WASHINGTON, Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2008 - Adding a market-transforming dimension to the unique networking and high-level talks designed to scale up renewable energy throughout the U.S. and the world, the U.S. government has approved more than 75 Official Side Events to occur alongside of the Washington International Renewable Energy Conference and its co-located Trade Show at WIREC 2008, March 3-7, 2008 in Washington.

The WIREC 2008 events are hosted by the U.S. Government and will build on previous international renewable energy summits held in Bonn in 2004 and Beijing in 2005. Leaders from around the world will address such topics as the benefits of large-scale renewable energy deployment on energy security; climate change; air quality and economic growth; multiple policy options and best practices that encourage and enable accelerated renewable energy up-take; and advancing the networks and partnerships to explore and initiate renewable energy projects.

"Each of these Official Side Events will have the opportunity to introduce novel thinking about cost-effective ways to grow renewable energy portfolios in the more than 80 countries expected to participate in WIREC and the Trade Show," said Reno L. Harnish, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Oceans, Environment Science Bureau at the Department of State.

"These events offer a less formal setting that all WIREC and Trade Show registrants may actively participate in, and we encourage them to speak up and be heard in more than one Official Side Event," added Michael Eckhart, President of the American Council On Renewable Energy (ACORE). The American Council On Renewable Energy (ACORE) and leading U.S. renewable energy trade associations will host the Trade Show to be co-located with WIREC 2008.

The purpose of the WIREC 2008 Official Side Events and Official Side Event Workshops will be to enhance participants' capacity and knowledge across WIREC's thematic areas, while offering a unique opportunity to advance the goals of energy security, climate change mitigation, and sustainable development.

Government, non-profit, academic and private sector leaders in renewable energy from Africa, Asia, the European Union, Latin America and North America are poised to supplement the WIREC ministerial-level meetings and the Trade Show with innovative perspectives highlighting a variety of forms of renewable energy. Organizations participating in the Official Side Events at WIREC will feature national, multi-lateral and government-to-business initiatives through panel discussions and interactive workshops.

The list of approved Official Side Events can be found at http://www.americanrenewables.org/about_official_side_events.htm.

To view the list of confirmed speakers for the Ministerial Meeting at WIREC 2008, visit: www.wirec2008.gov..

For a full listing of the speakers confirmed for the Business Conference at WIREC 2008, please visit http://www.americanrenewables.org/full_program.htm.