What does a biomass feedstock expert or biomass feedstock consultant do? A Biomass Feedstock Expert is an essential part of biomass project financing: the expert acts as a credible, recognized independent 3rd party to help biomass project developers and capital providers assess the feedstock risk of individual projects. A Biomass Feedstock expert can assist with things like:
- Source various types of biomass such as wood fiber, agricultural residues and food wastes.
- Find higher value markets for biomass by-products such as solid and liquid food wastes, wood fiber (i.e. sawdust) or agricultural residues (i.e. corn stover) or by-products (i.e. digestate, DAF float, peanut hulls, packaged food waste, whey waste, ash);
- Assess and quantify the risk of biomass supply chains;
- Manage and de-risk biomass supply chains;
- Decrease the cost and increase the reliability of biomass feedstock supply by finding additional suppliers.
A biomass feedstock expert should have at least 10 years’ experience in feedstock supply and risk mitigation. They should have a deep understanding of the intricacies and complexities of biomass supply chains, including supplier habits and preferences, buyer tactics and strategies, and the role of biomass specs and price in supply chain behavior.
They should be familiar with the most up-to-date and accurate analytics used to quantify biomass supply chain risk including computer modeling of growth-to-drain analysis, competitor impact analysis, Monte Carlo price and risk forecasting, GIS-based analyses, competition impact assessments, transportation cost analysis, and location optimization.
Large renewable energy and biochemical consulting firms certainly have experts in biofuels and renewable biofuels like bio ethanol, biodiesel, and renewable diesel, and the more common areas like biomaterials, biomass, biomass power, feedstocks, and biotechnology. In these larger consulting groups, one will also find energy consultants in some specialty area like other biofuels like algae biofuels, aviation/biojet fuels, ethanol, cellulosic ethanol, advanced biofuels, biodiesel, renewable diesel, renewable natural gas, renewable and biochemicals, biogas, syngas, biochar, bio coals, biobutanol, pyrolysis oil, producer gas, and wood pellets. These groups will likely also have experts in specialized areas like activated sludge, agbiotech, animal nutrition, biopharmaceuticals, cannabis, carbon capture, cell based meats, energy markets, greenhouse gas, methane expert, plastics, polyethylene, polymers, polyurethane, renewable hydrogen, project finance, waste management, emerging renewable technologies, forestry biomass, green diesel, jet fuels, low carbon fuel standards, marine biofuels, MSW, renewable jet fuel, renewable natural gas, aviation fuel, syngas, synthetic biology, advanced biofuels, activated carbon, anaerobic biogas, bio based chemicals, biocatalysis, biomass technologies, biopharmaceuticals, Fischer Tropsch, gasification, and renewable diesel.
With over 150 consultants worldwide, Lee Enterprises Consulting has the diverse experts and geographical reach to assist in virtually any bioeconomy project. Our highly qualified teams bring a unique integration of technical, scientific, regulatory and hands on experience to any project. Look at our experts and the services we provide. Most of our experts are also available to advise and serve as expert witnesses in bioeconomy litigation matters. For the larger projects, we specialize in putting together full service, interdisciplinary teams with one point of contact. See video about LEC here. Call us at 1+ (501) 833-8511 or email us for more information.