Events - January 2012

The Wind Energy Symposium is one of the world's longest running gatherings of top technical experts in the field of wind energy and will again be held in conjunction with the annual AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting.

The United Nations has declared 2012 the year of Sustainable Energy for All. Please join us for a Power Lunch presentation at the NREL Visitors Center by two Denver renewable energy entrepreneurs—Steve Katsaros and Doug Vilsack. They will discuss how technological advancements, new business models, and renewable energy organizations are combining to bring renewable technology to the 1.3 billion people worldwide who live without electricity.

Katsaros is the founder of Nokero (short for No Kersosene), a private company that provides solar light bulbs and other affordable and environmentally-friendly technologies, eliminating the use of harmful and polluting fuels.

Doug Vilsak is founder of Elephant Energy, which is pioneering ventures that distribute clean energy technologies to benefit women and schools in Africa and on Native American reservations. Both are members of the UN initiative "Partnerships for Realizing Sustainable Energy for All.”

Bring your lunch to enjoy during the presentation. Call 303-384-6565 to make a reservation for this free public program.

Parking is limited at the Visitors Center. If you are using the NREL shuttle, allow extra time to reach the Visitors Center by noon for the beginning of the presentation.

1:00 - 5:00 p.m.
In this four-hour primer course, participants will review model systems at work in the Midwest to understand how renewable energy systems are used to support a variety of farm processes. The course will review renewable energy basics, system types, system performance characteristics, and general costs. Course content will specifically address electricity production, water heating, space and process heating, and electric transportation.

This is a pre-conference course to be held in conjunction with the Wisconsin Farmer's Union 81st Annual Convention. It is not necessary to be a member of Wisconsin Farmer's Union to register for this course.

The convention will share some the many positive farm and rural enterprise activities that are being developed by Wisconsin Farmers Union (WFU) members and others around the state. In addition to its regular business, the convention format will include time to look at hands-on examples of how farmers are using value-added production and marketing, incorporating renewable energy, and adapting innovative farm management practices. Policy initiatives and ideas for new projects that WFU can develop in partnership with its members will also be discussed. Midwest Renewable Energy Association will be joining WFU with a pre-convention workshop, "Renewable Energy Options for Farms and Value-Added Food Producers."