http://www.rnrf.org

RENEWABLE NATURAL RESOURCES FOUNDATION

Congress on Assessing America's Renewable Energy Future
 

Dallas Peck Memorial Auditorium
U.S. Geological Survey Center
Reston, Virginia

December 8-9, 2009


Sponsored by

U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE


with support from

U.S. FOREST SERVICE


Introduction
 Registration
 Program
 		Accommodations


America presently faces serious consequences of its current, high-carbon energy portfolio. Unchecked climate change, pollution, and energy-security issues are some of the consequences. As America prepares for its energy future, a broader range of energy options -- including renewables -- will be evaluated. The energy choices made within the coming decades will have a critical impact on the environmental and economic future of America. It is imperative that natural resources professionals, scientists, engineers, policymakers and the commercial sector join together is assessing how renewable energy sources can best contribute to America’s energy portfolio.

A diverse mix of delegates attended the congress. Delegate diversity is a staple of RNRF's national meetings. Delegates learned about each renewable energy option, current scientific and operational impediments, and the most promising paths to commercial success. Congress objectives included:

•    Discussing the state of renewable energy in America including current federal programs.
•    Providing an overview of each renewable energy alternatives’ science and technology, environmental impacts, commercial barriers, and science needs.
•    Presenting an interactive forum to discuss solutions for overcoming barriers including multi-party collaboration opportunities.

Ample time for delegate participation was provided following each presentation, and the second day included facilitated breakout session for more in-depth dialog. Delegate findings and recommendations will be featured in the report of the congress.

The report of the congress will be provided to a variety of audiences including the U.S. Congress and its committees, federal agencies, state government (natural resource agencies and state legislatures), local and county governments, the scientific community (including RNRF’s member organizations), universities, industries based upon renewable natural resources, public interest and environmental advocacy groups, and the public. Other congress-related activities will be conducted following release of the report.



Program
Tuesday, December 8


8:00 am - 8:30 am
 Registration and Continental Breakfast


8:30 am - 8:40 am
 Welcome and Opening Remarks
Barry W. Starke, RNRF Chairman
Former President, American Society of Landscape Architects
Principal, Earth Design Associates



USGS Welcome
Sarah Gerould, Senior Program Officer - Science Policy, Planning and Review, U.S. Geological Survey and
Chair, RNRF Congress Program Committee


8:40 am - 8:50 am
 Congress Context and Goals
Robert D. Day, RNRF Executive Director


8:50 am - 9:30 am
 The Federal Plan: Creating America's Renewable Energy Portfolio
  and
Energy Distribution Overview

Tom Darin, Office of Electricity Delivery & Energy Reliability, U.S. Department of Energy [PDF presentation]



The speaker will provide an overview of the environmental, economic, and political factors that are forming the basis for renewable energy adoption in America (growing energy demand, climate change, job creation, pollution reduction, national security, etc.), and explain the administration's plan for creating a new renewable energy future.

The speaker also will describe the condition and capacity of America’s electrical grid system, and the technical, financial and political actions that will be required to rehabilitate and upgrade the system to accommodate current and future needs, including a robust mix of renewable energy alternatives.


9:30 am - 10:00 am
 Discussion and Questions


10:00 am - 10:20 am
 Break


10:20 am - 11:20 am
 Wind Energy Panel

Neil E. Rondorf, Vice President, Science Applications International Corporation  [PDF presentation]
  • a general overview of wind energy’s science and technology issues (applications, current and potential energy capacity, energy flow issues and spatial issues, etc.), and an explanation of the most pressing environmental impacts
Ray Brady, Manager, Energy Policy Team, Bureau of Land Management  [PDF presentation]
  • federal agency wind energy missions, programs, and administrative and financial challenges, and insights and/or recommendations regarding multi-party participation
James P. Lyons, Chief Technology Officer, Novus Energy Partners; and former GE Global Research Chief Engineer, Electronics & Energy Conversion  [PDF presentation]
  • how wind energy sources can reach their potential, and the greatest barriers (economic, technical, political) that constrain wind energy from meeting its safest and most effective potential


11:20 am - 11:45 am
 Discussion and Questions


11:55 am - 12:55 pm
 Lunch


12:55 pm - 1:55 pm
 Solar Energy Panel

Ken Zweibel, Director, GW Solar Institute, George Washington University  [PDF presentation]
  • a general overview of solar energy’s science and technology issues (applications, current and potential energy capacity, energy flow issues and spatial issues, etc.), and an explanation of the most pressing environmental impacts
Scott Stephens, Technology Manager, Solar Energy Technologies Program, U.S. Department of Energy  [PDF presentation]
  • federal agency solar energy missions, programs, and administrative and financial challenges, and insights and/or recommendations regarding multi-party participation
Kent Bakke, Continuum Energy Solutions
  • how solar energy sources can reach their potential, and the greatest barriers (economic, technical, political) that constrain solar energy from meeting its safest and most effective potential


1:55 pm - 2:20 pm
 Discussion and Questions


2:20 pm - 3:20 pm
 Hydroelectric Energy Panel

Brennan T. Smith, Program Manager, Wind and Water Power Technologies, EERE Program, Oak Ridge National Laboratory  [PDF presentation]
  • a general overview of hydroelectric’s science and technology issues (applications, current and potential energy capacity, energy flow issues and spatial issues, etc.), and an explanation of the most pressing environmental impacts
Kamau Sadiki, National Hydropower Business Line Manager, Headquarters, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers  [PDF presentation]
  • federal agency hydroelectric missions, programs, and administrative and financial challenges, and insights and/or recommendations regarding multi-party participation
Linda Church Ciocci, Executive Director, National Hydropower Association  [PDF presentation]
  • how hydroelectric sources can reach their potential, and the greatest barriers (economic, technical, political) that constrain hydroelectric energy from meeting its safest and most effective potential


3:20 pm - 3:45 pm
 Discussion and Questions


3:45 pm - 4:00 pm
 Break


4:00 pm - 5:00 pm
 Geothermal Energy Panel

Roy Mink, Board Member, U.S. Geothermal and Nevada Power; consultant, water and geothermal energy  [PDF presentaton]
  • a general overview of geothermal energy’s science and technology issues (applications, current and potential energy capacity, energy flow issues and spatial issues, etc.), and an explanation of the most pressing environmental impacts
Brenda S. Pierce, Program Coordinator, Energy Resources Program, U.S. Geological Survey  [PDF presentation]
  • federal agency geothermal energy missions, programs, and administrative and financial challenges, and insights and/or recommendations regarding multi-party participation
Karl Gawell, Executive Director, Geothermal Energy Association  [PDF presentation]
  • how geothermal energy sources can reach their potential, and the greatest barriers (economic, technical, political) that constrain geothermal energy from meeting its safest and most effective potential


5:00 pm - 5:25 pm Discussion and Questions


5:25 pm - 5:30 pm
 Concluding remarks


Wednesday, December 9


8:30 am - 9:00 am
 Continental Breakfast


9:00 am - 9:05 am
 Welcome / Overview of Agenda
Barry Starke


9:05 am - 10:05 am
 Biomass Energy Panel

Tom Richard, Professor, Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Director, Biomass Energy Center, Pennsylvania State University  [PDF presentation]
  • a general overview of biomass energy’s science and technology issues (applications, current and potential energy capacity, energy flow issues and spatial issues, etc.), and an explanation of the most pressing environmental impacts
Bill Hagy, Special Assistant and Director of Alternative Energy Policy, USDA Rural Development  [PDF presentation]  [National Biofuels Action Plan/October 2008]
  • federal agency biomass energy missions, programs, and administrative and financial challenges, and insights and/or recommendations regarding multi-party participation
Bill Holmberg, Chairman, Biomass Coordinating Council, American Council on Renewable Energy  [PDF presentation]
  • how biomass energy sources can reach their potential, and the greatest barriers (economic, technical, political) that constrain biomass energy from meeting its safest and most effective potential


10:05 am - 10:30 am
 Discussion and Questions


10:30 am - 10:45 am
 Break


10:45 am - 11:45 am
 Case Studies: Multi-party Dialogs



Speakers from two different multi-party efforts explain their interdisciplinary partnerships and programs, challenges they face, remaining obstacles, and advice for implementing new multi-party dialogs.
 
1) Wind Turbine Guidelines Advisory Committee

Cheryl R. Amrani, Fish and Wildlife Biologist, Division of Fisheries and Habitat Conservation, for David J. Stout, Chief, Division of Habitat and Resource Conservation, Fisheries and Habitat Conservation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service  [PDF presentation]

The committee provides advice and recommendations to the Secretary of the Interior on developing effective measures to avoid or minimize impacts to wildlife and their habitats related to land-based wind-energy facilities. Committee members represent the varied interests associated with wind energy development and wildlife management.


2) The Biomass Research and Development Board
 
Bill Hagy, Special Assistant and Director of Alternative Energy Policy, USDA Rural Development  [PDF presentation]

The board was created by the Biomass Research and Development Act of 2000, which was further amended by the Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008. The board's mission is to coordinate federal research and development activities relating to bio-based fuels, power, and products.


11:45 am - 12:15 pm
 Discussion and Questions


12:15 pm - 12:25 pm Explanation of Working Group Procedures


12:25 pm - 1:25 pm
 Lunch


1:25 pm - 1:55 pm
 Breakout Session I  /  Scientific, Technical, and Environmental Needs


2:00 pm - 2:30 pm
 Breakout Session II /  Developing Multi-party Partnerships


2:30 pm - 2:45 pm
 Break


2:45 pm - 3:15 pm
 Breakout Session III  /  Assessing National Policies and Programs


3:20 pm - 4:00 pm
 Working Group Synopses and Discussion


4:00 pm - 4:10 pm
 Concluding Remarks
Robert D. Day, RNRF Executive Director

Delegate Affiliations
 
        American Council on Renewable Energy
        American Geophysical Union
        American Meteorological Society
        American Society of Civil Engineers
        American Society of Environmental Engineers
        American Society of Landscape Architects
        American Water Resources Association
        Congressional Research Service / Library of Congress
        CH2M Hill
        Earth Design Associates
        Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
        GE Global Research
        George Washington University / Solar Institute
        Geothermal Energy Association
        National Hydropower Association
        Nevada Power
        North Carolina State University / College of Natural Resources
        Novus Energy Partners
        Oak Ridge National Laboratory
        Pennsylvania State University / Biomass Energy Center
        Public Lands Foundation
        Rare
         Second Nature
        Science and Technology Policy Institute
        Science Applications International Corporation
        Society for Conservation Biology
        Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry
        Society of Wood Science and Technology
        Solar Energy Industries Association
        Stearns and Wheler GHD
        U.S. Army Corps of Engineers / National Hydropower Business
        U.S. Bureau of Land Management
        U.S. Department of Agriculture / Rural Development / Foreign Agricultural Service
        U.S. Department of Energy
        U.S. Environmental Protecton Agency
        U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service / Habitat and Resource Conservation / Fisheries and Habitat Conservation
        U.S. Forest Service / Research and Development / Wood Education and Resource Center
        U.S. Geological Survey / Energy Resources Program / Biological Resources Division / Aquatic and Endangered Resources
        U.S. Geothermal
        University of Maryland
        Virginia House of Delegates
        The Wilderness Society


Program Committee


Chair:
Sarah Gerould, RNRF Board Member; Former Board Member, Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry; Senior Program Officer, Science Policy, Planning and Review, Biological Resources Discipline, U.S. Geological Survey

Members:
Tom Chase, RNRF Board Member; Director, Coasts, Oceans, and Ports Institute, American Society of Civil Engineers
Robert Day, RNRF Executive Director    
Richard Duesterhaus, RNRF Board Member; Former President, Soil and Water Conservation Society; Senior Advisor, National Association of Conservation Districts
Richard Engberg, RNRF Board Member; Technical Director, American Water Resources Association
Albert Grant, RNRF Board Member; Former President, American Society of Civil Engineers; Consulting Civil Engineer
Christopher Lant, RNRF Board Member; Executive Director, Universities Council on Water Resources; Professor of Geography, Southern Illinois University
Ronald D. McPherson, RNRF Board Member; Executive Director Emeritus, American Meteorological Society
Howard Rosen, RNRF Vice-Chairman; Former President, Society of Wood Science and Technology; volunteer, U.S. Forest Service
Nancy C. Somerville, RNRF Board Member; Executive Vice President, American Society of Landscape Architects
A. F. Spilhaus, Jr., Executive Director Emeritus, American Geophysical Union
Barry Starke, RNRF Chairman; Former President, American Society of Landscape Architects; Principal, Earth Design Associates

 Staff Liaison:
Ellen Vaughan, RNRF Program Director



For more information about the congress, contact RNRF at info@rnrf.org