Newton hosting wind energy conference Thursday
Anyone wishing to learn more about wind energy will have their chance on Thursday at the Iowa State University Extension’s Central Iowa Wind Energy Conference in Newton.
The conference, which is co-sponsored by Iowa Energy Center, Newton Development Corporation and Jasper County Economic Development Corporation, begins at 9 a.m. Thursday at Newton DMACC campus
“The goal is not only to promote renewable energy but to educate people on how they can get involved,” said Jasper County Extension Education Director Alan Keninger of the purpose of the conference.
Keninger said the conference is modeled after one that was hosted by the Story County Extension Office in 2008. He added the conference is a way to promote Newton and its wind energy companies.
“I hope people will get involved and we can someday see windmills that are built in Newton being used in Newton,” Keninger said. “Then when people visit the community they will see we don’t just produce them we use them and believe in them too.”
The wind energy conference will offer a variety of sessions including a wind operators panel that begins at 1 p.m. During the panel, conference participants will hear from Nevada city and school officials. Nevada currently has three wind turbines — two powering the schools and one powering the hospital — which were installed in 1993 and 1994. Officials attending the conference will share the benefits and drawbacks of having wind energy towers in their community.
Also taking part in the panel is Andy McCall, a farmer from Washington County, Iowa, who uses wind energy to power his farming operations and Dave Stineman, with Consumers Energy to discuss how to use wind turbines for business.
Along with the panel discussion, the conference will feature sessions with representatives from utility companies to discuss how private citizens can utilize wind energy, a lawyer to discuss legal issues and an agricultural engineer to discuss the impact of a wind energy tower on a farm.
Keninger said he hopes people will walk away from the conference with a greater understanding of wind energy and a desire to integrate the use of renewable energy into their daily lives.
“I hope people will have a better understanding of how wind and renewable energies can benefit Newton and Iowa and they can learn how they can become involved in making renewable energy, particularly wind energy, more mainstream and lessen our dependence on foreign oil,” he said.
The conference fee is $35 per person and walk-in registrations will be accepted if space is available Thursday.
