This workshop sets its focus on Eastern Colorado to highlight the State's diverse opportunities in wind and solar energy. Hear from leaders in the distributed generation industry as they convene in Yuma, CO to showcase this sector of the energy industry.

On December 4th the Distributed Wind Energy Association (DWEA) will host a full-day Distributed Generation (DG) Workshop at the Community Center in Yuma, CO. The workshop is the second in DWEAs "State of the State" initiative which is bringing community workshops aimed at increasing exposure about market opportunities in distributed generation to key states. The full-day workshop costs $15-$25 to attend and includes lunch and a networking reception. Space is limited and registration is required.

Colorado is a leader in distributed generation installations, ranking eighth nationally for distributed wind and eleventh for solar capacity. With over 27.3 MW of installed capacity and a significant economic potential in Yuma County alone of 35-70 MW, Colorado stands ready to lead in the national US distributed wind markets growth. The distributed generation industries are poised to grow dramatically over the next few years. The Colorado DG Workshop provides the perfect opportunity to explore how homeowners, farmers, and businesses can leverage distributed renewable energy resources for local economic benefit.

Attendees will hear from distributed wind and solar manufacturers, project developers, and operations and maintenance providers as well as policy makers and industry experts on the fundamentals of DG, success stories, policy updates, and market opportunities in Colorado. For a mid-day highlight, Former Colorado Governor Bill Ritter will give the keynote address and discuss the role of distributed generation in the new energy economy while highlighting opportunities for Colorado to continue to be a leader in DG.

"Colorado already has an advanced distributed wind market, as evidenced by the diversity of industry manufacturers, project developers, installers, and research facilities as well as top ten rankings for installed wind capacity, but we want to help the market grow to reach its full potential," said Jennifer Jenkins, DWEA Executive Director. "Distributed wind provides unique opportunities for farmers, businesses, homeowners, and communities to control their energy costs and boost their bottom lines by producing their own clean, renewable energy. Colorado, with its abundant wind and land resource, presents a significant opportunity for on-site power projects and local job creation. We are thrilled to host this event," Jenkins continued.

"The rapid growth of on-site renewable energy in Colorado has concentrated in the more urban and suburban communities, leaving the rural and agricultural regions of the state underserved. If rural electric cooperatives, state and local officials, and distributed energy developers work together, an untapped market can be realized and lead to economic opportunities for all stakeholders," said Russell Tencer, United Wind CEO and DWEA Board President.

Rural cooperatives and utilities, farmers and agricultural producers, state and local policy makers, cleantech industry members and advocates, and all other interested parties are invited to participate. The full Colorado Distributed Generation Workshop agenda, registration information, and additional details are available at http://distributedwind.org/event/colorado-distributed-generation-workshop/.

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The Distributed Wind Energy Association is a collaborative group comprised of manufacturers, distributors, project developers, dealers, installers, and advocates, whose primary mission is to promote and foster all aspects of the American distributed wind energy industry. Distributed wind, commonly referred to as small and community wind, is the use of typically smaller wind turbines at homes, farms, businesses, and public facilities to off-set all or a portion of on-site energy consumption. DWEA represents members from all sectors with relevant interests pertaining to the distributed wind industry. For more information on DWEA, please go to www.distributedwind.org. Follow us on Twitter @DWEA and like us on Facebook.

For more information:
Jennifer Jenkins, Distributed Wind Energy Association
jjenkins@distributedwind.org, (928) 380-6012