NEWEEP Conference & Workshop, June 7, 2011

The New England Wind Energy Education Project (NEWEEP) welcomes you to the 2011 Conference & Workshop registration process. Please click on the link under Conference & Workshop Overview to view the draft agenda.  

Conference & Workshop Overview

Click here to download a Draft Agenda

Click here to download the Preliminary Detailed Agenda with Speakers

NEWEEP's one-day conference is scheduled on Tuesday, June 7, 2011 at the Best Western Royal Plaza in Marlborough, MA; a location selected as central for access to participants throughout New England.

NEWEEP's premise is that wind energy has benefits and that responsibly-sited wind power has a role to play in New England, but, not every place is the right place for wind generation. NEWEEP's mission is to seek and make available the best information possible to support good wind siting decisions.

The conference & workshop will focus on presenting and discussing balanced information relevant to issues of importance to individuals and communities affected by wind energy proposals throughout New England, including environmental and economic benefits as well as siting concerns. Our goal is to ensure that participants know where to go to obtain the latest research, identify areas where more research is needed, and identify strategies for advancing the NEWEEP mission.

The conference & workshop will start with presentations and discussion panels. In addition, facilitated breakout sessions will allow participants to collectively brainstorm issues associated with wind development, siting, and permitting, and to identify areas where more credible research is needed and how to oversee and fund it. The subject matter is geared to be inclusive and accessible to a broad audience.

Help NEWEEP Prioritize Workshops A-D!
Pre-Conference Questionnaire:

NEWEEP is excited to offer all conference registrants the unique opportunity to help the conference planners prioritize the afternoon workshop topics. We are asking all registrants to respond to this brief ANONYMOUS questionnaire to provide us with feedback to rank workshop topics in order of importance and ensure that we have not missed other topics important to you for potential inclusion in the workshop discussions. Although you will only be attending one of the four workshops, we encourage you to provide feedback on all workshops.The survey should take less than 12 minutes.

Click here to complete the NEWEEP Workshop Questionnaire

Who's Attending:

The Conference & Workshop is intended for:

• Policy implementers - including state, regional and local regulatory/planning authorities, municipal officials (e.g. selectman, planning board, board of health, etc.), siting and permitting officials and staff;
  
  
• Policymakers - including legislators, politicians and regulators;
  
  
• Engaged citizens - including those impacted by existing or planned wind power projects, members of local energy committees, and community organizations either supportive of or concerned about wind energy in their midst;
  
  
• Educators, students, utitlity representatives, the press, and members of the general public interested in learning more about wind energy;
  
  
• The wind development community.

Cancellation Policy

Conference & Workshop registration cancellations will be accepted through May 16, 2011. In lieu of canceling a registration, a registrant may send a substitute in his or her place. To request a cancellation or to change the registrant, please send an email to the event planner at info@neweep.com. 

Overnight Accommodations 

We are pleased to announce that we have reserved blocks of rooms at reduced rates at the conference location and two other hotels in Marlborough. All hotels are within 1.5 miles of the conference. After the deadlines, discounted rates will be honored pending room availability. 

Best Western Royal Plaza (Conference Location)
181 Boston Post Road West
Marlborough, MA 01752
(508)-460-0700
NEWEEP Discounted Rate: $89.00+tax
Rooms will be held for Mon, June 6th until June 6th.
To reserve a room please call (508)-460-0700 and indicate you will be attending the New England Wind Energy Conference on June 7th under the NEWEEP room block.

Marriott Courtyard in Marlborough
75 Felton Street
Marlborough, MA 01752
(508) 480-0015
1.1 Miles from Conference Center
NEWEEP Discounted Rate: $129.00+tax
Rooms will be held for Mon, June 6th until May 9th. To reserve now with the discounted rate, please click on this link:
Reserve a room at the Marriott using the NEWEEP Discounted rate

If you need to reserve a room after May 9th, the discounted rate link should not be used. Please contact the front desk at (508) 480-0015 and indicate you will be attending the New England Wind Energy Conference on June 7th and if rooms are available, the discounted rate will be honored.

Holiday Inn and Suites
265 Lakeside Ave
Marlborough, MA 01752
(508) 481-3000
1.5 Miles from Conference Center
NEWEEP Discounted Rate: 110.00+tax
Rooms will be held for Mon, June 6th until May 24th. To reserve now with the discounted rate, please click on this link:
Reserve a room at Holiday Inn & Suites using the NEWEEP Discounted rate

If you need to reserve a room after May 24th, the discounted rate link should not be used. Please contact Sue in the Sales department at (508) 481-3000 and indicate you will be attending the New England Wind Energy Conference on June 7th and if rooms are available, the discounted rate will be honored.

Conference & Workshop Sponsors

Thank you to our sponsors for their generosity which has helped NEWEEP cover the operating costs of the event, keep registration fees low and to continue the NEWEEP mission.

A Word about Our Sponsors:

You will notice the absence of wind power industry associations, manufacturers and developers from our sponsor list. The Steering Committee has not sought sponsorship support for NEWEEP or this conference from entities whose prospects are most directly linked to specific wind siting outcomes. Ideally, the NEWEEP effort would be supported exclusively through government, foundation and non-profit sources. However, with tight budgets all around, opening sponsorship more broadly is necessary to provide NEWEEP with adequate funds to host the NEWEEP conference and webinars, and to make the conference attendance affordable. In order to achieve the necessary funding targets, the Steering Committee also sought sponsorship from technical service firms and law firms whose services are, in principle, available to any interested party, and whose compensation is not typically tied to a specific siting outcome. While some of the conference sponsors work largely or even exclusively for the wind development sector, our sponsorship approach is necessary to accommodate current financial realities. The challenge to funding this effort brings to light a broader challenge to be explored in one of the afternoon workshop sessions: how to fund a credible and independent research effort when sources of funding from those other than the industry are scarce?

Mass Energy Donates RECs to the NEWEEP Conference & Workshop

The electricity for this event has been matched by local, clean wind power. Through the New England Wind Fund, Mass Energy is able to provide the financial support needed to secure contracts for wind projects. It is the only tax deductible clean energy option in Massachusetts available to all residents and businesses. Contact Mass Energy at 617-524-3950 for more information.