Bioenergy and bioproducts opportunities/efforts continue to be active:

1. Ed White has been confirmed by USDoE/USDA as a new member of the Biomass R&D Technical Advisory Committee with his first official meeting scheduled for March 2006.
2. The Second National Ag/Forestry Renewable Energy Summit hosted by Ag 25 X '25 is scheduled for March 7-8, 2006, at the Mayflower Hotel, Washington, DC. Ed White is on the planning committee. The 25 X '25 vision is that agriculture will produce 25 percent of the total energy consumed in the United States by 2005, while continuing to produce abundant, safe and affordable food and fiber. More information is at: www.agenergy.info.
   
   As a component of 25 X '25, the Forestry Bioenergy Workgroup will meet January 24-25, 2006, in Tucson, AZ.
3. Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns recently announced the formation of the USDA Energy Council to ensure agricultural producers have a place at the table for national energy discussions. Thomas Dorr, Undersecretary for Rural Development; Mark Rey, Undersecretary for Natural Resources and Environment; and Keith Collins, Chief Economist, will lead the effort. Information on USDA's energy strategy is available at: www.usda.gov/energy
4. The Syracuse CoE is co-sponsoring, with Clarkson University and others, a Strategic Summit and Exposition on Bioenergy and Rural Development, scheduled for June 21-23, 2006, at Clarkson University. This summit follows the successful CoE Symposium, "Growing Renewable Energy Capacity in New York", June 27, 2005. Information on the 2006 summit can be obtained from Dr. Susan Powers, Clarkson University, sep@clarkson.edu.
5. ESF and other CoE partners are excited about the Biofuels R&D laboratories in the CoE Headquarters Building, and are directly involved with laboratory designs and equipment purchases. A great opportunity in a LEEDS-designed building to promote and expand the opportunities in bioenergy.
6. ESF has been awarded a congressional appropriation of $700,000 to support efforts with developing the biorefinery in New York, a commercial development, operational test and evaluation and demonstration in commercial venues of wood-based biorefining technology and co-product production. Applying techniques to advance commercial biofuel and sustainable industrial chemicals (BASIC) industry in New York to product fuels, chemicals, biodegradable plastics, paper and other co-products.
   
   ESF, in partnership with SUNY-Delhi, has been awarded a congressional appropriation for the Center of Excellence in Watershed Applications and technology-based Economic Revitalization (CoE in WATER) which includes a combined heat and power project demonstrating sustainable and renewable energy use in the watershed; e.g., willow biomass and gasification.
7. CoE partners submitted numerous proposals to the recent NYSERDA PONs concerning renewable energy opportunities as well as the recent Agriculture and Markets RFP on biofuels/bioproducts.
8. SUNY-ESF will host a seminar series, coordinated by Ed White: Bioenergy and Bioproducts, Wednesdays, Spring 2006, from 3:00 - 4:00 PM in 139 Baker Lab. The seminar features current topics relevant to the emerging biobased products industry developing fuels, chemicals and bioplastics from renewable lignocellulosic feedstocks and other residues. Guest discussions will be presented by speakers from both on- and off-campus.
   
   The seminar will be supported and coordinated with the SUNY Center for Sustainable and Renewable Energy at ESF and the Syracuse CoE. Students may register for one credit for FNRM 496/796: Bioenergy and Bioproducts.
9. Several CoE partners are involved with the SURE Certificate Program: Strategies for the Use of Sustainable and Renewable Energy, beginning January 13, 2006, at the Genesee Grande in Syracuse, NY. Workshops will apply to relicensing for Professional Engineers and Architects. Information is available from Susan Pale at: sspale@pobox.com; ph: 315-469-1736, www.reinventcny.com <http://www.reinventcny.com/> .