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Energy, technology conferences planned

Events expected to bring $1M in spending in Albany County

February 25, 2008

The Times Union – by Larry Rulison, Business writer

ALBANY -- The Capital Region is increasingly becoming a destination for energy and technology conferences, according to local tourism officials.

The Albany County Convention & Visitors Bureau said Wednesday that three major energy and tech conferences will be held in Albany County this year.

The three events, which have never previously been held here, will generate $1 million in direct spending locally, said Michele Vennard, chief executive officer of the Albany County Convention & Visitors Bureau.

The events include General Electric Co.'s annual technical conference for steam turbines and generators being held in July in downtown Albany ; a national wind energy conference being held in April, also in Albany , and an engineering conference being held in September in Colonie that will focus on green technologies and nanotechnology.

"It's all good business for sure," Vennard said.

The engineering conference is sponsored by BHR Group Ltd., a group of independent British technology companies. It will be held Sept. 15 to 19 at the Holiday Inn on Wolf Road .

The GE conference is being held July 8-10 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Albany .

The wind energy conference is being held April 14-16 at Empire State Plaza Convention Center .

Vennard said she and her staff are actively trying to lure more technology conferences, and she says the uptick in these types of events is due to the region's focus on renewable energy and nanotechnology at places like the University at Albany and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.