Oct. 22, 2010

A keynote speaker at this year's Nebraska Wind Power Conference will be James A. Walker, vice chair of the enXco Board of Directors and past president of the American Wind Energy Association Board. The third annual conference will be Nov. 9-10 at the Younes Conference Center, 110 3rd Avenue in Kearney.

This year’s conference will include three tracks, 27 sessions, and 70 wind experts who will provide the latest information on a wide range of wind related topics, including a number of sessions for farmers, ranchers, and landowners.

Walker will be the keynote speaker for the Tuesday noon luncheon. Wednesday’s noon luncheon keynote speaker will be Lt. Governor Rick Sheehy. In addition, nationally recognized experts will present information on wind transmission issues, wind incentives in other states, different kinds of farmer- and community-owned wind structures, as well as panels of state senators, wind developers, and small wind dealers.

On Tuesday, one program track will feature R. Nolan Clark of Amarillo, Texas, a retired USDA wind specialist and on Wednesday one track will feature information on Nebraska’s rapidly expanding wind education and training opportunities, including the “Wind for Schools” program, which now includes 20 schools using small wind turbines in curriculum and projects. 

The 27 sessions will include a report on the 300 megawatts of Nebraska wind energy projects currently being constructed, an update on the Nebraska Power Association and National Renewable Energy Laboratory Wind Integration Task Force report, a session with a top official from the Southwest Power Pool (SPP), landowner associations, landowner wind contracts, net metering, large and small wind planning and zoning issues, large and small wind siting considerations, wildlife issues, wind technician training, transmission, state and federal policies, and roundtable discussions with wind developers and state senators on ways to move wind energy forward.

The event is sponsored by the NE Wind Working Group (NWWG), a state and federal partnership funded by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and the U.S. Department of Energy’s Wind Powering America to help develop the state’s wind resources.

Registration

Pre-registration fees for the conference are $60 per person and $30 per student through October 24, and $75 per person and $45 per student for registration after the deadline and at the door, space permitting. Registration fees include meals.

For online conference registration and detailed agenda information visit the Nebraska Energy Office Website at http://www.neo.ne.gov/renew/wind-working-group/2010conference/register.htm

Dewey Lienemann
Extension Educator, Webster County