What Will Sustain Rural Development: Is the Answer Blowing in the Wind?

On Wednesday, November 7, 2007, The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago’s Consumer and Community Affairs division, in co-sponsorship with The Land Institute and the Chicago Botanic Garden, will host a conference titled, “What Will Sustain Agriculture: Is the Answer Blowing in the Wind?” The conference will be held at the Chicago Botanic Garden, located at 1000 Lake Cook Road in Glencoe, Illinois.

This timely and interactive conference will provide a forum to explore the opportunity for developing affordable, renewable wind power and the potential impact on our Midwestern rural economies. Wind power is not only a clean, renewable energy source, but also a potential factor in promoting sustainable economic growth in rural areas by keeping some energy dollars within local communities, and by creating well-paying, wind-industry jobs. Progress with other renewable sources of alternative energy, such as solar, ethanol, and hydroelectric, will also be discussed.

The event will feature nationally recognized practitioners and researchers who are working toward harnessing wind power as a meaningful energy resource, as well as a means to promote rural economic development. Topics to be discussed include:

1. Moving Toward a Renewable Rural Economy by Dr. Wes Jackson, President, The Land Institute
2. With Abundant Renewable Choices – Where Will the Markets Be? by Walter V. Nasdeo, Director of Research/Head of Energy Technology, Ardour Capital Investments, LLC
3. Will Wind Power America? by Larry Flowers, Wind Powering America National Technical Director, National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)
4. Managing Climate Risk with Market-Based Tools by Jon A. Anda, President, Environmental Markets Network, and former Vice Chairman of Morgan Stanley
5. Technology Tools: The Importance of a Full Tool Box by Thomas S. Key, Technical Leuden Renewable and Hydro Power, Electric Power Research Institute
6. Afternoon panel presentations and conversation on wind and rural economic development with Lisa Daniels from Windustry, Kate Gordon of the Apollo Alliance, and Howard Learner of the Environmental Law and Policy Center

Dress Code
Dress code is business attire.

Location:
Chicago Botanic Garden
1000 Lake Cook Road
Glencoe, Illinois 60022
Phone (847) 835-5440
Home Page: www.chicagobotanic.org

Hotel – rooms reserved at:
Courtyard Marriott Chicago Deerfield
800 Lake Cook Road
Deerfield, Illinois 60015
Phone: (847) 940-8222
Fax: (847) 940-7741
Home Page: www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/chidf-courtyard-chicago-deerfield/

Attendees must make their own hotel reservations, the price of which is not included in the conference fee. There have been a number of rooms blocked for this event at a discount rate, and on a first-come, first-served basis. Please make your reservations promptly. To obtain these rates, hotel reservations must be made no later than Tuesday, October 30, and mention the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago Sustainable Agriculture Conference.

Registration Fee
The registration fee for this event is $80, which also includes meals and conference materials. Conference registration and payment deadline is Monday, October 29, 2007. Refunds are not available for this event. Space is limited to the first 200 registrants, so register early. Click here to register.

Payment
Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover credit cards are accepted.

Checks should be payable to the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago and mailed to:

Barbara Sims
Consumer & Community Affairs
Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago
Sustainable Agriculture Conference
PO Box 834
Chicago, Illinois 60690-9975