• Global outlook of current and future biofuels demand and production
• What determines the success or failure of biofuels projects?
• Examining risks along the biofuels value chain

• Impact of international biofuels trade on traditional energy markets
• What drives the economics of biofuels markets?
• Quantifying the risk of selling an agricultural commodity in an energy market

• Current consumption and future world energy growth projections
• Trends across the biofuels value chain – beyond short term price trends
• Forecasting impact of future oil prices on biofuels
• Barriers to the creation of a ‘true’ market

• Contrasting support systems used by Member States for biofuels development
• Biofuels in EU energy and transport policies and progress of the EU Biofuels Directive
• Planning a long-term fiscal framework and carbon tax proposal

• Feasibility of promoting biofuels using the 'renewable transport fuel obligation' (RTFO)
• Optimising the design of the RTFO
• Requirements and implementation time lines

• Macro view of feedstock price structure
• Outlook of input growth and costs of supply
• Controllable cost structure scenario for feedstock

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• Leveraging commodities for diversified exposure to alternative fuels
• Who will pay more - the oil industry or the food industry?
• Hedging your risks in volatile soft and agricultural markets

• Analysing land use from a resources perspective
• Assessing the sustainability of current government subsidies
• Managing risks through total life cycle analysis, carbon balance and sustainability indicators

• Securing the agricultural supply chain for biofuels production
• Financing agribusiness in developing countries
• Managing feedstock price risk – ‘tight’ supply and impact on production

• Comparing competing income streams for feedstock producers
• Evaluating short and long term cost of production financial viability
• Government support required to sustain the global ethanol industry

• Current global production outlook and market requirements
• Key sources of risk for producers and investors
• Examining international and local institutions as providers of finance
• Reviewing public policy and legislative regimes

• Addressing SRI philosophies and ‘green’ trading markets
• Exploring the role of commodities in the portfolio
• How are finance and investment opportunities evolving in response to industry demand?
• Diversifying risk across markets, processes, technologies and management
• Establishing a portfolio of assets that can be securitised

• Understanding price discovery mechanisms and the advantages for suppliers and refiners
• How would the market react to regional shortages or over supply?
• Do international price trends impact North American ethanol markets?

• Classic sources of risk in early stage biofuels ventures
• Contrasting emerging vs established markets
• Trends in investor appetite for clean technology

• Emerging trends in biofuels finance and investment
• Traditional arrangements
• Investment criteria and exit strategies
• Assessing and allocating biofuels production risks
• Prospects for syndicated finance

• Reviewing global trends private vs public financing
• Developments in biofuels derivatives, indices, ETFs and equities
• Analysing liquidity and trading volumes in various markets

• Contrasting international biofuels markets
• Secure seed funding for commercial scale production
• Aggregation of the value chain to deliver cost-effective biofuels business models
• Prefeasibility study and promotion of a 230,000 acre site for a Jatropha plantation and biodiesel refinery in Kenya

• Projections of market capacity for biofuels in India
• Overcoming the challenges of infrastructure development
• Keys to success of biofuels investment

• Current and planned production capacity in Asia
• Demand characteristics of the Asian market
• Comparative analysis on investing in biofuels vs other asset classes

• Risk profile and capital intensity of ethanol vs biodiesel producers
• Critical success factors for an investment portfolio
• Hedging your exposure to management risk
• Optimising ratio of debt to equity

• Identifying the right biofuels technologies for investment
• Current cost of production, future commercial promise and potential for returns
• Will they be cost competitive and when?

• Current advances and commercial potential for second generation technologies
• What is currently shaping the market and which generation will have a long-term sustainable future?
• Technological challenges and cost considerations

As Brazil has demonstrated, biofuels offer a viable source of secure energy supply for developing nations. However, the rapid growth of investor interest has created the potential for sub-optimal investments in a high risk industry. This session will examine the unique experience of operating in developing nations. You will learn the core challenges of getting a viable production facility off the ground and how you can recognise a feasible business model that suits the local environment early in its development.

Module 1: Evaluation framework for biofuel projects in developed and developing nations

• Overview of developed vs developing nation environments for biofuel
• Comparison of product scope, market definition and competitive advantage of biofuels business models
• Value chain analysis from crop to market and impact thereof on biofuel projects
• Risk management approaches – comparison of developed vs developing nation environments
• Summary - assessing pros and cons of business models

Module 2: Challenges in transforming biofuel projects from concept to bankability in developing nations

• Managing the political and cultural environment
• Risk management throughout the value chain – specific requirements in developing nations
• Financial challenges from feasibility funding to project inception
• Industry and political perception – how to position projects to stakeholders
• Competing effectively in global commodities and energy markets
• Leveraging carbon credits to ensure cashflow