Ready to Do Business, the National Biodiesel Conference and Expo Rolls into Tampa Bay Next Week

January 20, 2016

Contact: Kaleb Little/800-841-5849
Ready to Do Business, the National Biodiesel Conference and Expo Rolls
into Tampa Bay Next Week
Organizers expect biodiesel enthusiasts from coast-to-coast at the
Tampa Convention Center

(TAMPA) – The National Biodiesel Conference & Expo begins in earnest
Tuesday, January 26th at the Tampa Convention Center with events that
attract advanced biofuel advocates from across the country. And, with its
first visit to Tampa Bay, event organizers are providing special
opportunities for local residents to experience the festivities for
themselves, including a screening of Merchants of Doubt Tuesday evening.

“When the National Biodiesel Board (NBB) was born some 23 years ago,” said
NBB CEO Joe Jobe, “we were the very definition of a ‘mom-and-pop’ industry.
But we’ve come a long way in two decades. Biodiesel producers stretch from
‘coast-to-coast,’ with plants in nearly every state.”

Biodiesel is made from locally available byproducts and coproducts – soybean
oil in the Grain Belt, recycled cooking oil in urban areas, animal fats from
rendering plants in the Southwest and more. Last year, the U.S. industry’s
more than 160 plants produced close to 2 billion gallons of cleaner-burning
renewable fuel, and with the capacity for almost 3 billion gallons, those
plants are poised for record growth in 2016.

“As the only advanced biofuel commercially available nationwide, biodiesel
is uniquely positioned to provide an alternative to petroleum diesel that
reduces carbon emissions by as much as 86 percent,” Jobe said. In addition
to federal policies to support renewable energy, Jobe pointed to states like
California setting their own low carbon fuel standards with the expectation
that biodiesel will help them meet their targets.

The events kick-off Tuesday morning with Jobe’s “State of the Industry”
presentation and a keynote address from former U.S. Rep. Bob Inglis,
Executive Director of RepublicEn.com, an organization “committed to building
public understanding of free enterprise and its promise to solve energy and
climate challenges.”

That afternoon, the Expo Hall opens and convention guests will be treated to
dozens of exhibitors and a Biodiesel Vehicle Showcase that includes models
from PACCAR / Peterbilt, Hino Trucks, General Motors and more.

Biodiesel is particularly popular for helping municipalities, school systems
and others across the country meet their sustainability goals by employing
biodiesel in the management of their fleets. Tampa Bay is no exception, with
biodiesel powering buses at the University of South Florida. In fact, one of
USF’s “Bullrunners” will be on display at the Showcase.

With more and more manufacturers eager to promote biodiesel for their diesel
vehicles, Tampa Bay residents are invited Wednesday to check out a selection
of the latest biodiesel cars and trucks from local dealers at a unique
ride-and-drive event taking place just outside the convention center.

Beyond the ride-and-drive, Tampa Bay residents are invited to explore all
the conference has to offer on Wednesday. And Tuesday, residents are invited
to a special screening of the documentary Merchants of Doubt, sponsored at 9
p.m. by the Citizens’ Climate Lobby. Award-winning director Robert Kenner
takes audiences on a satirically comedic, yet illuminating view of a
secretive group of silver-tongued pundits-for-hire who aim to spread maximum
confusion about well-studied public threats ranging from toxic chemicals to
climate change.

The conference comes to a conclusion Thursday with a presentation to
conference guests by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

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For more information and media registration, please visit
biodieselconference.org/2016
<http://KCE.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT00OTcwNzMxJnA9MSZ1PTgxNjMxMjg5MiZsaT0zMj
Q0NTY5NA/index.html> .