These numbers establish WINDPOWER as the largest energy trade show in America and the world’s largest wind energy conference. Looking ahead to WINDPOWER 2011, three-fourths of the exhibition space has already been sold to exhibiting companies.
“The message from this huge trade show here in Dallas is that wind works,” said AWEA CEO Denise Bode. “However, without a firm national commitment to renewable energy, America is competing with one hand tied behind its back. Companies investing here in the U.S. in new wind turbine component manufacturing facilities are doing so on a leap of faith in the enormous potential of the American market. To keep these factories running and to unleash an even larger wave of pent-up investment, Congress needs to urgently enact a national Renewable Electricity Standard (RES) that will at long last establish policy certainty for this bright spot in our economy.”
Highlights from the conference include:
* A speech by former President George W. Bush, who shared Texas’s recipe for wind energy success and a vision of a secure American energy future with wind energy “on the leading edge,” powering not only our homes and businesses but also our electric vehicles.
* A show floor of over 369,000 square feet or six football fields—larger by 100,000 square feet or almost two football fields than the previous year. The 1,393 exhibitors came from 48 states, including over 150 from Texas, as well as 22 countries including Germany (over 50), Canada (over 40 exhibitors), Denmark (over 30), China (over 30), and Spain (25). Looking ahead at WINDPOWER 2011, three-fourths of the show floor for next year are already sold.
* A roundtable discussion and national press conference with Governors Culver (D-IA), Governor Ritter (D-CO) and Governor Strickland (D-OH) during which they called on the federal government to take action and enact a national RES. The Governors were also at WINDPOWER to attract manufacturing investment to their states and said that an RES would change the dynamics and “open the spigot” for such investment.
* A roundtable discussion and national press conference with leading industry CEOs analyzing the challenges for wind today as electricity demand and natural gas prices drop, and stressing the need for a national RES to support demand and encourage supply chain and manufacturing investment.
* Announcements by a broad range of companies unveiling contracts and new products.
* A conference program featuring 60 educational sessions on a broad range of technical, market, scientific, legal, financial, policy and other topics.
* The launch of the Wind Energy Foundation, whose mission is to educate the public about the benefits of wind energy, as well as other renewables and efficiency. The Foundation will support research, education and communication programs and activities.
* An all-time record for wind power production in Texas, set at the opening of the conference. On May 23, wind power hit an all-time production high, with 6,721 megawatts (MW) produced at 5:16PM – meeting 14% of peak electricity demand on that hot afternoon.
The WINDPOWER 2011 Conference & Exhibition will be held in Anaheim, California, May 22 – 25, 2011.
AWEA is the national trade association of America’s wind industry, with more than 2,500 member companies, including global leaders in wind power and energy development, wind turbine manufacturing, component and service suppliers, and the world’s largest wind power trade show. AWEA is the voice of wind energy in the U.S., promoting renewable energy to power a cleaner, stronger America.
