Track 2 Session Details

Feedstocks from terrestrial and marine sources, whether waste from agricultural or forestry, or purpose- grown energy crops provide opportunities for bioenergy and biocarbon products.  The speakers will focus on their approaches in working on diverse biomass and waste feedstocks, including agricultural residues, forestry residues, algae and municipal solid waste – these approaches are intended to be cost-effective bioenergy technologies to reduce emissions in biofuels and bioproducts. 

Resolving Corn Stover's Path from Farm to Synthetic Fuel – Matthew Merrill, CEO, WeNeW Carbology 

Hydrothermal carbonization could be the key to sustainably capturing 1/3 of domestic corn stover as feedstocks for synthetic fuel & other energy applications. With a 400,000,000 ton/yr domestic production rate, stover's the largest & most underutilized renewable carbon resource. The high moisture & ash content of stover has however historically prohibited stover’s use for energy or even livestock feed. US farmers need the ability to commoditize a third of this stover for soil health. The carbon pressure of 9-13 Mg/ha stover is so high that removing 1/3 of the stover sustainable improves soil health & performance. The best stover pathway from farm to fuel has remained an unsolved challenge to date, but a collaboration between WeNeW Carbology & the National Laboratory of the Rockies is revealing key insights regarding the interplay between stover preprocessing methods, gasification technology, & integration with overall refinery processes. Refinery integration effects including compensating for cellulosic biomass’s low energy-per-carbon ratio by 1) recycling certain tail gases to the gasifier for coprocessing with biomass, & 2) coprocessing renewable natural gas in the gasifier. Hydrothermally carbonizing stover for nutrient recovery during conversion into biocoal pellets for processing by modern coal gasification technology has emerged as the most promising pathway.

From Semi-Arid Fields to Functional Materials - Professor Kalavathy Rajan, Assistant Professor, Texas Tech University

Deploying a viable biobased economy demands that feedstock selection and valorization strategies be grounded in regional agroecological realities. At Texas Tech University, our research begins at the field level—systematically screening semi-arid region agricultural residues, including grain sorghum stover and cotton biomass, against soil health and water sustainability metrics to identify feedstocks that can be harvested without compromising long-term land productivity. This regionally anchored approach ensures that biorefinery development is ecologically responsible from its foundation. Central to our research philosophy is achieving complete feedstock utilization. Rather than targeting a single product stream, we fractionate biomass to isolate and valorize every component—extractives, cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin—within a cascaded biorefinery framework. Hemicellulosic fractions are converted to xylo-oligosaccharides for use as functional feed supplements, while cellulose is directed toward fiber and packaging applications, ensuring that no fraction of the biomass is treated as waste. Our most translatable innovation lies in lignin valorization. We apply AI-assisted optimization to tailor lignin isolation and precipitation conditions, enabling consistent, application-ready lignin fractions. These are subsequently engineered into high-performance barrier coatings for molded fiber food packaging—materials that are fully biodegradable, PFAS-free, and resistant to water, oil, and grease. This work directly advances decarbonization by displacing fossil-derived plastics and toxic fluorochemicals from food service supply chains, offering a scalable, bio-circular alternative that links agricultural residue management.

Short Rotation Energy Crops: Redefining Woody Biomass Supply Through Purpose-Grown Tree Crops - Sydney Fritzke, Director Supply Chain and Biomass Solutions, Living Carbon

Living Carbon is developing fast-growing, short rotation tree crops planted on marginal and degraded land that produce consistent, high-yield woody biomass while delivering measurable carbon benefits throughout the growth cycle. This dual-purpose model improves project economics and expands the viable land base for deployment, without the supply chain volatility of residue-based alternatives. For off-takers, the value proposition is straightforward: predictable volumes, consistent feedstock quality, and harvest timing coordinated around conversion facility needs. This presentation outlines Living Carbon's approach to short rotation woody crop development, covering agronomic fundamentals, carbon accounting, commercial deal structures, and the North American deployment pipeline. For off-takers and investors seeking feedstock supply that is bankable, sustainable, and additive to decarbonization goals, purpose-grown tree crops are a timely opportunity.