Top five reasons to attend the Virginia State Forum

When North Carolina’s first utility-scale wind farm comes online later this year, there will be only nine states left without wind projects.

Virginia could be the next one to join the bandwagon.

Because wind’s costs have fallen 66 percent in the last six years, it’s now a viable option in places like Virginia and North Carolina. Technological advances that allow wind turbines to reach stronger, steadier winds mean wind energy is more economical in more places. Just a few years ago, these projects wouldn’t have been possible.

That’s why it’s an exciting time to attend the Virginia State Forum, this June 22 at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, VA.

Virginia has strong potential for both land-based and offshore wind, and it’s starting to develop those resources. At the Virginia State Forum, you’ll learn more about what wind power can do in Virginia, where the greatest opportunities lie and hear from both national and state wind leaders.

Here are the top five reasons why you should attend.

  1. Virginia’s first wind farm is currently under development. The Rocky Forge project, located in Botetcourt County, is expected to generate enough electricity to power 20,000 homes with clean, affordable wind energy. Rocky Forge will create local jobs and new revenue sources for the community. Independent analysis concludes the project will pay $20 to $25 million in state and county taxes over the life of the project, providing resources that can be used to fund schools, fix roads and improve health care facilities.
  1. Virginia has great offshore wind potential. While the first U.S. offshore wind farm is expected to come online off the coast of Rhode Island later this year, Virginia may be the next state to develop its offshore wind resources. Dominion Virginia Power has proposed an offshore wind demonstration project near Virginia Beach that could lead the way for further development. The pilot could generate enough wind for 3,000 homes, a fraction of what full-scale development could create.
  1. Get the latest intel from industry experts. Hear from industry experts about where Virginia wind power is headed in the coming years during the Virginia Energy Futures panel. Leaders from both the public and private sectors will tell you what you need to know about optimizing the state’s wind resources. Panelists include:
  1. Make valuable connections. Strike up an informative conversation during the lunch hour, when 18 different experts will give table top presentations and be available for discussions with attendees.
  1. Meet AWEA’s top representative for Virginia. Join Andrew Gohn, AWEA’s Eastern Region Director, for a national wind power market update. That includes an overview of the Department of Energy’s Wind Vision report, which says America could generate 20 percent of its electricity with wind by 2030, and growing wind could save Virginians over $3.5 billion through 2050 by protecting them from conventional fuel price spikes.

As an added bonus, attendees will get a chance to meet some of tomorrow’s wind power leaders. Virginia’s participants in the National KidWind Challenge will show off their projects, and down the road they may be the minds who devise wind energy’s next big technological breakthrough.

We hope you can join us at the Virginia State Forum this June 22. Virginia’s wind power success story is just getting started, and this is the place to learn all about the exciting new developments we’ll see over the next few years.

http://www.aweablog.org