Chris Hunter is a director of Viridesco Limited (www.viridesco.com), a jatropha-oriented pure plant oil (PPO) biofuel company, with a project in Mozambique. Prior to co-founding Viridesco in late 2006, he worked in various finance roles, notably at Goldman Sachs as well as at a specialist environmental corporate finance advisory firm. He currently lives and work in London and advises various green companies.

Mr. Christopher Hunter, Director
Viridesco Ltd.
Chairman’s Welcome & Introduction
Day 1 [Wed 14, October], at 09:00 AM
Performance & Yields of 4 Year-Old Plantation in Mozambique
Day 1 [Wed 14, October], at 02:35 PM

EDUCATION
1971-1976	Master of Public Administration (Erasmus Highschool part of the University of Ghent) cum laude – 5-year cycle. Dissertation: The functional budget: a policy analysis
1986-1987	Specialisation/third degree University level: Public management and Administration – cum laude (University of Louvain) Official EU-nomenclature: Master of Public Administration and Management.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
1980		Acting director at the General Services of the Department of Culture and Education.
1982-1986		Director at the International cooperation agency.
1986-1995		Inspector-general: Budgeting, accounting and financial management administration: Head of the budgeting division and member of board of directors.
1995-2007		Director-general: Flemish government – Environment, Nature, Land and Water administration and member Board of directors Environment and Infrastructure department.
2007 till present		Secretary-general: Flemish government – Head of the Environment, Nature and Energy department and Chairman of the environmental planning board.
POLITICAL EXPERIENCE
1987 - Feb. 1988		Advisor/cabinet secretary to P. DEPREZ, Flemish minister for Foreign Relations and Land.
1988 - Oct. 1988		Advisor/cabinet secretary to P. BREYNE, Flemish minister for Housing.
Oct. 1988 - Feb. 1992		Senior advisor to G. GEENS, minister–president of the Flemish Government and Flemish minister for Finance and Budget.

 

Mr. Jean-Pierre Heirman, Secretary-general
Environment, Nature and Energy Department, Flemish Government
Opening Speech
Day 1 [Wed 14, October], at 09:15 AM

Ruud van Eck an entrepreneur, is the founder of Diligent Energy Systems. He built from scratch a company producing alternative fuels. Earlier, he was the director of a company in information and communication technology, Mr van Eck managed to successfully grow this company within a few years. After selling that company, he was determined to do something in alternative fuels. A big change in career, which he made with full conviction: "I believe in this product. The demand for alternative fuels is very large. Much larger than the supply."

Mr. Ruud van Eck, CEO
Diligent Tanzania Ltd
Project Developer’s Outlook on Jatropha Value Chain
Day 1 [Wed 14, October], at 09:45 AM
Chairman’s Remarks
Day 1 [Wed 14, October], at 02:00 PM

Christophe de Landtsheer’s career spans across diverse industries, but his duties have always been focused on corporate finance, performance management, and strategy development and implementation. 

 

Christophe was appointed a member of the executive and investment committees at Brussels Airlines after the bankruptcy of Sabena. He was there to head the Enterprise Programme, Process and Strategy Support Office. His main responsibility was to plan and implement the corporate strategy and investment programme.

 

Since his departure from Brussels Airlines in 2005, Christophe has completed temporary assignments as Chief Financial Officer at several companies.

 

He is managing director at Distrifina, a strategy consultancy, and a member of the board at several other companies.

 

In 2008 Christophe co-founded 3T. As Chairman he is deeply committed to the innovative positioning of this company in the world of bulk logistics.

 

Christophe studied philosophy, economy and information science and remains very interested in these topics. 

Mr. Christophe de Landtsheer, Managing Director
Distribution & Finance SA
Financing Roundtable: How to Raise Funds for A Jatropha Project During Credit Crunch?
Day 1 [Wed 14, October], at 10:15 AM

Patrick Horka is a project manager at South Pole.

 

Patrick holds a Master in Environmental Engineering from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich. In his Master Thesis “A Biofuel Baseline and Monitoring Methodology under the Clean Development Mechanism: The State of the Art, a new Proposal with a LCA Approach and a Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Estimation” he addressed the main sustainability problems but also possibilities of Biofuel projects to generate Carbon Credits.

 

Currently he is involved in a 500,000 hectares Jatropha plantation project on degraded land in the Philippines bringing 25 million carbon credits to the market. Another 500,000 hectares in the Philippines are planned in the coming years.

Mr. Patrick Horka, CDM Project Manager
South Pole Carbon Asset Management Ltd.
Opportunities for Carbon Credits in Jatropha Biofuel Projects
Day 1 [Wed 14, October], at 11:30 AM

Oyvind Vessia is working in the unit responsible for the Renewable Energy Directive at the European Commission, and for the time being working mainly with the sustainability criteria for biofuels. Educated as an engineer with additional education in economics, he has been working with various energy- and environment-related projects.

Mr. Oyvind Vessia, Seconded National Expert, EC Directorate General Energy and Transport
European Commission
EU Biofuels Policy in the context of the Renewable Energy Directive (focus on jatropha)
Day 1 [Wed 14, October], at 12:00 PM

Mr Jon McLea graduated with a Masters Degree in Agriculture with a dissertation titled “Suitability of the cultivation of Jatropha curcas ... as feedstock for biodiesel” from the University of Pretoria, South Africa. He earned a first class distinction from the Malaysian Palm Oil Board for a Diploma in Oil Palm Plantation Management and Technology.

 

Mr Mc Lea began his career setting up one of the first complete biodiesel projects in W. Africa which fed off Oil Palm and Jatropha plantations. From there he moved to Imperium Renewables based in Seattle, formerly the largest single producer of Biodiesel in the USA (100 million Gal/annum). He was responsible for alternative feedstock development and focused on establishing Jatropha plantations in S.E Asia and S. America. Mr Mc Lea also assisted in the companies Bio Jet Fuel program which culminated in a test flight with Virgin Atlantic in the beginning of 2008.

 

Mr Mc Lea has consulted for a number of Jatropha projects including Terasol labs in Brazil, New World Energy in Indonesia and Jat Oil Ltd in Vietnam.

 

Mr Mc Lea joined Energem Biofuels Ltd in 2008 as the Manager of Research and Development.

Mr. Jon Mc Lea, R&D Manager
Energem Biofuels Limited
Mozambique - Good Practices in the Establishment and Management of Large Scale Jatropha Plantations
Day 1 [Wed 14, October], at 02:05 PM

CEO, Director and co-founder of BioFuel Africa Ltd.

 

Engineer in Automation.

 

Founded his first company within the field of automation equipment for the oil and gas industry in Norway in 1987.

 

Later also included Telecommunication in the business model. Took an exit from the company in 2003.

 

Holds four patents. Have my own small farm in Norway.

 

Believe that good logistic and technology beside human resources are the most important

key factors to build a profitable, sustainable and robust business.

 

Came to Ghana first time in 2003 in connection with a telecom project.

 

Started to explore the opportunities for jatropha in 2004/2005 testing growth conditions together with AngloGold Ashanti.

 

Started on our own 850 ha (2100 acres) farm in Sugakope in 2007.

 

Have option agreement, on more than 154,000 ha (380,500 acres) of land.

 

First in Ghana to get EPA permit for jatropha farming for 23,762 ha (58,718 acres).

10,696 ha (26,431 acres) registeret land.

Total of 660 ha (1630 ha)  planted.

 

First in the world to use fully mechanical harvester.

An Life Cycle Analyses on our farms, by SGS have verified a 78%  reduction in CO2 emission when switching from  fossil fuel to jatropha.

Mr. Steinar Kolnes, CEO
Biofuel Africa Ltd.
Ghana
Day 1 [Wed 14, October], at 03:05 PM

Dr. Tarek Abdel-Hamid is a graduate of American University in Cairo in 1989 where he obtained Bachelor of Science, Mechanical Engineering: CAD. He also has a Postgraduate Certificate in Environmental Studies in Environmental Research & Studies Institute/ Ain Shams University in Egypt in 1992, followed by Postgraduate Diploma in Environmental Engineering from the same institute in 1994, until he obtained a PhD in Philosophy, Renewable Energy Hybrid Systems from Institute of Science & Technology/ University of Manchester in 1996.

 

He established GREEN Environment Consultants in 2002 to provide environmental solutions to Egypt and other developing and developed nations through his qualifications that combine advanced solutions of the developed countries and the needs of the developing countries.

 

Dr. Abdel-Hamid has extensive and varied experience in the various fields of environment and sustainable development. He has been closely involved with the institutional development of the Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency since 1991, and with the development of environmental policy-making, planning and funding in Egypt. He has led and assisted in a very large number of projects and programmes, and has extensive field experience in every governorate in Egypt, as well as in several other countries in Africa, the Middle East, South, Southeast and East Asia, and Europe.

 

He is a certified ISO environmental and quality manager and auditor. He is a qualified trainer and facilitator/moderator. He is a member of a large number of local and international associations and NGOs operating in environment and development, and is a founding member of four NGOs in Egypt.

Dr. Tarek Abdelhamid, Managing Director, Environment
Green Environment Consultants
Growing Jatropha in Dry, Desert Climate (Experience in Egypt, Libya, Sudan, Syria)
Day 1 [Wed 14, October], at 04:05 PM

Max Lint, President/CEO/Co-owner of BEI International, LLC.  Prior experience as General Manager of a subsidiary in the Automotive Parts Supplier Industry, Vice President of large Electric Utility Distribution and Construction company, co-owner of International Internet Software company (www.vitgusa.com).  Mr. Lint has extensive experience in manufacturing, technology and distribution.

Mr. Max Lint, President/CEO
BEI International LLC
Breakthrough in Mechanical Harvester
Day 1 [Wed 14, October], at 05:05 PM

Tony Crimmins has been actively involved in the business development of numerous start-up companies that have been funded and listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX). He was fundamental in identifying projects and businesses that could be successfully listed, particularly in "breakthrough" businesses.

 

He worked for 6 years as an environmental engineer and business development manager in Asia, and has a level fluency in Mandarin and an understanding of Asian business practices. He has also previously worked as a general manager, project manager and in commercialisation of technology-based products and services.

Mr. Tony Crimmins, Business Dev. Manager
Jatoil Limited
Chairman’s Remarks
Day 2 [Thu 15, October], at 09:00 AM

László Máthé has a Forest Engineering degree from University of Oradea (Romania), additionally a Master in Environmental Science and Policy Degree awarded by Central European University and Manchester University.

 

He has spent 5 years with WWF's Forest Program focussing on EU Forest Policies. In the last 2 years his work concentrated increasingly on the relationship between renewable energy policies and forest conservation, including  the EU Biofuel sustainability standard, wood mobilisation policies and the recent EU biomass sustainability standard. He is actively working with the WWF China and WWF India office to develop national projects which aim to reduce the environmental and social impacts while maximizing benefits.

Mr. Laszlo Mathe, Forest and Bioenergy Officer
WWF Scotland
Sustainability & Ecological Effects of Jatropha Curcas
Day 2 [Thu 15, October], at 09:05 AM

Wouter Achten is a PhD student at the Division Forest, Natrue and Landscape at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium since 2006. As a M.Sc. Soil Science and Land Use, he gained knowledge on environmental sustainability issues both in North and South. In charge of the research project “The sustainability evaluation of Jatropha curcas bio-diesel in developing countries” He published a sustainability perspective on Jatropha and a review on all aspects of cultivation and transformation of Jatropha. He is performing case specific and generic LCA and socio-economic impact studies on Oil palm and Jatropha.

Ir. Wouter Achten, Research Group Forest, Ecology and Management
Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL)/ Catholic University Leuven
Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of Biodiesel Production from Jatropha Curcas L.
Day 2 [Thu 15, October], at 09:35 AM

Meghan Sapp is Managing Director of HG Consulting and Secretary General of PANGEA, based in Brussels.

 

After studying agriculture at Montana State University in the US, she spent the next 10 years writing about agriculture and farmers as a journalist for various publications including the Wall Street Journal.

 

Ms. Sapp became involved with Least Developed Countries during the reform of the EU’s sugar regime where she worked on a lobbying team advocating for policy and development support for LDC sugar economies post-reform.

 

She has more than five years of experience advising companies and government agencies on biofuel investment and policy in Africa.

 

Last year, Ms. Sapp founded “Partners for Euro-African Green Energy,” a trade association that links African biofuel producers with the European market where she has been very active advocating the African side in the debate on Europe’s Renewable Energy Directive.

 

Through her guidance, PANGEA continues to play a pivotal role in the Brussels policy arena in various activities from policy and trade analysis to the development of the world’s most comprehensive database on African biofuel projects.

Ms. Meghan Sapp, Secretary General
Partners for Euro-African Green Energy (PANGEA)
Food vs Fuel, Jatropha’s Role
Day 2 [Thu 15, October], at 10:05 AM

Professor Ian Graham graduated from The Queen's University of Belfast with a first class honours degree in Botany and Genetics in 1986. He obtained his PhD in Plant Molecular Biology from the University of Edinburgh in 1989, after which he went on to do postdoctoral research at The University of Oxford and The Carnegie Institution Plant Biology Laboratory at Stanford University. He took up his first faculty position at The University of Glasgow in 1993 and moved to The University of York in 1999 where he holds the Weston Chair of Biochemical Genetics and is the current Director of The Centre for Novel Agricultural Products (CNAP: www.cnap.org.uk). CNAP is dedicated to realising the potential of plant-based renewable resources to make products needed by society, and, as a mark of its success since being established in 1999, CNAP was awarded a Queen's Anniversary Prize for Higher and Further Education in 2006. Much of the work in the Graham laboratory is aimed at understanding the biochemical basis of how different compounds are produced in plants and using this knowledge to improve production of valuable compounds in existing crops or in the development of new crops. Current projects range from the development of novel oilcrops such as Jatropha curcas to the production of new varieties of Artemisia annua that deliver higher yields of the anti-malarial compound artemisinin.

Ian currently serves on the governing council of the John Innes Centre, Norwich - a UK flagship centre for plant and crop science. He is also an Honorary Research Fellow at Rothamsted Research, Harpenden - the very prestigious and oldest plant breeding research station in the world. Ian has served on a number of UK government bodies that inform policy relevant to plant and crop science, including the Defra Non-Food Crops Strategy Project Board, the BBSRC Crop Science Review panel and the BBSRC Bioenergy review panel. Additionally he is active on international committees including being a member of the Scientific Advisory Board of Genoplante - a French Government funded initiative in public-private plant and crop science research.

Prof. Ian Graham, Director, Centre for Novel Agricultural Products, Department of Biology
University of York
Molecular and Biochemical Analysis of Toxic and Non-Toxic Lines
Day 2 [Thu 15, October], at 11:05 AM

Since March 2007, Dianika Lestari has been registered as PhD student at Wageningen University Chair of Valorisation of Plant Production Chains (WU-VPP), Wageningen University & Research Centre, The Netherlands. Funded by KNAW (Royal Netherlands Academy of Art and Sciences), her research is focused on non food/ technical application of Jatrophacurcas protein. Based on her background on chemical engineering, her objectives are to make high quality products from Jatropha protein at low cost.

Ms. Dianika Lestari, Researcher
Wageningen University & Research Centre / WUR Biobased Products
Jatropha Protein Products for Technical Applications
Day 2 [Thu 15, October], at 02:05 PM

Harinder P.S. Makkar is presently International Project Coordinator of a Sino-German Project on ‘Fuel and Feed for Tomorrow’, which aims at enhancing economic viability and sustainability of Jatropha-based biofuel production systems by introducing innovative industrial and livestock production systems.

 

He has been conducting research on Jatropha for the last 15 years. He has published over 200 research papers and 8 books, spread in the area of natural plant products and bioactive compounds and their interactions with livestock, soil, plant and environment.

 

He obtained Masters Degree in Biochemistry from National Dairy Research Institute, India and PhD Degree in Agricultural Biochemistry from University of Nottingham, U.K.

 

He has been recipient of Commonwealth and Alexander von Humboldt Fellowships, and was awarded Mercator Professorship in 2006.

 

He has acted as expert consultant for FAO, IAEA and other international organizations.

 

He has been honored with Honorary Professorship by Universities in China and Mongolia. He has also been awarded Mongolian Government Medal for contribution to science and technology.

 

He has been a Fellow of a number of scientific societies.

Prof. Dr. Harinder P.S. Makkar, International Project Coordinator: BMBF-MOST Jatropha Project
University of Hohenheim
Enhancing Economic Viability and Sustainability of Jatropha Biofuel Production Using A Bio-Refinery Concept
Day 2 [Thu 15, October], at 11:35 AM
Chairman’s Remarks
Day 2 [Thu 15, October], at 02:00 PM

Bart Muys is a full professor of forest ecology and management at K.U.Leuven. He is specialized in quantitative sustainability assessment of forestry and bioenergy systems. Leading Jatropha research focused on land suitability, biomass allocation, yield, water use efficiency, root development, carbon and energy balance.

Prof.Dr. Bart Muys, Forest Ecology and Management
Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL)/ Catholic University Leuven
Global Worldwide Yield Prediction Model For Jatropha curcas
Day 2 [Thu 15, October], at 12:05 PM

James Scruby is a Director of Elsbett AG (www.Elsbett.com) and of Viridesco Limited and CEO of Matrix Biofuels LLP.  He was previously a Managing Director of Dresdner Kleinwort Benson and advised Governments worldwide on investment and privatization of their power industries.  Over the last decade, he has focused on renewable energy encompassing many of the different renewable technologies.

Mr. James Scruby, Director
Elsbett Technologie GmbH
Pure Jatropha Oil Fuel – Improving Jatropha Business Efficiency
Day 2 [Thu 15, October], at 02:35 PM

Day 1 [Wed 14, October], at 10:15 AM

Drs. Ir. William Ludwig Nolten, BSc, MSc, is the CEO of the Waterland International Group based in Rotterdam the Netherlands, President Director of PT Waterland Asia Bio Ventures based in Jakarta – Indonesia, Chairman of  Waterland EP BioScience, Jatro Waterland, Waterland Asia Food and Waterland 2SQR.

 

Drs. Nolten completed his studies in the Netherlands with a focus on (MSc in) Science and Innovations Management (NW&I – specialized in Quality Management Systems) and BSc in Plant Biochemistry and food Microbiology.

Drs. William Nolten, Chief Executive Officer
WaterLand International Group
Benefits/Economics of Bio-Digester and Mini Power Plants from Jatropha Seedcake
Day 2 [Thu 15, October], at 03:05 PM

Axel has an education in pharmaceutical chemistry and a Ph. D in chemistry from Marburg University. He trained in natural product synthesis at Geneva University and joined Chemical Research at Bayer Leverkusen in 1980.

 

Since then he worked in process development and as a plant manager of ion exchange resins production plant.

 

He joined the antioxidants marketing group of Bayer Rubber Chemicals in 1996 and moved to the Bayer spin off company Lanxess AG in Leverkusen. He began the development of biodiesel Antioxidants in 2000 and holds patents on the use of BHT in Biodiesel.

Dr. Axel Ingendoh, Marketing Manager, Technical Service
Lanxess Deutschland GmbH
Shelf Life of Biodiesel from Jatropha and Edible Oils, Use Of Biodiesel Stabiliser
Day 2 [Thu 15, October], at 03:35 PM

Hans van den Berg is a Senior Director of the Cayla Consulting Group and a General Partner of Mother Earth Plantations, a fund management company under construction.

 

As a former manager of ABB, a large engineering group, he has worked and lived in a number of countries both in Asia as well as in Europe. After leaving ABB in ’93, he was portfolio manager for private equity in a family office in Zurich before becoming the founding partner of an independent fund management company.

 

Since the early ‘90’s, he has been active in the development of young companies as well as corporate finance for companies and projects related to energy and environmental technologies.

 

He is a Dutch national, has an engineering degree from the Technical University Delft and lives in Zurich/Switzerland.

Mr. Hans van den Berg, General Partner
Mother Earth Jatropha Plantations Partnerships S.C.A., SICAR

Day 1 [Wed 14, October], at 10:15 AM