"Bringing the Minds of the Industry Together." Conceived as a service to ethanol producers, the annual FEW is designed to provide the industry with the latest information on technology and services for improving ethanol production processes, product yields and operations of an ethanol facility using grain and other biomass feedstocks. The FEW offers plenary sessions on major current industry issues, interactive work group sessions on specific production and research topics, and the world’s largest industry expo highlighting equipment, service and technology companies.

The three-plus day conference, attended by over 2000 people in 2005, is held in a different location each June. The 2006 FEW will be held June 20-23, at the Midwest Airlines Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  Over 2000 delegates from ethanol, agricultural, financial, equipment and technology industries, and government and research agencies are expected to attend. Participants include virtually every current and future ethanol producer in North America and increasing numbers from around the world. With nearly 90 ethanol plants in production and scores of projects being planned in the United States alone, attendees will find many opportunities to network with current and potential customers.

The ethanol industry’s national trade conference is held each spring, focusing on important and immediate policy and marketing issues. The primary sponsor is the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA), Washington, DC. The RFA is the ethanol industry’s national voice. The 11th Annual National Ethanol Conference: Policy & Marketing will be held at the JW Marriott Las Vegas Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada, February 20-22, 2006.

The first World Fuel Ethanol Congress, held in Beijing, October 28-31, 2001, was attended by over 200 people from 16 countries eager to network and learn about the opportunities for ethanol production and use in China, and developments in Thailand, Indonesia, India, and other regions around Asia. Chinese officials from the State Planning Commission, State Environmental Protection Administration, Ministry of Agriculture, Alcohol Producers Association, and Sinopec Petroleum discussed China's situation regarding air quality, value-added agriculture, benefits of ethanol blended fuels, and programs for ethanol production and use. The success of the WFEC and promising growth for ethanol in China encouraged the organizers, Tsinghua University and BBI International, to hold the World Biofuels Symposium-China in Beijing, in November 2005.

The one-day workshops are sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Fuels Development (OFD) out of their Regional Biomass Energy Program (RBEP). While the objective is to prepare the pathway to a biomass ethanol industry, the program fully recognizes that partnering with grain ethanol is necessary to the marketplace. Each workshop focuses on the issues and opportunities in an individual state, rather than a larger region. The workshop program began its fourth year in 2002, with an ever-increasing number of states participating in the grassroots program to inspire interest in ethanol production from a variety of biomass materials. Check http://www.bbibiofuels.com/doe for historical information on our workshops and list of participating states.

Ethanol Producer Magazine (EPM) is a monthly full-color magazine serving the ethanol and biomass industry. EPM is primarily focused on production and marketing issues. It has an international circulation of approximately 1,500 recipients and is delivered to every bio-energy producer and future producer worldwide, free of charge.

EPM serves not only as a monthly news source, but also as a reference tool on research and building projects. EPM succeeds The Energy Independent, an industry newsletter in circulation for eight years.  The EI is widely regarded as the ethanol and biomass industry's print news leader, and EPM plans to continue and build upon that tradition. Each month, this practical magazine will reach thousands in the international community of ethanol producers, suppliers and industry contractors. A number of our subscribers also advertise with us. These advertisers actively support communication within our industry by helping to underwrite some of the costs of this publication. Our subscription and advertising rates are available online at:

BBI International recently published The Ethanol Plant Development Handbook (third edition). The Handbook is a comprehensive guidebook of issues and points to consider when planning and constructing an ethanol plant.  Sales of the third edition have been brisk, and development of the all-new fourth edition is under way.

Learn more about The Plant Development Handbook at: