Iowa Renewable Energy & Agricultural Conference

On November 17, 2003, the second annual Upper Midwest Renewable Energy and Agriculture Summit was held in Des Moines, IA. The Summit brought together nearly 250 people from 13 states: senior state and provincial elected and government officials, industry executives, representatives of agricultural associations and farm groups, advocates from renewable energy and sustainable agriculture organizations, members of academia, and staff and board members of charitable foundations.

This diverse group of regional leaders gathered to address the following goals:

To draw regional and national attention to the potential leadership role of the Upper Midwest in North America's future energy and agricultural economy;
To highlight policy, programmatic and project opportunities for securing the economic development and environmental benefits of new energy technologies.

The McKnight Foundation and the Energy Foundation sponsored the Summit. Their sponsorship of the event grew out of their partnership in support of organizations and projects that foster renewable energy production and use in the region. One such partnership is "Wind on the Wires," an organization working to ensure a transmission "road to market" for wind power.

The Iowa Environmental Council of Des Moines, IA, the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation, Mid-American Energy, and Alliant Energy organized and facilitated the Summit.

Please contact us if you would like to receive a CD containing the files listed below.

Presentations and Speeches

Welcome
Remarks by David Hurd, Iowa Environmental Council
Microsoft Word: 37kb

Where Are We in Iowa on Renewable Energy?
Advancing Iowa's Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Use Through Research, Demonstration and Education
Floyd Barwig, Iowa Energy Center
Powerpoint: 5.5MB

From Farm to Market: The Electric Transmission Dilemmas
Midwest ISO: Regional System Planning
Dale Osborn, Midwest Independent Transmission System
Powerpoint: 1.5MB

Midwest ISO: Regional System Planning
Jeff Web, Midwest Independent Transmission System
Adobe Acrobat: 1.8MB

The Policy and Practice of Moving Renewable Energy in Rural Iowa
Transmission Panel: Moving Renewable Energy to Market
Beth Soholt, Wind on the Wires
Powerpoint: 1MB

Delivery Options For Iowa's Wind Energy
David Rusley, P.E. Cedar Falls Utilities and Chair of Midwest Municipal Transmission Group
Powerpoint: 1.9MB

A Wind Win for Iowa: The MidAmerican Energy Project
A Wind Win for Iowa
Tom Budler, MidAmerican Energy Company
Powerpoint: 112kb

The Buck Stops Here: Capital Resources for Renewable Energy Development in Rural Iowa
Renewable Energy Capital Markets Discussion: A Private Equity Perspective
Russell M. Stidolph, Whitney & Co.
Powerpoint: 248kb

Renewable Energy Projects and RC&D Assistance
Jim Cooper, USDA/NRCS Prairie Rivers of Iowa RC&D
Powerpoint: 3.4MB

Benefits of Locally Owned Wind Projects
Dan Juhl, DanMar & Associates
Powerpoint: 2.2MB

Keynote
Douglas Faulkner, U.S. Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
Remarks of Douglas L. Faulkner
Microsoft Word: 36kb

Business Opportunities through Renewable Energy
Regional Manufacturing
Mike Hohl, WHOHLE Management Solutions, Inc
Powerpoint: 2.8MB

The Apollo Project, A Bold Ten Point Plan for Achieving America's Energy Independence
Bracken Hendricks, The Apollo Alliance
Powerpoint: 1MB

Bio-digestion and Energy from Biogas
Biogas and Biomass: Challenges and Opportunities
Bill Johnson, Manager, Alliant Energy
Powerpoint: 4.9MB

Anaerobic Digester Projects Conducted Under the NC Attorney General Agreements with Smithfield Foods, Premium Standard Farms, and Frontline Farmers
Kurt Creamer, NC Solar Center, North Carolina State University
Powerpoint: 3.4MB

What is Europe Doing on Renewable Energy?
Energy Policy Options: The Lessons of Europe and Options from the United States
Dave Miller, Iowa Farm Bureau Federation and Ed Woolsey, Consultant
Powerpoint: 204kb

Iowa in Action: Current Efforts in Iowa Renewable Energy Production
Wind Energy for Iowa's Schools
Monica Stone, Iowa Department of Natural Resources (Wind Projects for Schools Program)
Powerpoint: 1.3MB

Can Renewable Energy Help Reduce the Price of Fertilizer?
Can Renewable Energy Lower Natural Gas Prices?
Charles Kubert, Environmental Law & Policy Center
Powerpoint: 3.1MB

Natural Gas: The Missing Link
Michael Bennett, Terra Industries, Inc.
Powerpoint: 1MB