Biodiesel has many documented, scientifically proven benefits. Yet detractors of biodiesel have "made it the target of junk science, pseudo science, non-science and plain old nonsense," says Michael Shermer, the founding publisher of Skeptic magazine, who is also an adjunct professor at Claremont Graduate University and a monthly columnist for Scientific American.

You won't want to miss Shermer's keynote address at the National Biodiesel Conference & Expo, Feb. 7-10, in Grapevine, Texas. With a Ph.D. in the history of science, he has built a reputation as the nation's "debunker" of bad science, appearing on PBS, Discovery, the History Channel, the Science Channel and more.

Shedding light on the good science supporting biodiesel's benefits is a common theme of the conference, which features sessions on topics including biodiesel's energy, water and land use. Attendees will also hear from a petroleum supply chain panel on how biodiesel fits into their future business strategies. Another general session will examine potential breakthroughs in feedstock development.

To facilitate networking and to provide a free flow of discussion around a topic of interest, NBB has added several "conversessions." Each session will include ample time for questions and answers among and between attendees and panelists. Conversession topics include algae feedstock development, indirect land use change and successful state legislative approaches.

Those who attended the conference in 2008 will remember Don Reynolds, who predicted that unemployment would top 10 percent, and that housing market would decline by 25 percent. This past favorite economic forecaster will be back to help answer this question: When it comes to the business environment, what is the "new normal?"