Up until recently, renewable energy conferences have been fairly siloed. The energy policy people rarely attend the science-heavy R&D summits, and vice versa. Industrial engineers and technologists from one sector rarely cross over to another, and while the venture capitalists might covertly attend a technology or R&D event, no one EVER gets to go to the VC events. 

 

The first ever Global New Energy Summit in New Mexico next month hopes to change all that. Though the event is put together by the Rocky Mountain Technology Alliance, the scope of the event is far from regional. World leaders from all four corners of the new energy universe — venture capital, research, policy and industry — will come together in snowy Santa Fe to solidify a cross-collaborative network whose aim is to accelerate the funding, development and implementation of renewable technologies. 

 

The speaker list is a bit daunting. Senator Dominici, directors of both major research labs — Sandia and Los Alamos — directors of the Energy Policy Institute & Santa Fe Institute, CEO's of biofuel, wind and solar companies, directors of EPRI (Electric Power Research Institute) and NREL (National Renewable Energy Lab), leading cleantech venture capitalists, utility companies, university academics, and on and on.

 

It's a remarkable gathering which promises to be fruitful for those working to integrate the complex jigsaw puzzle that emerges as we collectively seek a sound and sustainable energy future. I'll be attending and documenting the proceedings. 

 

It won't, I imagine, be without controversy. The nuclear and oil industries will be represented alongside their more green solar and biofuels compatriots, the leading developments in each field presented together. It will be interesting to see how this diverse group gets along. I'll be blogging and twittering the event, and if you can make it out to Santa Fe, you can register for the event here.

 

Check out my list of the top 10 green technology events happening this spring.