Today, our society is highly dependent on fossil resources for supply of energy, chemicals and materials. The solution for a more sustainable society is a change from fossil resources to renewables. Biomass forms a large renewable resource, available in many places in the world, and can be converted into energy, chemicals and materials via several routes. Development of new technologies for the conversion of biomass into useful products will only be successful if they are widely adopted by the market and society as a whole. This Masterclass will consist of two parts: (i) background on technological and non-technological aspects given via lectures by experts from R&D and industry and (ii) validation of the knowledge by proposing a possible application or solution as a business case.

The first part of the course will focus on new, innovative technologies and procedures for biological, chemical and thermal conversions of biomass into energy and chemicals. Experts will discuss current and future technologies and the challenges that need to be addressed to realize a sustainable supply. Important aspects are biomass potential, available technologies to convert biomass into useful energy forms and products, integration in the existing infrastructure, and the sustainability of using biomass as a feedstock.
The second part of the course will focus on the business side of the new technologies. Insights obtained in the lectures, will be used by the participants to work on concrete solutions using innovative technologies and concepts in a business case. Participants from different research groups and companies will work as a team to explore the possibilities of a specific technology in concrete business proposition and develop a business plan for further commercialisation. Teams will develop a business plan through several steps of idea development (ideation), proposition development and business concepting. The teams will be assisted by coaches and experts from bio-energy/bio-products related spin-off companies. The key question in this business case is: How to turn a new idea into a successful and feasible business plan?

Participants are expected to have a background in technology

The aim of the course is to provide the participants with an up-to-date overview of technologies and societal aspects of production of energy and renewable fuels and chemicals from biomass, and a basic understanding of business concepting of new technologies and innovations.

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Prof.dr.ir. C. Buisman and Prof.dr.ir. J. Sanders

If you have your own technological business idea, please send it in, and we might use it as a business case during the Masterclass.

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Registration
Please send your CV and motivation letter (1/2 A4) to Annemiek.terHeijne@wur.nl before June 1st.