Rural Energy Conference set for April

The 2010 Rural Energy Conference will be held April 27-29 at the Westmark Conference Center in Fairbanks, conference organizers — the Alaska Energy Authority and the Alaska Center for Energy and Power at the University of Alaska Fairbanks — said March 9.

This year’s conference theme is “New Energy for Sustainable Communities.”

Invited speakers include Gov. Sean Parnell, U.S. Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Mark Begich, U.S. Rep. Young, Alaska Sens. Lesil McGuire and Bill Wielechowski, Alaska Reps. Charisse Millett and Bryce Edgmon and Denali Commission Federal Co-Chair Joel Neimeyer.

“Alaska is in the beginning stages of a journey that requires focus, determination, innovation and balanced risk-taking,” said AEA Executive Director and Energy Coordinator Steve Haagenson. “We are striving to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels by looking at local resources as a way to stabilize energy costs.”

Technical sessions will focus on management and economics, current technologies, forward-future technologies and energy conservation. Well-known Alaska Native leader Willie Hensley will lead a panel discussion on innovation and change in energy use in rural Alaska.

Conference registration information is available by calling the Alaska Center for Energy and Power at 907-474-5402 or by visiting their Web site: www.uaf.edu/acep.

—Petroleum News