The “world’s largest gathering of ethanol producers” gets underway today in St. Louis as the 26th annual International Fuel Ethanol Workshop & Expo boasts that 500 ethanol plant employees representing 11.7 billion gallons, 170 plants and 80% of installed capacity will be in attendance.

Following the FEW ribbon-cutting ceremony at 5:30 pm, Gen. Wesley Clark, retired four-star general and co-chairman of Growth Energy, will host the Expo Grand Opening and welcome reception. The opening event will also feature a memorial scholarship fundraiser and tribute to ethanol pioneer Kathy Bryan, who passed away shortly after last year’s event.

Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) President and CEO Bob Dinneen will present the keynote address at the expo on Tuesday morning. As one of the industry’s most accomplished industry voices on the Hill, Dinneen champions the RFA’s mission to increase the production and use of grain and cellulosic ethanol and to create a dynamic, robust industry. He has been named one of America’s “top lobbyists” by The Hill, and he regularly testifies before federal agencies and congressional committees. Dinneen will give an update on the industry’s legislative priorities, kicking off one of the more practical FEW plenary sessions in recent history.

The expo features more than 120 industry professionals delivering presentations across five topic tracks. This year’s line-up was assembled from over 240 abstracts which were vigorously reviewed by a panel of nearly 40 industry professionals. The result is a compilation of presenters addressing our industry’s most current concepts, processes, technologies, challenges, and opportunities. Topics as varied as plant optimization, advances in fermentation, carbon monetization, and industry salary trends are all available in this one, content-packed event.

Be sure to watch for complete coverage of the FEW right here on DomesticFuel and via our Twitter twitter.com/domesticfuel.