Plenary Program
AFCC Conference Plenary Program
Plenary Program Information​
There will be three plenaries with featured keynote opinion and thought leaders as they discuss the state of play for the areas of growth opportunities. Attendees will learn about the necessary factors to successful commercialization and decarbonization in sustainable aviation fuels, alternative fuels, renewable chemicals (includes bioplastics), biomaterials, food ingredients and additives, flavors and fragrances, alternative proteins, and regenerative agriculture.
The plenaries at the conference will include diverse and dynamic speakers, a broad range of content from keynotes to panel discussions and innovation for a sustainable future. All other sessions will stop for the plenaries.
​
​Lunch Plenary Session, Monday, November 2, 11:45 to 1:15 PM (ET) - Cherry Blossom Ballroom
Introductory Remarks, Kate Zook, Acting Director, USDA Office of Energy and Environment Policy (OEEP)
​Are Agricultural GHG Emissions the Elephant in the Room?
​
Sponsored by:
_edited_jp.jpg)
​Moderator: Paul Zorner, CEO, EcoFluxNet, Adjunct Professor of Basic and Applied Science, Somaiya Vidyavihar University, Mumbai, India, Chairman AFCC Governing Board of Directors
​Speakers:
Director
Dynamic Sustainability Lab
Pontarelli Professor of Environmental Sustainability and Finance
Syracuse University
David Kolsrud
Farmer and Founder
Agri Energy LLC
Credit integrity, regulatory compliance, optimization of on-farm income, and consumer trust are at risk.
N2O and CH4 emissions are characterized by hot moments and hot spots. Current analytics and modeling have difficulty representing this episodic behavior. Resource intensive and variable analytical data give birth to high biogeochemical modeling variability. Variable modeling output diminishes credit value, on-farm income and credit integrity. Diminished value and reduced integrity threaten Scope 3 emission compliance, brand integrity and leaves the door open for legal challenges. It’s a shame because farm practices and inputs do exist that can dramatically reduce these emissions, but the high analytical variability makes it difficult to validate these practices with registries and difficult for growers to best understand how to optimize them. An ARPA-E grant to Professor Mark Zondlo at Princeton University recognized these issues and resulted in an advanced tomography platform that provides 0.1 ppbv sensitivity, 3-meter resolution and near real-time data reporting over enterprise scale areas as large as 160 acres per unit to capture the full breadth of episodic emissions over these acres 24x7x365. This direct and continuous measurement platform is being developed by EcoFluxNet, Inc and when combined with advanced biogeochemical models shows great potential to provide significantly greater farm income through premium credits; ensure regulatory and audit compliance; establish legal defensibility; and engender consumer trust in corporate brand promises. The esteemed panelists will discuss the limitations of current analytical platforms, the potential for tomography to enhance GHG measurement, and to resolve the several issues faced by farmers and validation methodologies with current platforms.
Breakfast Plenary Session, Tuesday, November 3, 8:00 AM to 9:30 AM (ET) - Cherry Blossom Ballroom
Introductory Remarks, Honorable Andrew Freigang, Special Advisor, U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) (invited)
Biomanufacturing in the Future for Renewable Chemicals (Includes Biopolymers): Trends, Drivers, and Outlook
Moderator: James Iademarco, President, Strategic Avalanche Consulting
Speakers:
It is known that biomanufacturing is at a pivotal point, with global capacity estimated currently at $480 billion annually across pharmaceuticals, industrial enzymes, biofuels, renewable chemicals (includes biopolymers), and alternative proteins. The non-pharmaceutical segment – especially renewable chemicals and biobased materials – is the fastest growing frontier, projected to expand from $120 billion in 2025 to $250 to $300 billion by 2032 if scale-up economics improve. Some changes occurring, continuous biomanufacturing replacing batch processes, precision fermentation (breakthroughs in strain engineering), and digital transformation such as AI, machine learning in GMP manufacturing. The expert panelists will reflect on the past economic and policy drivers avoiding valley of death, and future areas of improvements, supply chain and operational trends building resilient supply chains, and outlook for next generation biomanufacturing renewable chemicals.
Lunch Plenary Session, Tuesday, November 3, 11:45 to 1:15 PM (ET) - Cherry Blossom Ballroom
Introductory Remarks, Honorable Don Snyder, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Treasury Office of Tax Policy (invited)
Global Aviation Sustainability Outlook for 2027
​
Sponsored by​
​Moderator: Tim A. Pohle, Environmental and Sustainability Lawyer & Policy Expert, Beveridge & Diamond PC
​Speakers:
The Plenary will focus not only on technological challenges, but policy at the center of commercial development, market certainty, infrastructure readiness and sustained public-private-partnership. Conversation across the business sector remains significant to achieve progress towards environmental goals. The panelists will discuss execution priorities – scale-up of clean aviation fuels, major investment strategies in building supply chains, globally aligned regulatory frameworks that provide confidence to markets and investors. The role of coordinated action among governments, industry, and finance are central themes for sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) to achieve success.