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Perseverance, sustainability and alternatives were three broad themes of the 2008 National Biodiesel Conference & Expo in Orlando, Fla., in early February, as the industry adapts to changing market, agricultural and ecological dynamics.

Florida has a bustling biodiesel industry and a number of major companies have made strong commitments to use the renewable fuel. Three of those companies were featured presenters and were recognized for their use and promotion of biodiesel at the National Biodiesel Conference & Expo in Florida.

Photos and story by Jerry Kram.

Feedstocks, and better yet, sustainable feedstocks, were hot topics at the National Biodiesel Conference & Expo.

Select speakers at the National Biodiesel Conference discussed ways to expand market and transport options for U.S. biodiesel while keeping a close eye on quality, all in the attempt to gain acceptance in the mainstream petroleum infrastructure.

University of Arkansas researchers find that using supercritical methanol in the biodiesel production process could alleviate some of the challenges to the cost-competitive production of the fuel.

Biomethanol could offer biodiesel producers the opportunity to be free of fossil fuels. And production cost and timing may be better than previously thought.

Tom Davanzo should be angry. In 2007, his burgeoning biodiesel empire slid into an agonizing death spiral, then bankruptcy. Now he’s being kicked out of bankruptcy court because he doesn’t have any money. He can’t even raise exit financing. What happened? To sum it up: feedstock prices gone through the roof, fickle financiers, razor-thin capitalization of projects if you can corral a financing package, brutal construction costs, you name it. Yet Davanzo emerges from the ashes with cautious optimism. “I’m an entrepreneur,” he says. “I’ll be back.”

A new documentary featuring biodiesel recently made waves at the Sundance Film Festival where it received standing ovations after every sold-out screening. Plans are in the works to distribute the film on a national level later this year.