The Biodiesel Event You Can't Afford To Miss

The biodiesel industry is a complicated business to be in. Federal policy, state regulations, ASTM standards, OEMs, buying feedstock and selling fuel are all part of the everyday challenges that are faced. This young but growing industry has seen its share of unpredictability as it faces many hurdles—but you don’t have to do it alone. The National Biodiesel Board’s 2015 National Biodiesel Conference & Expo is here to help. If you play any part in the biodiesel business, you can’t afford to be anywhere else but Fort Worth, Texas, Jan. 19-22.

The conference is specifically designed to gather biodiesel decision makers from throughout the U.S. and the world in one place for education, and to jumpstart the year’s business. The numbers show that it works. Of last year’s attendees, 36 percent were senior executive management, with 20 percent in operations and program management. Fifty-seven percent of attendees work for either a biodiesel producer or a company that provides goods and services to the industry. A whopping 81 percent of National Biodiesel Conference attendees said they have been in the biodiesel business for five years or more.

With these stats, it is no wonder our attendees tell us year after year that this is THE biodiesel event of the year, offering the opportunity to connect with business partners, vendors, customers and colleagues, all in one place. It is also no surprise that when you walk the halls of the conference there are constantly groups huddled together over deals that are surely defining the year ahead. It is like the old-school town hall where all the serious actors come together to see and hear what the future will hold and to help shape it.

The business opportunities and networking rise to the top for many attendees, but we also strive to pair with it session content from some of the best and brightest minds in the industry on some of the most pressing topics. Candid discussions fill the general session stage and two and a half days of breakout sessions are designed for a deep dive into policy, technical, sustainability, petroleum and communications topics. Breakouts include On the Frontline: Biodiesel and energy security; Policy All-Stars: How leading states passed and perfected policy; A Million Minds: Those shaping the industry and ideas moving us forward; Persistence Pays: Progress with infrastructure approvals for biodiesel blends; and much more.

The city of Fort Worth is a wonderful location for a conference and our hosts are ready to welcome us with some Texas hospitality. The Fort Worth Convention Center is right across the street from two beautiful hotels and within a short walk to many amazing restaurants of every flavor, perfect for hosting key clients and engaging in business meetings. Of course, the City of Cowboys and Culture also provides ample opportunities to venture out when the business of the day is done with attractions nearby like the Stockyards National Historic District, the George Bush Presidential Library in Dallas, and AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys. 

It is difficult to say exactly what our industry’s landscape will look like when we gather in Fort Worth in January, but what is certain is that this conference will be at the center of it all. Give yourself the best edge possible to manage through the ups and downs of the biodiesel business, and be there to help shape where our industry is going as we move into the future.

To register, exhibit, sponsor or see more details, visit www.biodieselconference.com.

Donnell Rehagen, Chief Operating Officer and Conference Director, National Biodiesel Board