Summit Program

The National 25x’25 Alliance presents its 5th National Renewable Energy Summit March 31-April 2 at the Sheraton Crystal City Hotel in Arlington, Virginia.  This year’s summit will focus on the role of agriculture and forestry in carbon-reduced economy, community wind, sustainability and the further development of woody biomass.

Headlining this year’s summit is Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar, a chief proponent of renewable energy in the new Obama administration.

The 25x’25 Summit will bring together farm, ranch, livestock and forestry leaders; state alliance leaders; congressional staff and federal agency representatives to hear many prominent experts address the role renewable energy development will play in countering a downturn in the economy, boosting energy independence and enhancing the environment.  Those with a major stake in carbon legislation are encouraged to attend. 

A day-long plenary session will focus on how each sector can capitalize on efforts to reduce and capture greenhouse gas emissions. Early study by a 25x'25 carbon work group, a panel of nearly 50 experts, indicates that on balance the agriculture and forestry sectors have much to gain from addressing climate change and a new carbon economy. The summit will provide an examination of a number of policy options being explored this year by the Obama administration and Congress as they address climate change and greenhouse gas emission reductions.

Track sessions will be held on the morning of April 2 on the opportunities and challenges posed by community wind projects; sustainability issues such as the Roundtable for Sustainable Biofuels guidelines, global standards and criteria, indirect land use issues, and the 25x'25 Sustainability Guidelines introduced at the 2008 summit; and issues related to woody biomass, including the competition among existing and new users.

Others set to address the Summit include: USDA Forest Service Chief Abigail Kimball; U.S. Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (D-SD); former U.S. Sen. Tim Wirth; Bob Young, chief economist with the American Farm Bureau Federation; Burton Eller, National Cattlemen's Beef Association; Jon Scholl, President, American Farmland Trust; Bill Schafer, Senior Vice President, Range Fuels, Inc.; Glenn English, CEO, National Rural Electric Cooperative Association; Larry Schweiger, President, National Wildlife Federation; Tom Buis, former National Farmers Union chief and now president of Growth Energy; Michael Goergen, Executive Director, Society of American Foresters; Reid Detchon, Executive Director, Energy Future Coalition; Jay Debertin, Executive Vice President, CHS, Inc.; Lisa Daniels, Windustry; and Ceres Inc. President Richard Hamilton.