Updates on plans for Virginia’s first utility-scale wind farm and a national plan to satisfy 35 percent of the nation’s energy demand with wind by 2050 will highlight the Virginia State Wind Energy Forum on Wednesday, June 22 at James Madison University.
The daylong forum, hosted by the American Wind Energy Association, will take place in the Festival Conference and Student Center on the JMU campus east of Interstate 81.
Matt Ruscio of the Virginia Renewable Energy Alliance will begin the forum at 8:30 a.m. The event will wrap up at 5:15 p.m.Other participants and panelists include Hayes Framme from the Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy; Ivy Main of the Sierra Club Virginia Chapter; Bill Murray of Dominion; Angela Navarro of the Virginia Department of Natural Resources; Ron Jefferson of Appalachian Power; Dr. Jonathan Miles, director of the Virginia Center for Wind Energy at JMU; and Karlis Povisils of Apex Clean Energy.
Participants will learn about the benefits and challenges of Virginia’s potential for land-based and offshore wind from state policy, industry, government and other thought leaders, as well as experts on national, regional and state wind markets; grid integration; wildlife impacts and mitigation; economics; local economic development benefits; and water and air impacts.
Lunchtime will be dedicated to small group sessions led by experts on a variety of wind topics. The afternoon will consist of panels on distributed and community wind applications; offshore wind; and land-based wind development.
More information, including the complete schedule, is available at http://www.awea.org/events/