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Statewide Wind Conference to Include Multiple Renewable Energy Technologies
Actor Ed Begley, Jr. Among Speakers and Presenters at Indiana Renewable Energy Conference
Actor Ed Begley, Jr. Among Speakers and Presenters at Indiana Renewable Energy Conference
(Indianapolis) – Lt. Governor Becky Skillman has announced WIndiana, Indiana’s only statewide wind energy conference, will expand this year to include wind, solar, bioenergy and alternative fuel vehicles. Along with sessions on utility-scale renewable energy projects, the Indiana Renewable Energy Conference (IREC) will include how-to workshops for homeowners and small business owners on wind, solar PV, solar thermal, biomass as well as new and innovative renewable technologies. WIndiana 2011 and the Indiana Renewable Energy Conference will be held July 20-21, 2011 at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis.
“Indiana has quite a story to tell about renewable energy development here,” said Lt. Governor Skillman. “WIndiana continues to grow as more people explore the use of renewable energy in their homes and more investors look for a business-friendly state to create clean energy jobs.”
Actor/Environmentalist Ed Begley, Jr. is scheduled to appear at the conference. Begley, known for his movie and television roles is also the host of Living with Ed, a reality television show based on Begley’s renovation of his own home to make it more energy efficient and to utilize a variety of renewable energy technologies. Living with Ed airs on the Planet Green cable network.
WIndiana 2011/IREC features an expanded exhibition floor, along with alternative fuel vehicle displays and a variety of topical sessions on wind, solar and biomass energy. Included in the program will be a detailed session on Indiana’s new Clean Energy law, passed by the General Assembly and signed by Governor Daniels in May.
National, state and local wind industry leaders are scheduled to appear at the conference, which will also include three separate tours. A bus will take attendees to the Horizon Wind Meadow Lake wind farm in White county. Another group will tour a 100kw solar array at the Johnson Melloh facility on Indianapolis’ west side, and a third tour will take attendees on a tour of the Southside landfill, where a Landfill Methane Recovery system provides heat and power for a large commercial flower nursery.
The cost of attending this year’s event will depend on the level of attendee participation. An “All Access” pass is $100 if purchased prior to July 1. A Workshop Only pass is $25.00, and there are other ala carte options. Registration for the conference is online at http://www.conf.purdue.edu/wind.
WIndiana is hosted by the Indiana Office of Energy Development and the Energy Center at Purdue’s Discovery Park. The first WIndiana conference was held in Indianapolis in 2008. Some 300 people attended that first show. In 2010, there were 550 attendees. With the expansion into other renewable technologies, and the addition of distributed power workshops, 750-1,000 people are expected to attend in 2011.
