WASHINGTON, January 10, 2008—The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) is partnering with the State of Georgia and the Coosa Valley Regional Development Center to sponsor the conference Renewable Energy and Energy Efficient Technologies, to be held January 23–25, 2008, in Rome, Georgia. The conference is designed to enhance understanding of alternative energy production and new conservation technologies.

Participants will gain the knowledge to:

• determine if a biofuel processing industry is feasible for their communities
• generate energy revenues from publicly owned facilities
• develop training programs for the next generation of energy workers
• institute programs that may eliminate air quality non-attainment restrictions

The conference will also provide participants with opportunities to network and develop toolkits to move renewable energy to the forefront in the Appalachian Region.

In 2006, recognizing the Appalachian Region's role as an important source of the nation's energy resources, ARC released Energizing Appalachia: A Regional Blueprint for Economic and Energy Development. In April 2007, ARC held the conference Clean Coal Opportunities for Appalachia in Lexington, Kentucky.

A conference agenda and online registration are available at www.cvrdc.org/ARCC. Additional information is available from the Coosa Valley Regional Development Center at (706) 295-6485.