U.S. Grains Council (USGC) Manager of Ethanol Policy and Sustainability Linda Schmid traveled to Bridgetown, Barbados last week to attend the Sustainable Energy for All Global Forum, where financial, energy and environmental sector leaders gathered to discuss biofuels’ role in energy security in Asia, the Caribbean, Central America, sub-Saharan Africa and the Pacific Islands.
“Many regions of the world, including the Caribbean, experience particularly high energy costs and are looking for alternatives like ethanol that can reduce input costs by diversifying energy streams while adding human health and environmental benefits,” Schmid said. “Of the Caribbean countries, only Jamaica has an ethanol blending mandate for gasoline but overall interest in increasing ethanol use is certainly on the rise.”
Highlighted speakers included Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley; Kenya President William Ruto; Belize Prime Minister John Briceño; and representatives from major financial institutions such as the Austrian Development Agency, the Caribbean Development Fund and the World Bank.
The conference was centered around transitioning to renewable energy along six pillars: leaving no one behind; empowering the future; financing the transition; reigniting cooperation; leveraging innovation; and driving global ambition.
Additional topics included an outlook on global ambitions for energy diversification in the near term, talking points for the upcoming United Nation’s Climate Change Conference (COP30) and the importance of collaborating across generations to meet affordable and renewable energy goals.
“Ethanol was a major talking point at the conference as a viable way to ease economic concerns in the energy sector that is ready to be integrated immediately,” Schmid said. “The Council is committed to advancing ethanol’s potential in the global energy transition not only through traditional programming and customer outreach, but also by participating in these crucial multilateral meetings that bridge the gap between ethanol producers, consumers and policymakers.”
Learn more about the Council’s work in ethanol here.
About The U.S. Grains Council
The U.S. Grains Council develops export markets for U.S. barley, corn, sorghum and related products including distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS) and ethanol. With full-time presence in 28 locations, the Council operates programs in more than 50 countries and the European Union. The Council believes exports are vital to global economic development and to U.S. agriculture’s profitability. Detailed information about the Council and its programs is online at www.grains.org.