PYRO 2014

19-23 May 2014, Birmingham, UK

The 20th International Symposium on Analytical and Applied Pyrolysis. The conference will cover the latest results in all areas of pyrolysis and related thermal processes and will attract a wide range of researchers from acedemia and industry. 

Information on the conference can be found at PYRO 2014.

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International Training Course on Biochar Production, Testing and Application

October 2013, Nanjing, China

The training course provides participants the chance to learn practical skills in the design, production, sales and use of biochar from experienced practitioners from around the world. The course provides the latest in scientific knowledge through a series of comprehensive lectures, lecture notes and reference material based on peer reviewed literature. Interactive sessions will focus on how to design, implement, monitor and evaluate biochar development programs and how to establish successful businesses. 


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Biomass 2013 Conference

11 September 2013, Singleton, Australia

Conference will cover the emerging supply, use and processing of biomass for fuels, soils, advanced materials and carbon sequestration. Biomass 2013 will draw together experts in research, industry and government to present their work to highlight the capacity of biomass. 

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2013 New Zealand Biochar Workshop

4-5 July 2013, Massey University, New Zealand

Workshop held on the opportunities, risks and acceptance of Biochar with contributions encouraged from all interest areas including: production technology, biochar economics, characterisation of biochars, biochar-soil-plant interactions, application case studies, life cycle assessment and biochar in GHG mitigation. 

Information on the conference can be found at NZ Biochar Research Centre website.

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ANZBRN Regional Meeting


29-30 September 2011, Melbourne

The ANZBRN regional meeting was held on the 29-30th September at Melbourne University's Parkville Campus. The first day of the meeting consisted of presentations from researchers while the second day was open to members of the general public and featured several key-note speakers. A link to the program can be found here with a list of presentations below. 

Dr Anthony Weatherley - Biochar Research at the University of Melbourne

Professor Jim Jones - Mechanisms of Pyrolysis

Mr Doug Phillips - Biochar-amended potting mixes: Their value and impact on the propagation of native tree and shrub species

Ms Cathy Dandie - Poultry manure biochar application to a Ferrosol: short-term effects on N cycling processes

Ms Anna Wrobel-Tobiszewska - Biochar as a soil amendment and growth stimulus for Eucalyptus forestry plantations under Tasmanian conditions

Ms Genivieve Ackland - Biochar and Energy from Trees Project - Biochar Field Trials

Ms Noraini Jaafar - Biochar effects on mycorhizal colonization of wheat

Dr Adriana Downie - PacPyro Melbourne Grant Project

Dr Lukas Van Zwieten - Summary of agronomic findings: field data

Dr Lukas Van Zwieten - Biochar impacts N processes and emissions of N2O

Dr Adriana Downie - PacPyro research overview

Mr Stephen Kimber - Rapid tools for characterising biochar

Professor Jim Jones - Biochar Overview / Introduction

Dr Anthony Weatherley - Soils and Biochar 

Ms Noraini Jaafar - Biochar use in agriculture, with an emphasis on soil biology

Dr Lukas Van Zwieten - Overview of the Asia Pacific Conference and latest findings

Dr Adriana Downie - Future research directions and opportunities


Asia Pacific Biochar Conference 

15-18 September 2011, Kyoto Japan

The 2nd Asia Pacific Biochar Conference was held at Ritsumeikan University in Kyoto, Japan. The conference was hosted by the Japan Biochar Association, the Japan Association for Human and Environmental Symbiosis and Ritsumeikan University in affiliation with ANZ Biochar Researchers Network and the International Biochar Initiative. The conference aimed to contribute to rural development and to the mitigation and adaptation of climate change in the Asia Pacific region and globally. 

Further information about the conference can be found at the following link.


Environmental Isotope and Hydrogeology Conference

12-14 July 2011, Cairns

The combined 11th Australasian Environmental Isotope Conference and 4th Australasian Hyrdrogeology Conference was held in Cairns, QLD on the 13th to 14th July 2011. The three day conference included presentations showcasing the latest in Australian science in these areas and was followed by a field trip to the Australian Canopy Crane Research Facility in the Daintree rainforest on Friday the 15th July. 

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Wood Waste Conference 2011

30-31 March 2011, Rotorua, New Zealand

The Forestry Industry Engineering Association (FIEA) hosted a conference on the conversion of wood waste to valuable bioenergy products, such as biochar, in March 2011. This conference included presentations from industry leaders and ANZ Biochar Researchers Network members. 

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Climate Change Strategy for Primary Industries

15-17 February 2011, Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne

Conference on climate change strategy and its interface with primary industry, held at the MCG. The conference considered strategy, research and practical on-farm methodology and examined how Australian producers can implement world leading climate change technology. 

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2011 New Zealand Biochar Workshop

10-11 February 2011, Massey University, New Zealand

Workshop held on the opportunities, risks and acceptance of Biochar with contributions encouraged from all interest areas including: production technology, biochar economics, characterisation of biochars, biochar-soil-plant interactions, application case studies, life cycle assessment and biochar in GHG mitigation. 

Information on the conference can be found at NZ Biochar Research Centre website.

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Bioenergy Australia 2010 Conference

8-10 December 2010, Novotel Sydney Manly Pacific

Bioenergy Australia held its annual conference on the 8-10 December in Manly, NSW. The conference program included over 105 presentations over two days with a technical tour to biomass and bioenergy sites included on Wednesday 8th December. 

Further information on the conference can be found at the following link.

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Chinese Biochar Symposium

9-11 October 2010, Hangzhou, China

An international symposium on “Environmental Behavior and Effects of Biomass-derived Charcoal” was held in Hangzhou, China. Participants included more than 70 international scientists, stakeholders and representatives of the International Biochar Initiative who were treated to an excellent scientific program and field tour. 

Information on background, themes, abstract submission and registration can be found at the IBI website.

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State of the Art on Renewable Energy

March 10-11th 2010, Department of Chemical Engineering, Universidad Iberoamericana in Mexico City

The goal of this event was to lecture students, professors, and specialists related to Chemical Engineering. The subject was be viewed from political, social, technological, economic, and scientific perspectives with the purpose of showing the importance and situation of renewable energy worldwide. 

Guest lecture by Adriana Downie, ANZ biochar researchers network committee member.

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LORC International Symposium

8 March 2010, Kameoka-city (Galleria Kameoka), Japan

Theme: Biochar Utilization in Agriculture and Its Contribution to the Revitalisation of Local Society – Citizens Participation in the Global Warming Countermeasures.  

Special lecture by Attilio Pigneri, ANZ biochar researchers network committee member.

The aim of this symposium was to disseminate the message that charcoal can be a useful and important tool for promoting environmentally friendly local regeneration. In the symposium, international trends of the evaluation of biochar in agriculture and the current states of utilisation and standardisation of charcoal in Japan were first discussed, followed by the introductions of some practical activities of Kameoka Carbon Minus Project that involve local citizens.

Host organisation: Local Human Resources and Public Policy Development System Open Research Centre (LORC), Ryukoku University

Information about the LORC can be found at the at this link

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New Zealand Biochar Workshop

11-12 February 2010, Massey University, Manawatu Campus

The 2010 Biochar Workshop was held at Massey University, Manawatu Campus from 11 February 2010 to 12 February 2010. 

Information on the workshop outcomes can be found at the New Zealand Biochar Research Centre website

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Bioenergy Australia 2009 Conference

9-10 December 2009, Gold Coast Queensland

Bioenergy Australia 2009, 'From Opportunity to Implementation' was held from 9-10 December 2009 at the Radisson Resort Gold Coast. The conference was attended by 344 delegates with 90 presentations including a section on biochar research.

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Australian Delegates Attend US Biochar Conference

9-12 August 2009, Boulder August 9-12

An overview of the conference from the perspective of the Australian delegates in attendance can be downloaded here: US Biochar Conference 2009, Australian Overview.  

E-versions of some of the presentations will be made available through the conference website. However, they can be provided by any of the Australian attendees of this conference.

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Asia Pacific Biochar Conference Information

17-20 May 2009, Gold Coast, Australia
The Australia and New Zealand Biochar Researchers Network and the Japanese Biochar Initiative are pleased with the success of the first Asia Pacific Biochar Conference, which was held at the Watermark Hotel, Gold Coast Australia 17 – 20 May, 2009.  We would like to express out thanks to the conference organisers and sponsors, along with all of the presenters and participants. 

The conference proceedings can be downloaded from the following link: AP Biochar Conference 2009, Proceedings.  The proceeding include:

- the conference program,
- abstracts of all work presented at the conference,  
- and conference sponsor information.

We are in the process of gathering the presentations from the conference. Conference Presentations are available here. 

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