Ethanol Industry Converges in Nashville for World's Largest Ethanol Conference

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--More than 4,000 attendees are expected at the 2008 Fuel Ethanol Workshop & Expo, held this week at the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center in Nashville, Tennessee. Attendees will hear lectures, see exhibits and network with each other, discussing not only where the fuel ethanol industry is at the moment, but also what role the fuel will play in our gas tanks and overall economy in the future. Buzz words on the floor included "$8 corn," "hope to break even" and "Midwest flooding."

Opening remarks were given by Mike Bryan, CEO of BBI International (Salida, Colorado), the organization that has put the show together for the past 24 years. "It's been a year of success and tremendous abuse for the industry," Mr. Bryan said, referring to the unrelenting attacks from all sides regarding corn-based fuel and the use of food for fuel. "What bothers me the most is the abuse that agriculture is taking."

Bob Dinneen, President of the Renewable Fuels Association (Washington, D.C.), one of the largest voices for the ethanol industry on Capitol Hill, blamed oil companies for the assaults on corn- and grain-based fuels. He said: "The oil companies are behind it all. With the passing of the 36 billion-gallon renewable fuels standard, the oil barons saw one-third of their market share slipping away and concocted an enormous campaign against renewables. They sit on editorial boards of every major newspaper." He said that Big Oil "bought themselves some studies" and that they teamed up with major food companies to create a giant smokescreen. "They need to stop us now, but they won't," Mr. Dinneen said.

The conference runs through Thursday and features the largest trade show in the industry with more than 600 exhibitor booths. Topics under discussion include ethanol project development and economics, project financing and risk management and the development of producing ethanol from cellulosic materials and improving plant operations. Additional subjects cover global plant development, new enzyme technology, water utilization and conservation, and the utilization of non-fossil fuel to power ethanol plants.

Industrial Info's Ethanol Database provides a comprehensive outline of all current development activities in the emerging alternative fuels market. This database covers 156 ethanol plants in operation and 530 plants under development. It also covers 98 operational biodiesel plants and 245 biodiesel plants under development.

Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is a marketing information service specializing in industrial process, energy and financial related markets with products and services ranging from industry news, analytics, forecasting, plant and project databases, as well as multimedia services.