Donna Bannon (631)632-6310

STONY BROOK, NY, November 4, 2010 – New York State’s leading energy organizations will highlight ambitious policies and initiatives for enhancing the state’s clean energy future at the Advanced Energy 2010 Conference scheduled for Nov. 8-9 at the New York Hilton in New York City.

Produced by the Advanced Energy Research and Technology Center (AERTC) at Stony Brook University, the conference will focus on clean and efficient energy practices and technologies for enhancing the state’s electric power system and for giving rise to major economic and environmental benefits. The major host sponsors of the conference are the New York Power Authority (NYPA), the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), General Electric and Stony Brook University.

“Next week’s Advanced Energy Conference is a can’t miss event for anyone interested in a future electric power industry that integrates the latest generation of clean energy technologies for increased renewable power supplies, reduced transmission congestion and power costs and improved electric service reliability,” said Robert Catell, chairman of the AERTC Board of Advisors and former chairman of National Grid, USA. “These technologies are essential for a 21st century economy, making it imperative that government and leading energy industry organizations marshal their efforts toward advancing them. This will be highlighted by the presentations, discussions and exhibits at the upcoming Advanced Energy Conference, which will mark the fourth year AERTC has held the event.”

Catell noted that in past years, the conference was held on Long Island, but the need for additional space to accommodate increased attendance and additional exhibits led AERTC to move the event to midtown Manhattan. Sponsor, exhibitor and registration information is available at www.aertc.org/conference2010

“We’re excited about the Advanced Energy Center Conference, which will provide an important forum on the latest clean energy technologies for expanding New York State’s renewable energy supplies, promoting a more efficient and ‘smarter’ electric power grid, and bringing new high-tech jobs to the state,” said Richard M. Kessel, NYPA president and chief executive officer, who will be one of the keynote speakers at the conference. “It’s vital to the interests of the state’s nearly 20 million residents for public- and private-sector resources to be mobilized to take full advantage of these technologies, with clean energy one of the fastest-growing sectors for creating jobs in the global economy. Forums like the Advanced Energy Conference help further this in spurring collaborative efforts for a healthier New York economy and environment. This is something that the New York Power Authority knows a thing or two about in the partnerships that we’ve formed with clean energy companies, government agencies and other key parties such as the Advanced Energy Center at Stony Brook.”

“The approaching conference will contribute to the efforts under way in New York State to advance the commercialization of the latest energy technologies for enhancing the reliability of the electric power system, saving energy, reducing carbon emissions and creating jobs in ‘green’ construction,” said Dr. Samuel L. Stanley, Jr., president, Stony Brook University. “We take pride in the Advanced Energy Center being located at Stony Brook and in the Center’s role for accelerating the development of job-producing clean technology ventures.”

“The Advanced Energy Conference will showcase the resources, funding opportunities, policies and people that make New York a great place for entrepreneurs to grow their clean energy businesses,” said Francis J. Murray, Jr., president and chief executive officer, NYSERDA, a public benefit corporation actively involved in all aspects of New York’s energy landscape.

“Aging infrastructures, increasing energy demand and sustainability concerns present our industry with a tremendous opportunity to drive global innovation,” said Bob Gilligan, vice president Digital Energy, GE Energy. “As the largest per capita consumers of energy in the world, the United States has both the opportunity and the responsibility to be at the forefront of this revolution. Our forward-thinking decisions today will deliver a secure, robust energy landscape tomorrow. GE is honored to sponsor the 2010 Advanced Energy Conference. Join us and showcase your commitment to modernizing the way we generate, deliver and consume energy.”

The Advanced Energy Center is undertaking important work for accelerating new energy systems, including “smart-grid” technologies for providing a more secure, reliable and efficient electricity network and making sure these technologies take root in New York State. The center, which earlier this year received critical funding from NYPA, hosts the New York State Smart Grid Consortium, a public-private partnership consisting of all of the state’s major power producers and distributors. Those organizations include the New York Independent System Operator, the New York State Public Service Commission, NYPA, NYSERDA and the New York State Foundation for Science, Technology and Innovation.

The efforts of these and other essential organizations are in line with New York’s “45 by 15” Plan for 45 percent of the electricity needs in the state to be met through improved energy efficiency and clean, renewable energy by 2015. Economic development is a prime driver of these efforts reflecting the enormous opportunities that exist for creating jobs through investment in the clean energy sector. It is estimated that attainment of the “45 by 15” goal would create 50,000 new jobs throughout the state.

The sponsoring organizations of the forthcoming Advanced Energy Conference are contributing to the state’s energy efficiency and clean energy goals in a variety of ways:

Advanced Energy Research and Technology Center is headquartered at Stony Brook University. The Advanced Energy Center is a true partnership of Academic institutions, Research institutions, Energy providers and Industrial Corporations. Its mission is innovative energy research, education and technology deployment with a focus on efficiency, conservation, renewable energy and nanotechnology applications for new and novel sources of energy. Construction on the Advanced Energy Center building in the Research and Development Park at Stony Brook University began in 2008 and is expected to be fully operational in fall 2010.

The New York Power Authority (NYPA), the nation’s largest state public power organization, is committed to finance over the next few years more than $1 billion in energy efficiency and clean energy improvements at public facilities throughout the state, doubling the amount it has invested in such initiatives since the early 1990s. Under Kessel’s leadership, NYPA is reviewing proposals from developers for major solar and wind power projects for increasing the state’s clean energy supplies while spurring economic development and job creation in high-tech and renewable energy industries. The initiatives include a statewide 100-megawatt (mw) solar project that would triple the current amount of installed photovoltaic (PV) capacity in the state and an up to 500-mw offshore wind project in the Great Lakes that is expected to be the nation’s first freshwater wind farm.

The New York State Energy Research Development Authority (NYSERDA) provides significant resources to support clean energy entrepreneurs through a variety of programs including six business incubators that have raised more than $11 million in capital over the last 15 months, an Entrepreneur in Residence program to help early stage companies grow, and a training program for Clean Tech Executives offered in conjunction with NYU POLY, among many other programs. In addition, NYSERDA has provided millions of dollars to help clean energy companies develop technologies, strengthen their businesses, and create jobs in New York State. In all of its initiatives, NYSERDA works to advance energy innovation and technology to transform New York’s economy and empower people to choose clean and efficient energy as part of their everyday lives.

GE (NYSE: GE) is a diversified infrastructure, finance and media company taking on the world’s toughest challenges.  GE serves the energy sector by developing and deploying technology that helps make efficient use of natural resources. With nearly 85,000 global employees and 2009 revenues of $40 billion, GE Energy www.ge.com/energy is one of the world’s leading suppliers of power generation and energy delivery technologies. The businesses that comprise GE Energy—GE Power & Water, GE Energy Services and GE Oil & Gas—work together to provide integrated product and service solutions in all areas of the energy industry including coal, oil, natural gas and nuclear energy; renewable resources such as water, wind, solar and biogas; and other alternative fuels. GE has very strong ties to the state of  New York, dating back to 1878.   3000 GE Energy employees are located in Schenectady.  Our Global Research Center in Niskayuna is one of the world's largest and most diversified industrial research organizations and has been the cornerstone of GE technology for more than 100 years.  It is now focused on developing breakthrough innovations in areas such as 21st century smart grid technology, molecular imaging and diagnostics, energy conversion, nanotechnology, advanced propulsion and security technologies.