Obviously, the topic of fermentation is a "must have" in technical sessions at an event like the FEW. Ethanol's increasing popularity compared to even last year, combined with the integral role performed by yeast in the production process, position new gains in fermentation efficiencies at the forefront of many industry minds.

Rushing Ahead Reasonably

By Holly Jessen

The future of the ethanol industry is filled with promise, including currently increasing production numbers coupled with the tantalizing possibility of advances in cellulose-to-ethanol technologies. Industry leaders recognize that with the explosive growth comes growing pains, however.

Control Your Energy Destiny

By Dave Nilles

Ethanol producers aren't completely at the mercy of the natural gas markets or the electrical grid. The sooner plants are finding that out, the sooner they are improving their bottom line.

Ethanol Producers Talk Shop

By Ron Kotrba

Gathering eight experts from seven plants together at the 2006 FEW to answer any question thrown at them was the object of "Shop Talk I & II," where inquiries on grinding corn, drying distillers grains and almost everything in between were all fair game

Presenters at the 2006 FEW included those who discussed the latest breakthroughs, explorations and challenges associated with traditional and novel enzymatic processes that are driving the industry to new efficiency heights.

Drawing nearly 3,400 people to Milwaukee in June, the 2006 International Fuel Ethanol Workshop & Expo once again defied its acronym—FEW—and maintained its status as the largest, and certainly one of the most prolific, ethanol events in the world.

As the ethanol industry grows, the rules of the game are changing. Along with positive developments, like increased interest by investors and ramped up demand for ethanol, comes more volatile grain markets, for example. That means risk management is a tool with ever-growing importance as ethanol producers strive to maintain steady profits at a time when growing pains could threaten to strike.

Even as the U.S. EPA is exploring reclassifying the emissions thresholds for ethanol facilities, technology providers and government agencies are offering options for reducing emissions. The landscape of environmental concerns continues to change.

Based on current and potential ethanol production, the United States could see nearly 14 million tons of distillers grains produced in 2008. How can you ensure that your plant will get value for your product in a potentially saturated market? Make it valuable.

Wringing Out the Last Drop with Increased Plant Efficiency

By Holly Jessen

Producers are always on the lookout for ways to produce more ethanol from the same amount of grain. As the industry grows, more vendors are offering new technologies and experimental procedures that translate into increased gallons and higher plant efficiency—good news for an industry hungry to ramp up production.

Corn in the United States and sugarcane in Brazil are basically synonymous with ethanol production, but there are concerns about their limitations. Fortunately, technology advancements are revealing a virtual garden of viable ethanol feedstocks.

Manufacturing and transporting ethanol requires the utmost caution. Though rare, spills and injuries can and do occur. Safety advocates stress that forming and sticking to a safety plan is necessary and productive to any ethanol operation.

Opportunities abound for ethanol on a global scale. What they are, and how they can benefit local economies to ensure sustainability, are questions an international panel effectively addressed at the 2006 FEW.

Like the physicians who heal, diagnose and maintain the complicated functions of the human body, ethanol plant maintenance and management personnel are charged with keeping plant operations free from ailments and breakdowns—and production levels at full capacity. Armed with cutting edge technologies, prevention rather than reaction was the credo of presenters at the 2006 FEW.