New DOE Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Joined by Top Industry Leaders at Premier All-Renewables Trade Show

Las Vegas, NV - The American Council On Renewable Energy (ACORE) and PennWell Corporation attracted more than 2,500 utility, industry, national and state leaders at POWER-GEN Renewable Energy & Fuels, the premier all-renewables energy trade show being held at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center from April 10-12, in Las Vegas.

"We need to make a real difference in the way things are done," stated Andrew Karsner, new DOE Assistant Secretary of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. "We need to co voice our mutual aspirations and explore how we might together make an impact. We need to additionally ensure market expansion, transparency and longevity all the while all the while attacking inefficiency and waste," added Karsner. "The fastest possible way of market penetration is to move forward and leave outdated thinking and bureaucratic processes behind and redefine the relationship between public and private sectors. There's no time for systematic 'business as usual'. More needs to be done. ACORE's Phase II is a battle plan for which we can achieve great things together."

In addition to Karsner, opening festivities were commenced by a distinguished slate of keynoters including; Henry "Hank" Courtright, Vice President of Environment and Energy Analysis, EPRI; Jeff Sterba, Chairman, President & CEO, Public Service New Mexico; R. James Woolsey, Vice President, Booz Allen Hamilton; Lorraine Bolsinger, Vice President, Ecomagination, GE Energy; and Bill Keese, Co-Chair, Clean and Diversified Energy Advisory Committee, Western Governor's Association.

Lorraine Bolsinger, Vice President, Ecomagination stated that, "Renewable energy is a key element of Ecomagination that we're committed to expand." "Challenges in the industry will be the catalyst for invention and innovation," added Bolsinger. "To ensure that we're ready to take advantage, we need to address long term vision - technology and policy - and work on emission targets, clear and stable regulatory framework, incentives, and R&D support from government and industry. We see PTC's and RPS' driving 22,000 MW of renewables by 2015." Bolsinger commented that, "We are facing a moment of necessity and energy needs will be met by a diversified energy portfolio. Mainstream interest in renewables is growing providing for availability and reliabity improvements and attractive subsidies in certain states such as CA, NJ and NY, helped grow east coast markets in solar."

"We committed to large wind farms not because it was cheapest option, rather because our customers wanted it," began Jeff Sterba, Chairman, President & CEO of Public Service New Mexico (PNM). PNM faces many renewable energy challenges - costs, intermittency of renewable energy, inconsistent public policies, utility acceptance, new transmission lines, and creation of regional markets. "CO2 is changing the way utilities think about renewables," Sterba added. "Investment in new generation capacity is needed - we need to prove past projections wrong and support RPS' at state and federal level. RPS' avail us the ability to accept new technologies not engaged or encouraged in the past. However, we [additionally] need to find ways to grow [this industry] using market competitive rational."

Highly anticipated sessions led by 120 top industry leaders included:

- Fuels & Hydrogen including New Biofuels Technologies;
- Emerging Photovoltaic Technologies;
- Marine, Tidal, and Wave Energy;
- Green Power Marketing;
- Hybrid Power, Energy Storage, and Integration Issues;
- REC Market Development;
- Geothermal Electric Technology;
- Hydropower Technologies - New Concepts in Traditional Applications;
- Off-Shore Permitting;
- Renewable Portfolio Standards: What's Next?; and
- Gaseous Fuels from Waste Treatment and Utilization.

This year's POWER-GEN Renewable Energy & Fuels gathered notable Chairman, CEOs, and Presidents in the industry, many attending ACORE's CEO Council event and the second day keynote session "Leadership Perspectives on Renewable Energy". Many of these industry and finance professionals and government leaders came specifically to POWER-GEN Renewable Energy & Fuels to speak about the direction the industry needs to take in 2006 and 2007.

Panelists of the highly anticipated keynote session included Howard Berke, Chairman & CEO, Konarka Technologies; Andrew Beebe, Chairman & CEO, Energy Innovations, Inc.; Paul Gaynor, President, UPC Wind Management, LLC; Michael Garland, Managing Director, Babcock & Brown; Michael Naylor, President, NMH Search; and Michael Liebreich, Founder & CEO, New Energy Finance.

Particular highlights of POWER-GEN Renewable Energy & Fuels 2006 included inaugural meetings for ACORE's Utility Committee and Biomass Coordinating Council (BCC) - two committees formed to convene the industry in ways not done before.

"The response from utilities, including IOUs, munis and coops has been great," said Jeff Anthony, We Energies, Co-Chair of the ACORE Utility Committee. "We had an extremely interesting and very productive inaugural meeting of the Utility Committee - utilities coming together to exchange information and best practices on a wide range of renewable energy topics. We now have a very clear direction on a set of priorities and topics to further information and best practice exchanges amongst member utilities in the coming months."

"Dozens of the most innovative and knowledgeable leaders in the biofuels, bioenergy and bioproducts arenas met and shared tremendous ideas about the next great endeavors of the biomass revolution," said Bill Holmberg, Chairman, Biomass Coordinating Council (BCC). "This year's BCC meeting successfully looked at implementing sustainable approaches which ensure long term health of our soil, water, wildlife, and rural economies," stated Holmberg.

POWER-GEN Renewable Energy & Fuels 2006 grew to 135 exhibitors from 51 in its inaugural year in 2004 and 2,100 attendees from 950 in 2004. Major exhibitors include GE Energy & Global Energy Decisions, Kyocera Solar, Inc., Vestas, Ormat, Babcock & Wilcox Co., Black & Veatch, EnXco, GHD, Inc., and DTE Biomass Energy, Inc. to name a few.

The benefits experienced by companies like Vestas and GE are expected to foster considerable growth for POWER-GEN Renewable Energy & Fuels 2007, where the exhibit floor should be home to more than 150 exhibiting companies. Combined with a first-class conference program, POWER-GEN Renewable Energy & Fuels 2007 should attract more than 3,500 attendees to the Mandalay Bay from March 6-8, 2007 in Las Vegas.

ACORE and PennWell Corporation continue to move renewable energy into the mainstream. "Our marketing theme for the 2006 event was Renewable Energy and Fuels: In the Mainstream. When you look at the progress renewable energy has made since with gathered in Las Vegas last year, it's easy to see that 'in the mainstream' is a fitting theme. Statistics for 2005 certainly show that renewable energy is no longer lingering on the edge of the power generation industry, but has indeed entered the mainstream," said Teresa Hansen, Power Engineering magazine's Associate Editor and Co-Chairman of the POWER-GEN Renewable Energy & Fuels Program Committee.

Mike Eckhart, President of ACORE, agrees. "The industry continues to grow strong as the nation continues to demand alternative sources of energy," said Eckhart. "Consequently, we converge here in Las Vegas year after year to assess the industry, view the newest technologies, and provide a solid voice for all renewables. I extend an invitation to all in the renewable energy industry to come back for POWER-GEN Renewable Energy & Fuels 2007 and participate in the ever growing success of this conference and trade show."

Partnering associations included the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA), Biomass Coordinating Council (BCC), Clean Fuels Development Council (CFDC), New Uses Council, Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA), Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), National Hydropower Association, National Hydrogen Association, and the Geothermal Energy Association.

Supporting organizations included the Alliance of Energy Suppliers, Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA), and the US Energy Association (USEA).

About American Council On Renewable Energy (ACORE)

American Council On Renewable Energy (ACORE), a 501(c)(3) membership nonprofit organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., is dedicated to bringing renewable energy into the mainstream of the US economy and lifestyle through convening, information and communications programs. ACORE provides a common platform for the wide range of interests in the renewable energy community including industries, associations, utilities, end users, professional service firms, financial institutions and government agencies. ACORE serves as a forum through which the parties work together on common interests. Membership information is available at: www.acore.org.

About PennWell Corporation

PennWell (www.pennwell.com) is a diversified media company providing 45 authoritative print and online publications, 50 conferences and exhibitions, research, databases, Internet-based services and other information products to strategic global markets. The industries served by PennWell include oil and gas, power generation and distribution, electronics, semiconductor manufacturing, lasers, fiber optics, water and wastewater, computer graphics, communications, dentistry, and the fire service. In addition to its corporate headquarters in Tulsa, Oklahoma, PennWell has major offices in Houston, Texas; Nashua, New Hampshire; Seattle, Washington; Providence, Rhode Island; Fair Lawn, New Jersey; Campbell, California, and international locations including London, England; Schwabisch, Germany, and Hong Kong.

For more information about exhibiting at POWER-GEN Renewable Energy & Fuels 2007, please visit: www.power-gengreen.com or call Dick Rauner at: 918-832-9249.