By LINDA McGURK
Indiana Correspondent

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — In the past, the annual Biofuels Symposium at Purdue University has primarily focused on corn ethanol. This year, Purdue is joining a host of universities exploring opportunities and issues involved with second-generation biofuel, such as ethanol produced from cellulose or municipal waste.
Wally Tyner, professor of agricultural economics at Purdue, said the purpose of the May 18-19 conference is two-fold.

“One, we want to communicate where things stand with second generation biofuels – what’s happening and what needs to happen – and what the roadblocks are,” he said. “Second, we want to showcase Purdue’s activity in this area. It’s not an accident that half the speakers are from Purdue.”

The 2009 Second Generation Biofuels Symposium, held at the Stewart Center at Purdue, will cover five themes over two days: economic/policy issues, environmental impacts, biochemical conversion pathways, thermochemical conversion pathways and feedstock development and production.

While some presentations will be highly technical, others will talk about the basics of breeding and testing miscanthus and other biofuel grasses.

Tyner will open the economic/policy issues session with an analysis of biofuel economics, using different feedstocks, product pricing mechanisms, conversion yields, capital costs and operating cost assumptions.

“It’s very risky business if you’re thinking about investing in second-generation biofuels,” he said. “The capital investment is much higher than it is for first-generation biofuels.”

In the past, attendance at the conference has ranged from 200-250 people, representing a broad spectrum of second-generation biofuel stakeholders, according to Wendy Madore, events manager at the Energy Center at Purdue’s Discovery Park.

“We expect to have a mixed audience: academia, industry and the general public. We feel that each group has something to learn from another – I think that’s what’s unique about our symposium,” she said.

Madore recommended pre-registering for the conference but said walk-ins will be accepted. For more information about the symposium and a detailed agenda, go to www.purdue.edu/discoverypark/energy/events/2009biofuels
Questions may be directed to Madore at 765-494-6792 or via e-mail to wmadore@purdue.edu