Photos by Lisa Ring * Copyright 2007 MEDIABEAR.COM

ADVANTAGE INNOVATION 2007 CONFERENCE EXPLORES THE ENERGY FUTURE FOR WNC
By Byron Belzak
 
Hundreds of Asheville area business owners and government officials participated in an energy conference that focused on regional solutions and problems.


Dave Williams of Zero-Waste Watuaga speaks while panelist Ian Booth of Green Radio Bistro listens as AmericanGreen.tv filmed the event.

The event, which was hosted by AdvantageWest at the Crowne Plaza in Asheville, NC, was widely viewed as a huge success in moving energy issues and renewable alternatives to the forefront of public discourse and action.



Presentations and questions concerning the economic development possibilities and job impact -- both in the private and public sector for Western North Carolina -- was a hot topic.



Follows is the Advantage Innovation 2007 agenda, which was held on Thursday, December 6, 2007. The fee was $25 per person.


Carol Rouse of AdvantageWest helped make the well-attended event a success.

For details about this and future Advantage Innovation conferences, contact: AdvantageWest Economic Development Group at www.AdvantageWest.com or Click Here.

CONFERENCE AGENDA

8:30 – 8:45 am
Good Morning – Dale B. Carroll, Master of Ceremonies
Mark Burrows, AW Board Director
Rodger Sauls, Progress Energy

8:45 – 9:00 am
Video Welcome 
Anita Brown-Graham, IEI, NC State University Click Here


Jonathan Edwards, COO of SmartPower, spoke at the conference.

9:00 – 9:45 am
Smart Power Presentation
Jonathan Edwards, COO


Deanna Hatch of Organo Fuels attended the conference.

9:45 – 10:00 am
Networking Break


Byron Belzak (L) of MediaBear and publisher of The Greener Home Monthly, spoke with a number of attendees, such as Chuck Sathrum (R) of the State of North Carolina Energy Office, who spoke at the conference. 

10:00 – 11:00 am
CONCURRENT BREAKOUT SESSIONS
   
GREEN BLDG.
WNC Green Builders Council – Introduction by Pam Lewis
TRACK ONE: Matt Siegel, Assistant Director

North Carolina energy experts and government officials, such as Chuck Sathrum, participated in AdvantageWest's energy conference.

RENEWABLE ENERGY
Senate Bill 3 – Introduction by Scott Hamilton
TRACK TWO: Bruce Thompson, Parker Poe

11:00 – 12:00   RENEWABLE ENERGY
 

A number of local firms, such as Appalachian Energy, set up informational tables at the conference.

GREEN BUILDING
Solar Energy Panel
TRACK ONE
Moderator – Terry Albrecht, Land-of-Sky Regional Council
Michael Shore, FLS Energy
Scott Clark, Appalachian Energy
Dave Hollister, Sundance Power


Advantage Innovation 2007 was held at Asheville's Crowne Plaza, which is located off of I-240.

RENEWABLE ENERGY
Renewable Energy Procurement Panel
TRACK TWO 
Moderator – Brian Crutchfield, Blue Ridge EMC
Martha Thompson, Progress Energy
Andy Thompson, Duke Energy
Clay Norris, Electricities
David Beam, NC EMC   
  
12:00 – 1:00 pm
Networking Lunch with Special Announcements


 
1:00 – 2:00 pm
Oak Ridge National Laboratory on Green Building Technologies – Introduction by Betty Huskins 

2:15 – 3:00 pm
CONCURRENT BREAKOUT SESSIONS


Stephanie Pankiewicz of LandDesign

GREEN BLDG. 
Smart Landscape Design – Introduction by Mark Burrows
TRACK ONE: Gary Carter, LandDesign

RENEWABLE ENERGY
Regional University Initiatives
TRACK TWO:
Moderator – Russ Yelton, AB-Tech Small Business Center
Jason Wesley Hoyle, Appalachian State Energy Center 
Jim Fox, UNCAsheville

3:00 – 4:30 pm
LOCAL INITIATIVES PANEL
Moderator – Dale B. Carroll, AdvantageWest
Zero-Waste Watauga - David Williams
Sustainable Living – Ian Booth
Home Town Green, Mike Sobol
City of Asheville, Councilwoman Robin Cape

4:30 -6:30 pm 
Holiday Reception with Entertainment by “The Buckerettes”

AdvantageWest officials said that they anticipate that Advantage Innovation will be an annual event that continues to help further a vibrant economic future for Western North Carolina.

Copyright 2007 MediaBear

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