Attendees of the Global Ethanol Summit (GES) 2025 settled in for the first full day of programming Monday, which featured three keynote speakers, a panel and two flash talks focused on the day’s theme, “Ethanol is renewable and available.”
U.S. Grains & BioProducts Council (USGBC) Chairman Mark Wilson opened the event and introduced the day’s three keynote speakers: Geoff Cooper, president and CEO of Renewable Fuels Association (RFA); Emily Skor, CEO of Growth Energy; and Neil Bentley, vice president of market management agricultural solutions for North America at BASF.
“I am excited to take a moment to share that the U.S. Grains & BioProducts Council is unveiling a new interactive tool here at the Global Ethanol Summit, developed in partnership with Faro90, that allows users to compare the blending economics and greenhouse gas reduction benefits of ethanol around the world,” Wilson said.
“Designed to support policymakers, industry leaders and researchers alike, this tool showcases the global impact of bioethanol with real world data—and the U.S. Grains & BioProducts Council’s commitment to advancing sustainable energy solutions through data-driven innovation.”
The conference continued with a panel discussion on ethanol’s role in global commitments and energy security. Dan Pfeffer, senior partner at PAA Advisory moderated the conversation and was joined by panelists Undersecretary of the Department of Energy in the Philippines, Alessandro O. Sales; Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of the Major Energy Marketers Association of Nigeria, Clement Isong; Deputy Director General at the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture, Lloyd Day; and CEO of BIOAGRA S.A., Zygmunt Gzyra.
The morning ended with flash talks on scaling global market access with proven models. Moderator Cary Sifferath, USGBC vice president, took to the stage with flash talk speakers including Claudia Bulgheroni, senior project manager and team lead on climate strategy and carbon markets at MEO Carbon Solutions; Dr. Michael Wang, director of the systems assessment center at the Argonne National Laboratory; and Jarad Daniels, CEO of Global CCS Institute.
“The flash talks at GES allow participants to get a quick overview of the companies presenting and their focus areas, which adds depth to the following conversations,” Alicia Koch, USGBC director of global ethanol export development. “The talks also help participants to identify companies or organizations that would be valuable for further connection.”
The afternoon began with a second round of flash talks from experts who offered an overview on leveraging regenerative agriculture for ethanol opportunities. Moderator Jeffrey Carver, head of North American commercial and technical services bioenergy at BASF, headed the group that featured presentations from Robin Vercruse, executive director at Low Carbon Fuels Coalition; Chris Malone, vice president of biofuels and market development at Indigo Ag; Dr. Holly Mayton, research partnerships and science policy lead at John Deere; and Matt Ziegler, director of public policy and renewable fuels at National Corn Growers Association.
The day came to a close with a conversation on agriculture and energy – and how ethanol’s benefits are expanding. Emily Marthaler, director of global policy at Growth Energy, held a fireside chat with Doug Berven, vice president of corporate affairs at POET.
“Bioethanol is a catalyst for successful agriculture,” Berven said. “Successful agriculture is key to solving some of the world’s most pressing issues including climate change, poverty, hunger and disease.”
GES is an education and trade forum, hosted by USGBC, and supported by Growth Energy, RFA, BASF and USGBC members that seeks to elevate bioethanol’s international visibility and ongoing successful initiatives as a viable decarbonization solution within the transportation sector. Over 450 ministerial-level officials and industry leaders, bioethanol producers and refiners from more than 40 countries are attending this year to learn about the numerous economic, environmental and human health benefits of globally expanding the use of biofuels.
At the end of the event, nine groups of participants will travel around the country to view the biofuel value chain firsthand before heading back to their home countries.
More from the meeting is available on social media using the hashtag #GES25 or through the website here.
