Windpower 2010 Closes in Dallas | Renewable Energy News Article

Dallas, United States -- The Windpower 2010 Conference & Exhibition concluded on Wednesday in Dallas, Texas, with about 20,000 attendees including a broad range of industry leaders and with a record of nearly 1,400 companies exhibiting the latest in wind power technology over an area the size of six football fields, according to the American Wind Energy Assocation (AWEA).

AWEA says that those numbers establish Windpower as one of the the largest energy trade shows 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 Denise Bode, AWEA's CEO. “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 “on the leading edge,” powering not only the nation’s homes and businesses but also its cars.
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 last 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 to Windpower 2011, three-fourths of the show floor for next year are already sold.
A roundtable discussion and national press conference with Governors Chet Culver (D-Iowa), Bill Ritter (D-Colo.) and Ted Strickland (D-Ohio) 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 examining 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 investments.
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.