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New studies, innovations to be released at Great Lakes Wind Collaborative Annual Meeting

Sep 21, 2012 | News and Announcements

Ann Arbor, Mich. – The Great Lakes Wind Collaborative (GLWC) – the leading source of information on windpower in the binational Great Lakes region – will host its 5th Annual Meeting, Sept. 25-26 at the Sheraton Erie Bayfront Hotel in Erie, Pa.

The program features a keynote address by Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Michael Krancer, who will address the importance of sustaining momentum for wind power in the Great Lakes region.

Several sessions in this year’s program will feature state of the art information about wind and renewable energy and its potential implications for the environment and economy. These include a special presentation on a recent study by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory on how renewable energy sources could supply 80 percent of electricity demand in 2050 using technologies that are commercially available today.

Mark Clevey of the Michigan Energy Office, and co-chair of the Great Lakes Wind Collaborative Steering Committee, said: “I’m very interested to hear about the study and how cost-effective renewables can be more effectively integrated into the U.S. electricity grid. Such integration could have significant positive benefits on our communities, economy, environment, national security and society at large.”

The program also features the release of a new study showing the jobs and economic development impacts of offshore wind energy in the Great Lakes region. Tony Logan, Great Lakes Wind Collaborative Steering Committee co-chair and U.S. Dept. of Agriculture liaison, added: “This analysis will help quantify the potential jobs that the offshore wind industry alone could bring to Great Lakes communities.”

Additional sessions will address public engagement, the wind energy supply chain, and efforts to protect birds and other wildlife. Dee Holody of the Global Wind Network said, “I am excited to see a program that highlights the Great Lakes region’s manufacturing assets and competitive advantage in making wind energy a viable and growing industry.”

The Great Lakes Wind Collaborative annual meetings bring together representatives of U.S. and Canadian federal agencies, state/provincial and local governments, the wind industry, electric utilities, nonprofit organizations, academia and other interested stakeholders to share information regarding the sustainable development of wind energy in the binational Great Lakes region.

The agenda, registration, and travel and lodging information is available on the GLWC website.

For immediate release: September 26, 2012 | Download PDF
Contact:
Victoria Pebbles, [email protected], office: 734-971-9135

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The Great Lakes Wind Collaborative (GLWC) is multi-sector coalition of wind energy stakeholders working to facilitate the sustainable development of wind power in the binational Great Lakes region. For more information about the GLWC, see www.glc.org/projects/energy/wind/.

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The Great Lakes Commission, chaired by James Tierney, assistant commissioner for water resources at the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, is an interstate compact agency established under state and U.S. federal law and dedicated to promoting a strong economy, healthy environment and high quality of life for the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence region and its residents. The Commission consists of governors’ appointees, state legislators, and agency officials from its eight member states. Associate membership for Ontario and Québec was established through the signing of a “Declaration of Partnership.” The Commission maintains a formal Observer program involving U.S. and Canadian federal agencies, tribal authorities, binational agencies and other regional interests. The Commission offices are located in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Learn more at www.glc.org.

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For media inquiries, please contact Beth Wanamaker, [email protected].

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