Las Vegas: September 29 through October 2

Las Vegas (May 28, 2013) – With installed geothermal capacity on track to surpass 12,000 MW globally by the end of the year in 25 countries, and over 60 countries reported to have projects in development, the GRC Annual Meeting & GEA Geothermal Energy Expo is expected to be an exciting international gathering of geothermal companies, academics, financiers, policy leaders, students, and other individuals. The international geothermal community is marking their calendars to attend or exhibit at the event, to be held from Sept. 29 to Oct. 2 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

This is the premier gathering to learn about the latest developments in geothermal energy. Last year, the GRC Annual Meeting & GEA Expo hosted representatives from more than 39 countries. Participants from six continents were present. In 2013, an even broader attendance is anticipated.

The GRC Annual Meeting will offer technical, policy, and market conference sessions, educational seminars, tours of local geothermal and renewable energy projects, and numerous networking opportunities.

"We are developing a meeting that reaches out to the international geothermal community that is content rich, timely and appealing," said GRC Interim Executive Director Steve Ponder.

The GEA Expo floor features a unique opportunity for leaders in the business to showcase their projects, equipment, services and state of the art technology to the geothermal community. Exhibit space still remains but is selling quickly.

"Each year, the GEA Expo showcases the tireless innovation and ingenuity of the geothermal industry," said GEA Executive Director Karl Gawell. "We look forward to seeing even more new ideas and technological advancements in Las Vegas, as these companies are guiding the U.S. towards a clean energy future."

While still a few months away, GRC and GEA reminds international participants to plan early to have enough time for processing required visas or other travel documents. For information on U.S. State Department requirements for business travel, go to: http://travel.state.gov/pdf/BusinessVisa.pdf.

In addition to the GRC Technical Sessions and GEA Expo Hall, special presentations for international visitors are being planned. These sessions will be announced soon, but will focus on presentations on international geothermal market developments, opportunities and presentations on U.S. company technology and project capabilities.

Geothermal energy is a firm yet flexible renewable energy source that can bring the reliability of 24/7 baseload power or complement other energy technologies by firming up more intermittent power generation. It can also provide distributed power generation from small co-production projects, with one of the smallest environmental footprints of any technology. Geothermal has the potential to help meet many U.S. states' Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) goals as an alternative to fossil fuels. Recent breakthroughs in Enhanced Geothermal System (EGS) technology for exploiting geothermal resources around the world raise bright prospects for the industry.

As one of the country's geothermal leaders, Nevada is a fitting host for back-to-back GRC Annual Meeting and GEA Expos. The Silver State continues to pave the way for geothermal development, with a staggering 75 projects in development. Nevada has 518 MW of installed geothermal capacity, second only to California (2,732 MW). GEA estimates geothermal provides approximately $88 million in externality benefits per year to California and $29 million to Nevadans by avoiding fossil fuel emissions.

For more information about exhibitor and sponsorship opportunities, please visit geothermal.org or geothermalenergy2013.com. Student registration is complimentary with valid student ID.

Join the conversation on Twitter by following the GRC @GRC2001 and #GRC2013 or GEA at @geoenergist and #GEAExpo2013.

For GRC Annual Meeting information or sponsorship opportunities, please contact Estela Smith, 530 758 2360 or grc@geothermal.org. For GEA Expo exhibitor or sponsorship opportunities, please contact Kathy Kent, 202 454 5263 or kathy@geo-energy.org.

About the Geothermal Resources Council:

With the experience and dedication of its diverse, international membership bolstering a more than 40‐year track record, the Geothermal Resources Council (GRC) has built a solid reputation as the world's preeminent geothermal association. The GRC serves as a focal point for continuing professional development for its members through its outreach, information transfer and education services. For more information, please visit www.geothermal.org. Get your daily geothermal news at Global Geothermal News. Become a fan on Facebook. Follow GRC on Twitter @GRC2001. Check out GRC's YouTube Channel. See geothermal photos on GRC's Flicker page.

About the Geothermal Energy Association:

The Geothermal Energy Association (GEA) is a trade association comprised of U.S. companies who support the expanded use of geothermal energy and are developing geothermal Resources worldwide for electrical power generation and direct-heat uses. GEA advocates for public policies that will promote the development and utilization of geothermal Resources, provides a forum for the industry to discuss issues and problems, encourages research and development to improve geothermal technologies, presents industry views to governmental organizations, provides assistance for the export of geothermal goods and services, compiles statistical data about the geothermal industry, and conducts education and outreach projects. For more information, please visit www.geo-energy.org. Check out GEA's YouTube Channel. Follow GEA on Twitter. Become a fan on Facebook.