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newsroom
STATEMENT BY AMERICAN WIND ENERGY ASSOCIATION EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR RANDALL SWISHER ON THE LOCATION FOR THE WINDPOWER 2009 CONFERENCE & EXHIBITION: “AWEA was looking forward to holding its WINDPOWER 2009 Conference & Exhibition in Minneapolis. The U.S. wind energy industry had selected Minneapolis in 2006 because of the state’s prominent role in promoting wind power development, and because of the outstanding facilities provided by the city. We received excellent cooperation from local businesses and city and state officials, in planning the event and have enjoyed working with them over the last couple of years. “In particular, we want to commend Governor Tim Pawlenty and Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak for their efforts to make our WINDPOWER 2009 a reality in Minneapolis. “Governor Pawlenty has distinguished himself as a renewable energy leader, not just in the state of Minnesota, but also as the Chairman of the National Governors’ Association. The state legislature has likewise been steadfast in its support, helping the state of Minnesota achieve as much wind-generated electricity per capita as any state in the nation. “Unfortunately, subsequent to our initial decision to go to Minneapolis, there was an unprecedented explosion in demand for WINDPOWER exhibition space and hotel rooms, which superseded even our association’s aggressive planning for growth. This was caused in part by the recent dramatic increase in interest in wind power by both government and business sectors. AWEA had planned for annual expansion of 20% to 40% based on growth over the past five years, but for WINDPOWER 2008, attendance and the number of exhibiting companies were 85% higher than in 2007. The demand for show floor space for 2009, almost one year before the event, exceeds the entire available exhibition space in the Minneapolis Convention Center. Hotel space would also be problematic, forcing attendees to commute to the conference center from far outside the city. After reviewing the situation carefully, and exploring all possible options for expansion within the city center, we reluctantly concluded that Minneapolis could not accommodate the size of the event that was taking shape. In fact, the event has grown beyond what only about a dozen facilities in the country are capable of handling. Other locations for WINDPOWER 2009 are therefore being investigated and a formal decision will be announced soon. “We deeply regret any inconvenience that this decision has caused, and understand the disappointment of the many AWEA member companies and supporters in the state. We also deeply regret not being able to hold the WINDPOWER 2009 Conference & Exhibition in a state that is one of the outstanding leaders in wind power. We commend the hospitality industry and state and local officials for their support and we look forward to scheduling future AWEA events in Minneapolis. Minnesota has been and will continue to be a wind energy leader and we look forward to partnering with the state in many different ways for many years to come.” AWEA is the national trade association of the U.S. wind energy industry. The association’s membership includes global leaders in wind power development, wind turbine manufacturing, and energy, as well as a broad range of component and service suppliers. More information on wind energy is available at the AWEA web site: www.awea.org . # # #
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