WINDPOWER 2008 is the place to learn about the future of wind as it relates to energy.
"I think you see folks from the oil and gas industry that are embracing renewable energy as part of their portfolio and renewable energy is going to be a part of the overall energy mix," Stephen Miner, WINDPOWER 2008 representative, said.
West Texas is booming with wind farms. For two years now, Texas leads the nation in wind energy, producing enough to power the equivalent of 1.5 million homes.
"[Texas is] one of the states that's leading the country in installing wind power, plus it has a great wind source out west," Thiesmann said.
In addition to the 800 exhibitors and educational sessions, there is an undercurrent of a message blowing through the hall -- wind is on the rise. The goal of the industry, as more foreign companies invest in U.S. projects, is to up wind energy from just one percent of energy consumed to 20 percent by the year 2030.
"There's a game plan to move forward," Miner said. "And so we're really excited about that new direction."
And what better place to do that than from the energy capital of the world?
If you're interested in checking out the convention yourself, there's a public session from 4 PM to 6 PM on Tuesday afternoon at the George R. Brown Convention Center with an entry fee of just $5 per person.
