Doctoral thesis completed: Mohammad Aliahmadi, completed his doctoral thesis “High Temperature Drying of Corn Silage” Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering, UBC  Vancouver, April 10, 2026. A short expanded thesis follows:

Traditional high-temperature drying methods are energy intensive and contribute to lowering the nutritional value of the crop. To address these, a mathematical computer model is developed and calibrated using real data (digital twin) from a commercial double-pass dryer in Alberta. the study analyses the design and operation of the rotary drum dryer and proposes an advanced exhausted air recirculation plus two dryers in tandem to reduce drying temperature and improve drying efficiency and safety.

Dr. Fahimeh Yazdan Panah has been promoted to Associate Executive Director of the Wood Pellet Association of Canada (WPAC). Since joining WPAC in 2019 as the Director of Research and Technical Development, she has been a driving force behind many of the organization's most important initiatives. In her role, she has assisted Executive Director Gordon Murray in shaping commercial strategy and strengthening the industry’s position both within Canada and internationally. Dr. Yazdan Panah previously served as the BC Regional Director for the Canadian Society for Bioengineering (CSABE) in 2019, during which she organized the 2019 AGM in Vancouver. In recognition of her extraordinary contributions to the country's biomass industry, Biomass Magazine has named her the 2026 Thought Leader of the Biomass Industry in Canada.

Members of Canada’s Biofuel Net participated in the Clean Fuels Canada Summit Conference held in Strathcona County near Edmonton, Alberta, on May 5 and 6, 2026. The participating team included Dr. Don Smith and Dr. Xiaomin Zhou from McGill University, Dr. Ajay Dalai from the University of Saskatchewan, Dr. Animesh Dutta from the University of Guelph, and Dr. Shahab Sokhansanj from the University of British Columbia. Representing Biofuel Canada, they delivered a presentation titled Canada’s Sustainable Agricultural Biomass Feedstock Landscape: Supply, Sustainability, and Readiness. BioFuelNet Canada is currently funded by the Government of Canada under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership.