During the first week of March, a major domestic and international renewable energy event — the Washington International Renewable Energy Conference (WIREC 2008) — will take place in Washington, DC. WIREC 2008 consists of three inter-related events, which are described below:
Event #1 – WIREC 2008: Global ministerial-level meeting (March 4 – 6)
Summary: WIREC 2008 is hosted by the United States Government in cooperation with the American Council On Renewable Energy (ACORE) and will bring together government, civil society and private business leaders to address the benefits and costs of a major and rapid scale-up in the global deployment of renewable energy technology. WIREC 2008 is the third global ministerial-level conference on renewable energy – previous events were held in Beijing (2005) and Bonn (2004).
For more information:
- WIREC 2008 – Home page
- WIREC 2008 – Agenda and list of speakers
- WIREC 2008 – Registration Information
Event #2 – The Trade Show at WIREC 2008 (March 4 – 6)
Summary: The Trade Show at WIREC 2008, hosted by the American Council On Renewable Energy (ACORE) and the leading U.S. renewable energy trade associations, is expected to be the largest business-to-business and business-to-government conference and exposition ever held on renewable energy in the U.S. It will also be a global event, with representatives from more than 70 countries attending. It consists of two parts – a business conference and expo. These are described below.
Business Conference: This will feature two days of more than 40 panel presentations that will cover renewable energy technologies including wind, solar, hydro, ocean, geothermal, biomass, biofuels, and waste-to energy. Speakers at the business conference will include:
- Faustto Batini – Director of Geothermal Development, Enel North America
- Janet Gail Besser – Vice President, National Grid
- Paul Bonavia – President, Utilities Group, Xcel Energy
- Matt Chaney – Managing Director, MMA Renewable Ventures LLC
- Sandrine Dixson-Decleve – Executive Director, Europe & African Division, International Fuel Quality Centre
- Hamit Elahi – General Manager, Energy Consulting, GE
- Paul Ho – Director, Renewable Energy, Credit Suisse
- Carolos Gasco Travesedo – Iberdrola Renewable Energies
- Dennis Gilles – Senior Vice President, Calpine Corp.
- Marco Sawaya Jank – President & CEO, Brazilian Sugar Cane Industry (UNICA)
- Coleman Jones – Biofuel Implementation Management, General Motors
- Thomas Key – Renewables Leader, Electric Power Research Institute
- Robert Lukefahr – President, BP Alternative Energy
- John O’Donnell – Executive Vice President, Ausra, Inc.
- Donna Perla – Senior Advisor to the Director, U.S. EPA
- Bruce Usher – CEO, EcoSecurities
- Dave Vandergriend – President & CEO, ICM
Expo: The expo will feature over 300 renewable energy technology suppliers, systems integrators, financiers, professional services firms, end users, utility companies, energy companies, educational institutions, nonprofit organizations, associations, government agencies, foreign governments and economic missions, and other exhibitors.
For more information:
- The Trade Show at WIREC 2008 – Home page
- The Trade Show at WIREC 2008 – Registration
- The Trade Show at WIREC 2008 – Business Conference Program
- The Trade Show at WIREC 2008 – Expo Floor Map
Event #3 – WIREC 2008 Official Side Events (March 3 – 7)
Summary: The WIREC 2008 Official Side Events are a series of more than 75 panel sessions that provide an opportunity for the participants at the WIREC 2008 events to learn and share their expertise in areas such as energy security, climate change mitigation, and sustainable development. According to Michael Eckhart, President of the American Council On Renewable Energy (ACORE), "These events offer a less formal setting that all WIREC and Trade Show registrants may actively participate in, and we encourage them to speak up and be heard in more than one Official Side Event."
For more information: