The Geothermal Energy Association (GEA) will showcase geothermal energy to members of the U.S. Congress and the public on June 12, 9:30am to 4:30pm, at the Sustainable Energy Coalition's (SEC) 16th annual Congressional Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency EXPO and Forum in Washington, DC. The event will be located in the U.S. House of Representatives' Cannon Caucus Room, the grandest room built for the House outside the Capitol. In its role as the voice of the geothermal industry in Washington, GEA will provide reports and visuals showing recent geothermal development activity in the U.S. as well as international projects involving U.S. companies. GEA's Annual US Geothermal Power Production and Development Report, released in April 2013 found that installed geothermal capacity in the United States grew by 5%, or 147.05 MW, since the last annual survey in March 2012. This considerable increase in capacity is part of a larger trend of steady geothermal growth over the past decade. Copies of the report will be distributed at the event. Karl Gawell, Executive Director of the GEA will speak at the program's forum, held in the House Veterans Affairs Committee Room, and GEA staff will be on hand in the Caucus Room to answer questions about geothermal energy. After federal lawmakers ignored the industry for several years, geothermal power got a new jump-start when Congress passed the 2005 Energy Policy Act. "In the first decade after EPAct, the U.S. is posed to add 1,000 MW of geothermal power, more than 10 times as much geothermal capacity as during the previous decade," according to Gawell. U.S. lawmakers continue to hold an essential key to the progress of geothermal energy development domestically. As new innovative technologies make geothermal more widely available than ever, more states are gaining from its benefits. Many Members of the U.S. Congress are working to support the industry for their constituents. The event is held in cooperation with Members of the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency Caucuses, and in partnership with the Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition, Congressional Energy Savings Performance Contract Caucus, High Performance Building Caucus, Green Schools Caucus, and Hydrogen & Fuel Cell Caucus. To date, Members of the U.S. Congress expected to speak are: U.S. Representative Chris Van Hollen, D-MD; U.S. Representative David G. Reichert, R-WA; U.S. Representative Paul Tonko, D-NY; and U.S. Representative Tony Cardenas, D-CA. Throughout the day experts on renewable energy and energy efficiency will discuss - in person and via live Webcast - the role sustainable energy technologies can play in meeting America's energy needs. More than forty sustainable energy industry trade associations, government agencies, businesses, and energy policy research organizations will join in the event to help address the role that sustainable energy technologies play as Congress, the Administration, the business community, environmental advocates, and American voters search for options to stimulate the economy and green jobs. The spectrum of renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies help to address issues of national security, higher energy costs, increased reliance on energy imports, and the environmental threats associated with energy consumption. The event is free and open to the public (no need to RSVP). A live Webcast will be streamed from 9:30 AM to 4:30 PM EST, on Wednesday, June 12 on the event's Web page. GEA is a member of the SEC. Founded in 1992, the SEC (Sustainable Energy Coalition) is composed of national business, environmental, and energy policy organizations supporting aggressive development of renewable energy and energy efficient technologies. The SEC acts as a facilitator to focus the message of advocacy, technical, and industry organizations to accelerate the development and implementation of sustainable, renewable energy, and energy efficiency technologies. 16th Annual Congressional Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency EXPO + Forum Geothermal Energy Association
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