Advancing Renewable Energy is designed to help create and strengthen partnerships and strategies necessary to accelerate commercialization of renewable energy industries and distribution systems, the crux of President Bush’s Advanced Energy Initiative.  Leaders from government and industry will address renewable energy topics such as Building Supply and Distribution, Encouraging Demand, Adapting and Building Infrastructure and Creating Effective Market Models and Partnerships.

In addition to Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman and Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns, the following conference keynote speakers have been confirmed to date: 

• Vinod Khosla, Founder of Khosla Ventures, Former Co-Founder of Sun Microsystems, and Former Partner of Kleimer, Perkins, Kaufield & Byers, a venture capital firm
• Robert W. Lane, Chairman of the Board, President, and Chief Executive Officer, Deere and Company
• Patricia A Woertz, President, Chief Executive Officer, and Member of the Board of Directors, Archer Daniels Midland Company
• James R. Woolsey, Vice President of Booz Allen Hamilton, and Former Director of the Central Intelligence Agency 

Attendance is open to the public. Anyone involved with renewable energy is encouraged to attend, including: transportation, finance, and investment officials; other Federal and State Government officials; and elected officials.  All attendees must register for the conference, including press, who may attend without charge.