From June 4 – 7, the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) will bring together utility and business leaders, national and state policymakers, and renewable energy advocates at its largest conference and trade show ever, hosting more than 4,500 attendees at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh, PA.

The WINDPOWER 2006 Conference & Exhibition will feature a spectacular Exhibition Hall with more than 280 companies demonstrating advanced products and technology, an awards banquet honoring over 20 individuals from across the nation for leadership in the development and promotion of wind energy, and plenary and educational sessions featuring state governors, U.S. administration leaders, and utility and wind industry executives tackling the industry’s current challenges and presenting a vision for the future.

Wind energy is one of the fastest growing energy sources in the world. In 2005, new wind farms were the second-largest source of new power generation in the U.S., after new natural gas power plants. In February, President George W. Bush asserted that wind energy could provide up to 20% of the nation’s electricity, up from less than 1% today.

“These are heady times for the wind industry, with a record year in 2005, and 2006 looking even better,” said AWEA Executive Director Randall Swisher. “The industry is working overtime to keep up with the exciting growth and demand. Clean, renewable, domestic wind power is an important part of the solution to the ever-increasing public calls for energy sources that reduce our dependence on imported fuels and work for our economy, environment, and energy security.”

“The theme of this year’s conference - Energizing the Future: Bringing Wind Energy More Prominently into the Mainstream - will help us address these big picture issues and make plans for the continued advancement of the wind energy industry,” Swisher added.

In 2005, the industry broke annual installed capacity records, installing over 2,400 megawatts (MW) or over $3 billion worth of new generating equipment in 22 states. America’s wind farm fleet, with over 9,000 MW of capacity currently installed, is generating enough electricity to serve over 2.3 million homes and is currently saving an estimated half a billion cubic feet of natural gas per day (Bcf/day), helping reduce prices and imports of the fuel. The industry is planning to invest over $4 billion and bring an additional 3,000 MW on line this year.

Therefore it is not surprising that the opening session of WINDPOWER 2006 will feature two of our nation’s high-profile governors, Governor Ed Rendell of Pennsylvania and Governor Tom Vilsack of Iowa, discussing the importance of wind power to their states and the nation.

The conference will also feature wind energy corporate executives, utility executives, and federal and state regulators, participating in panel discussions to address issues of energy generation, challenges facing the industry, and their vision for the future of wind. Other educational sessions will discuss the role of small wind projects and a host of policy, business, and technical topics.

WINDPOWER 2006 will also examine how wind energy is increasingly a source of job creation and economic growth. In fact, in March of this year, Governor Rendell announced that Spanish wind energy company Gamesa Corp. would be expanding its recent investment in Pennsylvania with an additional $34 million for three new manufacturing facilities, creating over 500 jobs in the company’s four centers and its North American headquarters. At the conference, several business leaders from the industry will discuss the economic issues driving growth of wind energy projects around the nation.

WINDPOWER 2006 will take place in the nation’s first, and the world’s largest, “green” convention center. The David L. Lawrence Convention Center utilizes natural light and ventilation, helping the Center achieve an annual energy savings of 35%. This world-class, environmentally-sound convention center will provide the perfect forum in which political, business, and advocacy leaders can discuss the importance of increasing access to and use of renewable energy to ensure the nation’s energy, economic, and environment security.

“All of us agree wind is well positioned to be a major player in the U.S. energy mix,” Swisher said, “Now is the time for us all to commit to doing the things it will take to realize this goal.”

AWEA, formed in 1974, is the national trade association of the U.S. wind energy industry. The association's membership includes turbine manufacturers, wind project developers, utilities, academicians, and interested individuals. More information on wind energy is available at the AWEA web site: www.awea.org.

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