CALL FOR ABSTRACTS: USBI Biochar 2018 — August 20-23, 2018 — Wilmington, DE DEADLINE: March 1, 2018

USBI Biochar 2018 is the largest event in North America dedicated to advancing the sustainable production and use of biochar through scientific and engineering research, policy development, field practice, and technology transfer. This year’s theme: “The Carbon Link in Watershed Ecosystem Services”. Attendees can expect to:

o Learn about ground breaking scientific research and technologies
o Discover the benefits that biochar can provide
o Hear from biochar experts about ways to restore and remediate our watersheds
o Connect with leading biochar businesses, producers and distributors

The USBI is dedicated to advancing the sustainable production and use of biochar through scientific and engineering research, policy development, field practice, and technology transfer! Our upcoming conference Biochar 2018: The Carbon Link in Watershed Ecosystem Services is now accepting abstracts and workshop proposals until March 1, 2018. The conference will take place in Wilmington, DE during August 20-23, 2018. Our conference theme “The Carbon Link in Watershed Ecosystem Services” will focus on the various techniques and policies associated with biochar production and application to restore our soil, water and air on a broad watershed scale. We’re seeking presentations in four conference sessions with sub-topics, as well as pre-conference workshop proposals.

Workshop Proposals
For workshop proposals, please fill out the workshop proposal form

Agriculture Session--The session focus is on agricultural practices that can benefit from biochar production including waste conversion, crop benefits, reduction of polluted runoff. Targeted topics are but not limited to, manure, biosolids and biomass management, forestry/silvaculture opportunities, carbon based fertilizers, animal feed supplement, animal health, water quality treatments and facilities air quality.

Commercialization & Production Session --This session has been developed to cover a broad array of topics critical to the growth of the industry. Topics should focus in one of the sub-topics presented below:

Commercialization, Production & Product Development --This sub-topic will focus on commercial technologies including production processes such as pyrolysis and gasification technologies, product processing and equipment such as driers, crushers, screeners, packaging, and added value opportunities and product development (e.g., carbon-based building products)

Policy, Regulations, Standards & Specifications --This sub-topic will focus on the development of policy and regulations by federal, State and local government tied to waste management, renewable energy and watershed resiliency. In many technical fields such as stormwater management, remediation and other environmental applications require Performance Standards, Testing Protocols, Specifications and Details be approved and accepted for biochar(s) to be utilized. Tied to any biochar policy, regulations, standards and specifications are strategies to meet permit requirements, public and regulatory education, outreach programs and reporting requirements including verification and validation.

Project Implementation – Economics & Financing --This sub-topic will focus on one of the most challenging and complex aspects of scaling up the biochar industry. Many projects die due to challenging economics and cost of implementing new technologies and approaches that investors generally don’t understand. Presentations on innovative financing, business structures, public/private partnerships, environmental credit trading/stacking, marketing and messaging are also key to getting investors buy in are also of interest.

Environmental Remediation & Restoration Session --This session will focus on the use of biochar(s) in the remediation and restoration of our watersheds. Within the mid-Atlantic and Eastern Sea board are some of the oldest and highly impacted landscapes from hundreds of years of anthropogenic activities. Remediation and restoration efforts associated with water, soil and air issues is the direct focus of this session. Topics of interest include industrial remediation, brownfields, contaminated ecosystems, emerging contaminants, mine reclamation, and ecosystem restoration such as coastal, wetlands, streams, forests, floodplains and other habitats.

Urban Landscapes Sessions --This session will focus on the use of biochar(s) in urban landscapes including community-wide and watershed-scaled water quantity/quality approaches, stormwater management (green infrastructure) BMPs, urban retrofitting, green roofs, urban agriculture including rooftop and hydroponics, urban soil restoration, turf, urban trees and forest management, waste management, and emerging opportunities such as carbon-based building materials and construction. Within the urban landscape, much of the work associated with the management green and grey infrastructure are driven by federal and State permit requirements associated with the NPDES/MS4 and TMDL programs. As such, biochar related topics associated on permitting, BMP performance testing, pollutant loads characterizing, and modeling (e.g. water quality/quantity) will be of interest. READ MORE