U.S. to Host Global Renewable Energy Conference in 2008

The WIREC 2008 conference concept, in large part driven by the Washington, DC-based American Council On Renewable Energy (ACORE) is proposed to be conducted under the auspices of the U.S. Government.

Planned for March 1-7, 2008, the conference will be produced as a public-private partnership. Conference management is being coordinated by ACORE, which is raising $10 million to fund the cost of the conference, in accordance with a December 13, 2006 letter issued to ACORE by the U.S. Department of State expressing the government's interest in hosting the event.

"Our Board Co-chairs, John Geesman and Dan Reicher, and our Fundraising Chairman Howard Berke, are leading our Board, Advisors, and Members in this great initiative," said ACORE's President Michael Eckhart.

"I am pleased to have ACORE accept this role, and work with the State Department to plan and fund this once-ever global meeting," added Eckhart.

The global conference will build on similar conferences held in Bonn, Germany in 2004 and Beijing, China in 2005. Those landmark conferences focused on national Action Plans, with respect for sovereignty, independence, and voluntary collaboration among nations. WIREC 2008 will continue that theme, encouraging continued voluntary collaboration among nations.

The official part of the conference will include a Ministerial Meeting for energy and environment ministers and other stakeholders, and a Parliamentary Meeting for members of elected legislatures.

In addition, Power-Gen Renewable Energy & Fuels trade show will be co-located with WIREC 2008, and it is anticipated that 50 to 100 official side events will be held by States, foreign governments, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and multinational organizations.

Fundraising for the event is already under way with key sponsorship opportunities available to global companies and organizations.