National Biogas Conference to be Held at Penn State
On June 9-11, Penn State Extension will be hosting the "Anaerobic Digestion on the Farm 2026" conference - a national gathering of farmers, business people, researchers, and stakeholders who are interested in learning and sharing knowledge about on-farm biogas. The event will be at the Penn Stater Hotel and Conference Center in State College.
The lineup for the conference has been released, and features great speakers and sessions on a topics that will be of interest to many in the ag community. The opening session will feature welcomes from special dignitaries, followed by a poster reception that will give attendees to meet students who are researching Anaerobic Digestion and learn about their projects and plans.
Many technical sessions are planned for throughout the conference - some of the topics include:Â
- Innovative Approaches to Anaerobic Digestion
- Digester Performance and Operation
- Feedstock and Digestate Management
- Advancing Policy Frameworks for AD on the Farm
- AD in a Regional, National, Global Context
Panel discussions will also be a feature of the event, covering topics of Biogas Policy, Codigestion, and Research Frontiers for Anaerobic Digestion. A small sampling of the many great panelists and speakers includes:Â
- Ivan Baadsgard, Grainit
- Eric Bancks, Roeslein Alternative Energy
- Will Charlton, Digester Doc
- Eugenio Garaldo, Carbon Materials LLC
- Stephanie Lansing, University of Maryland
- Alex DePillis, Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets
- Tom Richard, Penn State
- Mike Roth, PA Department of Agriculture
- Lisa Schulte-Moore, Iowa State University
- Kathryn Zerfuss, PA Public Utilities Commission
For those of you who like to experience biogas up close, an optional pre-conference tour is available that will take participants to two different biogas digester sites where you can meet and talk with the operators.
Farmer perspectives and case studies will be spread throughout the program, and dedicated space will be set aside for networking and connecting with commercial exhibitors. The conference is designed to be a balanced combination of research, commerce, community and policy, and farm innovation. This is because all of these areas are critical to the success of biogas on the farm. The conference is organized by a committee of representatives from Penn State, University of Maryland, Cornell University, Iowa State University, the Center for Dairy Excellence, and the American Biogas Council.
Regardless of whether you are new to the biogas world, are somewhat knowledgeable about the subject, or are an old hand at the topic, you are sure to learn valuable things and meet worthwhile contacts at this event. The early bird discount for registration lasts until April 8, so register online .
Companies interested in having a display or being a sponsor of the conference can find out more.
If you have questions or would like more information, contact Dan Ciolkosz at dec109@psu.edu or Johannes Ali at jxa5747@psu.edu
