Breezing past all of its early projections, the American Wind Energy Association drew a record 13,000 people to its WINDPOWER 2008 Conference and Expo held in June at the George R. Brown Convention Center, in Houston, Texas, a near doubling of last year's turnout of 7,000. The four-day conference held in June, delivered an estimated economic impact of $12.8 million for Houston, featured 776 exhibitors—nearly twice the 2007 number of companies—and virtually filled the quarter-mile-long George R. Brown Convention Center in downtown Houston.

"We knew that WINDPOWER 2008 was going to be big and we had planned for a lot of growth, but our plans were blown out of the water by the interest in wind energy," said Randall Swisher, executive director of American Wind Energy Association. "We had to expand the show floor several times."

When it comes to commitment to wind energy, the George R. Brown Convention Center, and the city of Houston, Texas, appears to be leading by example. An estimated 20 percent of all energy currently purchased by the City of Houston comes from alternative sources, which in Texas is 99 percent wind power. By July, all George R. Brown Convention Center energy needs will come from the 20 percent allocation, meaning the convention center will be powered 100 percent by green power. "Our city is, of course, the energy capital of the world, and it's only fitting that the eyes of alternative energy turned to Houston during this time of rapid expansion for the industry," said Luther Villagomez, General Manager, George R. Brown Convention Center.

(photography: Bruce Bennett)