HBx fuels, profitably and at scale.

Background

Originally a product developer and technology consultant. Formerly Head of Innovation for Sustainability at Cambridge Consultants, working with ambitious clients to transform their businesses or to pursue new opportunities centred around societal or environmental needs and the clean energy transition.

• 30 years' experience in energy commodity trading
• Cargill, SocGen, WFS and now at GBF
• Passionate about decarbonisation

I have broad experience in industry supply chains and forest based industries. Working at UPM Biofuels in Finland since 2010, managing various sustainability and regulative projects and tasks both in biofuels as well in biomaterials sector. Currently responsible of leading UPM Biofuels and Biofuels Sustainability and Marked development team which manages the sustainability certifcations and regulative market development initiatives for the current and planned operations of the business.

Andrea leads the overall biofeedstocks/biofuels activities (i.e. Biofeedstock, HVO Diesel Naphtha LPG, Biodiesel, tickets, mandate, new initiatives, sustainability and certification) within Eni. He became Head of Biofuels Trading in Eni Trading and Shipping S.p.A. in 2019 with responsibility to redesign and enlarge the biofeedstocks/biofuels trading activities. In 2020 he took over the role of Head of Supply for Eni.

Since 2021, he has been a Member of the Board of Directors of Eni Trading and Shipping inc.

With more than 17 years’ experience within the group he has held roles in several countries, including German and Austrian Branch Manager and also Head of Gas & Power Sales in France, Italy and BeNeLux and Lead Originator for gas, power and emissions.

Melich is Praj’s Vice President of Business Development in Europe. He represents the business lines 1G & 2G Bioenergy, HiPurity for sterile Biotech plants, Critical Process Equipment and Process Plant Modularization. His heart beats bio. Melich brings over 20 years of global experience in general contracting, project development of biorefineries as well as experience in the on- and off-site enzyme business, having commercialized groundbreaking biotechnologies. Previous he has been the Director of EU Business Development for 1G & 2G biofuels at Novozymes in Copenhagen. Before the Head of global Business Development of advanced Biofuels & Derivatives at Clariant in Munich. Earlier Melich has developed >250 Mio. EUR bioethanol plants for the Ferrostaal group in São Paulo. He has been a member of the Programming Core Team of the Biobased Industries Consortium (BIC) in Brussels and authored several books and articles on Project Management, Plant Engineering and Biofuels

Founded Bioledger in 2019 to strengthen the European biofuel sustainability compliance regime by integrating latest technology into existing accounting, operations and certification schemes. As Head of Sustainability at Greenergy for 10 years he managed their international biofuel sustainability programme across all biofuel supply chains including drafting the first EU Commission approved Voluntary Scheme (Greenergy Gold Standard for Brazilian Sugarcane Ethanol) and the first standard for used cooking oil biodiesel traceability. Working with industry and regulatory stakeholders, Bioledger designed, built and are integrating a blockchain database for used cooking oil and RSB biofuel supply chains with the support from the ISEAL Alliance and Swiss Government in 2020. Bioledger now provides compliance applications to RED II certified raw material and biofuel producers in UK, Ireland, Netherlands, Spain, Portugal, Ghana & Tanzania.

Praveen Bains is currently a Clean Energy Modeller within the Energy Technology and Policy division at the International Energy Agency (IEA). She works within the alternative fuels team, modelling the global alternative fuel production that supplies the energy required by the demand sectors.  Her works focuses on bioenergy/biofuels and sustainable aviation fuels, including synthetic kerosene. Prior to the IEA, Ms. Bains has worked for imperial College London and the U.S. Department of Energy. Ms. Bains has a Master’s degree from the Department of Energy Resources Engineering at Stanford University, and a Bachelors of Engineering in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering from the University of Pennsylvania

Dr. Tobias Block is an industrial engineer and senior consultant public affairs, strategy and communication. He is an all-rounder when it comes to technical, economic and political challenges at the interface between renewable energies and the automotive industry. As head of strategy and content he coordinates the activities of the eFuel Alliance e.V., a platform with more than 170 member companies for the market ramp-up of hydrogen-derived synthetic fuels. After studying energy and environmental management at the University of Flensburg he obtained his doctorate on hydrogen and eFuels business models at the University of St. Gallen. Following his studies, he worked for more than five years in the technical development department of AUDI AG, including on the commissioning of the first industrial power-to-gas plant, electricity procurement concepts, and the market launch of various natural gas vehicles. As the success of synthetic fuels depends more on the political framework conditions than on technical solutions, he joined the German Association of the Automotive Industry (Verband der Automobilindustrie e.V.) in the summer of 2018 and coordinated the political activities related to renewable fuels for more than two years – initially in Berlin and later from Brussels. In February 2021 he joined the consultancy von Beust & Collegen.

Mr. Torsten Fischer is founder and Managing Director of Krieg & Fischer Ingenieure GmbH. He has been active in biogas plant engineering and construction since 1993 and has broad experience with different technologies used in AD systems. Under his lead, Krieg & Fischer Ingenieure has done engineering for projects all over the world with main focus on Europe, North America and Japan, gathering more than 160 references. Since 2009, Mr. Fischer has been recognised a publicly appointed expert witness in the field of biogas. As an expert and appraiser, he prepares technical assessments for courts, authorities, insurance companies, lawyers and consumers in the field of biogas

Bharadwaj Kummamuru is the Executive Director of World Bioenergy Association (WBA). WBA is the leading global association promoting the sustainable development of bioenergy. WBA covers all sectors including liquid biofuels, solid biomass and biogas, while representing a member base of companies, associations, researchers from more than 65 countries. Bharadwaj has been leading the association for the past 4 years in executing activities including publications (factsheets, statistics and market reports), events (conferences, study trips), projects and collaboration with international partners. He initially joined WBA in 2014 to lead the project on bioenergy statistics after graduating with a Master of Science degree in Sustainable Energy Systems. Bharadwaj has a background in Chemical Engineering and interests include Life cycle assessment, data analysis and sustainabilit

Mr. Gleerup serves as the CEO and is one of the founders of Nordic Green. He has more than 22 years of experience with sales and distribution of different raw materials and ingredients for the food, feed and pharmaceutical industries. He is furthermore the owner and Chief Executive Officer of the agency- and distribution company Johannes Eriksen. He is also a board member and business advisor for several companies.

Craig Winneker is Director of Communications for ePURE, the European renewable ethanol association. Before joining ePURE in 2016, he was News Editor at POLITICO Europe. Before that, he was Director of Public Affairs at the European Crop Protection Association and has also worked as Director of Political Communications for the European Photovoltaic Industry Association. His journalism career included top editorial positions with the Wall Street Journal Europe and European Voice in Brussels, and Roll Call in Washington.

Suhas Baxi is the Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer at BiofuelCircle. His professional work has included strategy, organization, systems, and people. He is passionate about the role of data and digital technology in conventional businesses.

In a career spanning more than 33 years, he has led companies in the energy, software, and manufacturing sectors. His initial grooming and learning happened at Thermax, a leader in the global market for energy and environment engineering business. He spent 14 years in various sales leadership roles in India, Asia, and the US for various segments including Industrial Heating, Distributed Generation, and Engineering Services.

His interest in technology resulted in a stint with the American start-up Triple Point Technology, which is focused on Software Products for Energy Trading and Risk Management. He led the company’s Asian business and helped establish its India Development Center.

Prior to founding BiofuelCircle, Suhas served as the MD and CEO at Konecranes and Demag Private Limited, where he was a part of the Global Strategy Team for the development of mid-segment products. He led the South Asian business of this Finnish-German multinational, a global leader in Industrial and Port Lifting solutions. He was President and CEO at Pennar Industries where he led the diversification of the processed steel company into engineering products.

Amongst his Industry affiliations, Suhas is the independent Director on the board of Bioenergy major Praj Industries, a member Board of Advisors at video-sharing platform kPoint Technologies, and advises IndiaOPD – a company focused on digitization of doctor-patient interface.

Xavier, a French citizen, holds masters in both law and public affairs from France and Germany. Prior to joining EBB as Secretary General, Xavier held a similar job in another organisation in the renewable energy field. Most recently, he has created the EU office of PEFC International the global certification for sustainable forest management and traceability

Prof. Boussiba received his Ph.D. in Physiology and Biochemistry of Cyanobacteria in 1981 from the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel. After 2 years of postdoctoral studies at Cornell University, Ithaca NY, he rejoined the Microalgal Biotechnology Laboratory (MBL) at the Jacob Blaustein Institute for Desert Research (BIDR), Ben-Gurion University, Israel, and serves as the Head of this group since 1995. Between 2008-2015 he served as the Director of the French Associates Institute for Agriculture and Biotechnology of Drylands.  

Between 2008-2011 Prof. Boussiba served as the President of the International Society of Applied Phycology (ISAP). In 2011 he was appointed  as a member of an Ad Hoc Committee appointed by the American National Academy of Sciences, to examine "Sustainable Development of Algal Biofuels".  In 2014 he received from the ISAP the Distinguish Applied Phycology Award for his continued and outstanding contribution to this field of science. From to  2018 to date he serve as vice president of EABA(  European Algal Biomass association).

 Head of Versalis Business Development Strategies and Licensing

He joined Eni in 1995 covering different roles with increasing responsibility in R&D projects, engineering activities and licensing, acquiring a very deep experience in the development of R&D and industrial projects, including plant design and start-up, and reaching in the 2012 responsibility for Versalis Process Technology and Basic Engineering.  

Starting from 2018 he spent 2 years as General Manager of Matrica (JV between Versalis and Novamont), company active in the field of chemicals from renewable, managing operating and commercial activities of the company.

In 2020 is appointed as head of Versalis Research, Development and Technological Innovation, responsible for company research activities in the fields of Plastics, Elastomers and Intermediates.

He received a Master in Chemical Engineering from 'Politecnico di Milano' in 1992 and a MBA from 'MIP/SDA Bocconi' in 2008.

Mr Nils Torvalds is a politician and journalist currently serving as Member of the European Parliament and Head of Delegation of the Swedish People's Party of Finland (Svenska folkpartiet) in the liberal group Renew Europe. He is currently Member of the Committee on Budgets and the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety in the European Parliament, where he acts as coordinator, as well as Substitute Member of the Committee of Industry, Research and Energy.

CEO in Nordic Blue Crude since February 2016.

Have successfully developed the company and successfully funded it with

Seed capital. Have negotiated and secured important contracts together with his team, which includes off-take, utilities, CO2 supply, long term renewable Power, Oxygen deliveries / distribution.

Have built up the organization with a very high qualified management team.

Brought the company through Basic Engineering and ready for construction funding

Dr Eleni Liakakou is a Chemical Engineer, acting as technology expert and consultant for TNO Biobased & Circular Technologies group with a demonstrated history of working in European and national R&D projects. Experienced research and project leader in the field of bioenergy & advanced biofuels. Her work has been focused on biomass and wastes valorization via thermochemical routes, product gas cleaning and conditioning, as well as catalytic conversion of synthesis gas to fuels. Prior to TNO, she worked as a collaborative researcher in Chemical Process and Energy Resources Institute of CERTH (Greece) in pararel with her Ph.D. studies at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. She holds a Chemical Engineering diploma and a MSc in Chemical Technology from the same university.

In Maersk, Jacob Hjerrild Zeuthen mainly focus on the early stage technology development and on identifying potential technology for production of fuels that are compatible with the existing fleet. Jacob has 19 years' experience in in technology development since he graduated as a Chemical Engineer from the Technical University of Denmark. He holds a PhD within Combustion and Aerosol Science and has since graduation worked with energy, combustion, fuels, emissions, and biomass. After a career with product- and process development in private companies Jacob served as Chief Technology Advisor for the Danish Government for 3 years before he joined A.P. Moller – Maersk in August 2021 as a Senior Future Fuels Manager.

As project development manager for HoSt Bioenergy systems I'm contributing to a cleaner and sustainable future by developing biomass based energy solutions, varying from bioLNG with carbon capture to biomass-fired combined heat and powerplants. with a background in Mechanical Engineering and Sustainable Energy Technology I have a high affinity with developing state of the art sustainable energy projects. Within the HoSt Group I'm developing new bio-energy projects throughout Europe, with a focus on the Netherlands, Germany, Poland and the Baltics.

Vinesh Sinha
CEO of FatHopes Energy

Vinesh Sinha is the founder and CEO of FatHopes Energy, which collects and converts waste oils into biofuels that are supplied to global oil and gas companies as an environmentally compliant liquid fuel alternative.

He embarked on his sustainability journey in 2007 and got his big break when McDonald’s contracted him to collect used oil from its network of restaurants across the region and convert it into biodiesel. Today, FatHopes Energy not only dominates in regional market share of waste cooking oil collection, but has also diversified its waste oil feedstocks; the company now collects a variety of different types of used oil for processing into biofuels.

Jordan Solomon has held the position of President and CEO of Ecostrat for over 20 years, overseeing the Biomass Advisory Group and the Biomass Supply Group. He has constructed and managed feedstock supply chains for over 5 million tons of municipal and post-industrial waste, wood fiber, agricultural, and organic biomass feedstock. His responsibilities include new project origination, evaluation and commercialization, corporate strategy and team support. His areas of expertise include project development, supply chain risk-assessment, bio-resource trading, contracting and financing, and risk mitigation for bio-feedstock supply and export. 

Over the past 6 years, he has led the development of the US National Standards and Risk Ratings for Biomass Supply Chain Risk (BSCR) together with US National Laboratory INL for the US Department of Energy (BETO). He is currently leading the new Bioeconomy Development Opportunity (BDO) Zone Initiative to unlock new sources of capital for biochemical, biofuel and biomaterial plants by using the BSCR Standards and Ratings to certify communities that have the best potential for bio-based economic development.

• Master in economics Norwegian Business School
• Worked for Statoil ASA 1987 – 2012: Upstream and Midstream project economics / Natural gas market analysis / Methanol sales / Renewable fuels / UN Access to Sustainable Energy project
• Circle K 2012 – today: Director Product Quality & Development Category Fuel Europe, Global Fuels

Eva has a background in chemistry and biophysics from the University of Amsterdam. After working on several R&D developments in the field of sustainability she joined SkyNRG in 2019. In her role as project lead, she focusses on the development of regional sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) supply projects and combines her theoretical background with technical knowhow to research prospective feedstock/technology combinations at various geographic locations. She is involved in multiple international R&D and commercial SAF development projects and is a specialist in SAF quality and certification.

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