• E-mail
• Print
• Comment
• Font Size
• Digg
• del.icio.us
• Discuss article

Renewable Energy and Fuels: in the Mainstream

Posted on: Saturday, 1 April 2006, 03:02 CST

By Hansen, Teresa

Those in the renewable energy industry have known for a long time what those who are unfamiliar with the industry are just learning - renewable energy has entered the mainstream, it is here to stay and it has a bright future.

It won't be long until the Mandalay Bay Resort and Convention Center in Las Vegas plays host to one of the best shows in town- POWER-GEN Renewable Energy & Fuels. Now in its third year, the conference and exhibition will take place April 10-12,2006.

According to Mike Eckhart, president of the American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE), a co-sponsor of the event, renewable energy had its best year ever in 2005 and is poised to perform even better in 2006. High fossil fuel prices are playing a key role in the advancement of renewable energy and fuels, as are various government policies and initiatives. The Energy Policy Act of 2005 includes several features that should boost renewable technologies. And, as discussed in the Opinion column on page 5 of this issue, the Advanced Energy Initiative is focused on advancing energy technologies, with renewable wind and solar energy being specifically identified. The Initiative also focuses on biomass and hydrogen fuels and even includes a $1.2 billion Hydrogen Fuel Initiative to promote development of hydrogen-powered fuel cells to power automobiles, homes and businesses. These highprofile initiatives are proof of something that those in the industry have known for a long time - renewable energy has entered the mainstream, it is here to stay and it has a bright future.

Perhaps this explains why POWER-GEN Renewable Energy & Fuels has enjoyed such great success. The event, which saw a 100 percent increase in exhibiting companies and a 60 percent increase in attendance in 2005, is expected to continue this exceptional growth in 2006. Currently more than 120 speakers are scheduled to speak at this year's event, covering topics such as renewable energy generating technologies, renewable energy market development, regulations, economic and financing trends, and fuel and hydrogen. More than 100 companies will be exhibiting, giving attendees the opportunity to network with colleagues in the exhibit hall while learning about the latest renewable energy products and services. The more than 2,000 industry professionals who are expected to attend POWER-GEN Renewable Energy and Fuels will also have the opportunity to attend preconference workshops and technical tours.

The exhibit hall will open on Monday evening, April 10, with a reception from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., allowing attendees a chance to preview the exhibits. A keynote session beginning at 9 a.m. on Tuesday morning, April 11, will kick off the conference. The keynote speakers will voice their views on the promise, prospects and challenges faced by the U.S. renewable energy sector, spanning renewable power generation and renewable fuels production.

Henry "Hank" Courtright, EPRTs vice president of environmental and energy analysis, will begin Tueday's keynote session. Courtright is responsible for strategic direction and performance for EPRTs technology program in climate change, air quality, land and ground water issues, electromagnetic fields (EMF), and water and ecosystems.

Jeff Sterba, Public Service of New Mexico's (PNlVTs) president, chairman and CEO, will follow Courtright in the keynote session. Sterba is also a board member and an executive committee member of Edison Electric Institute and EPRI.

The next keynote speaker, Lorraine Bolsinger, is GE Energy's Ecomagination vice president. Ecomangination, an initiative introduced by GE Energy late last spring, is aimed at bringing to market new technologies that will help its customers meet pressing environmental challenges. Bolsinger is responsible for partnering with customers, external organizations, internal teams and GE's Global Research organization to develop innovative solutions to customers' tough environmental problems.

James Woolsey, Booz Alien Hamilton's vice president, will also be speaking during the keynote session. Woolsey joined Booz Alien Hamilton in July 2002 and previously served in the U.S. Government on five different occasions, where he held Presidential appointments in two Republican and two Democratic administrations. Woolsey is currently the co-chairman (with former secretary of State George Shultz) of the Committee on the Present Danger. He is also chairman of the advisory boards of the Clean Fuels Foundation and the New Uses Council.

The final speaker at Tuesday's keynote session will be Bill Keese, the Western Governor's Association Advisory Committee's co- chair for Clean and Diversified Energy. His duties include helping the Governor's Association achieve its goal of developing 30,000 MW of clean and diversified electricity generation in the West by 2015. Keese most recently served eight years as the California Energy Commission chair. Among his responsibilities at the Commission was the support of renewable energy technologies.

In addition to Tuesday morning's keynote session, POWER-GEN Renewable Energy and Fuels will include another keynote session on Wednesday morning. The speakers/panelists in this session are leaders in industry finance, professional services and government and will share their views on the direction of renewables, key issues to be addressed and their outlook on future progress. Those speaking include Howard Berke, Konarka Technologies Inc.'s chairman and CEO, Andrew Beebe, Energy Innovations Inc.'s chairman and CEO, Paul Gaynor, UPC Wind Management LLCs president, Michael Garland, Babcock & Brown's managing director, Michael Naylor, NMH Search's president, and Brian Nixon, Scottish Enterprise's energy director. This keynote session will be co-moderated by Mike Eckhart and Arthouros Zervos, European Renewable Energy Council's president.

In addition to the keynote and multi-track sessions, attendees will have an opportunity to attend one of two preconference workshops on Monday. An all-day workshop, "Uncovering the Full Renewable Energy Potential," will be offered on Monday. A half-day workshop, "Weather and Climate Impacts on Renewable Energy Projects: From Successful Site Assessments to Cost Effective Operations," will also be offered.

Two technical tours will be offered on Monday: a favorite from last year, the Hoover Dam Special Hard Hat Tour, and a second, recently added tour, the Las Vegas Valley Water District Ronzone Reservoir Distributed Solar Array Tour. This site is one of six sites planned in a 3.1 MW distributed solar array that will be the largest photovoltaic project built by a public agency in the United States. The Ronzone Reservoir and Pumping Station is the first of the six sites to begin operation. Information about both of these tours can be found at www.power-gengreen.com.

While the keynote and multi-track sessions, pre-conference workshops and technical tours will keep attendees busy, there will be plenty of time on Tuesday and Wednesday for attendees to visit the exhibit hall and talk to representatives of the many exhibiting companies. Nowhere will attendees find so many renewable energy companies under one roof.

To register for POWER-GEN Renewable Energy and Fuels, visit www. power-gengreen.com.

ACORE's Utility Committee on Renewable Energy to Meet

In conjunction with POWER-GEN Renewable Energy and Fuels 2006, the American Council On Renewable Energy (ACORE) will hold its first annual utility Committee on Renewable Energy meeting. The Utility Committee on Renewable Energy is newly chartered around three key activities that interest load-serving entities: information exchange, networking opportunities and education. As key "implementeis" of renewable energy activities, utility organizations will play an important role in promoting a cohesive, fact-based and accurate message to the public on the benefits and costs of renewable energy resources.

Executives and managers at utilities that own and operate power generating facilities are invited to get involved in this committee and attend the meeting, which will take place on April 12 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas. More information about the organization and the meeting is available at www.acore.org or can be obtained by calling Tom Wierich, ACORE, at 202-393-0001

BY TERESA HANSEN, ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Copyright PennWell Publishing Company Mar 2006

Source: Power Engineering

More News in this Category