8:30 - 9:45 OPENING PLENARY

Welcome

  • Charlie Bryan, Idaho Ag Summit

  • David Clinton, Washington Rural Electric Cooperative Association

Introduction

  • Pat Takasugi, Director, Idaho State Department of Agriculture
  • US Senator Mike Crapo of Idaho and US Senator Larry Craig of Idaho
  • US Undersecretary for Rural Development Tom Dorr

9:45 - 11:00 PANEL: PROFILES IN SUCCESS

Top national experts overview a variety of successful projects

Moderator: Bob Narebout, Executive Director, Idaho Dairymen's Association
  • Wind Power - Larry Flowers, National Renewable Energy Labs
  • Biofuels - Jeff Graef, BBI International
  • Anaerobic Digesters - Sot Chimonas, RCM Digesters
  • On-Farm Energy - John Walden, National Center for Appropriate Technology

11:30 - 12:15 PANEL: FINANCING PROJECTS

Learn how rural clean energy projects are financed from professionals with direct experience

Moderator: Carel DeWinkel, Oregon Office of Energy
  • Anaerobic Digesters and Biomass - Win Peterson, Praeger, Cealy and Company LLC
  • Biofuels - Brian Thome, First National Bank of Omaha
  • Small Systems - Boyd Schweider, Farmer

12:30 - 2:00 LUNCH KEYNOTE

Get inspired by a Midwest farmer and key leader in organizing the nation's leading biofuel and wind power farmer cooperatives

Introduction: Gretchen Borck, Washington Association of Wheat Growers

  • Dave Kolsrud, Corner Stone Farmers Co-op, MN, "Farmer Co-ops for Wind and Ethanol"
  • US Representative George Nethercutt of Washington

2:15- 5:30 WORKING GROUP SESSIONS

Experts and farmers with direct experience with successful projects will walk you through the nuts and bolts of developing a project, such as assessing feasibility and economics, accessing technical and financial resources, and finding markets for power and co-products

Biofuels

Moderator: Jeff Graef, BBI International
  • Dave Kolsrud, Cornerstone Farmers Co-op
  • Carol Babb, Harris Group Inc
  • Tomas Endicott, SeQuential Biofuels
  • Howard Haines, Montana Department of Environmental Quality
  • Paul Mann, JR Simplot Company

Anaerobic Digesters

Moderator: John Crockett, Idaho Energy Division
  • Folker Hemmann, Farmatic

  • Sot Chimonas, RCM Digesters
  • Dennis Haubenschild (MN) & Kyle Gordon (WI), Dairy Farmers
  • Stan Davison, Energy Northwest

On-Farm Energy
  • Wind: Heather Rhoads-Weaver & Angela Shutak, NW SEED

  • Wind: Chuck Koch, Oregon Rural Action
  • Geothermal Heat: Kevin Rafferty, Oregon Institute of Technology’s Geoheat Center
  • Solar Stock Watering: Vicki Lynne, National Center for Appropriate Technology

Wind Power

Panel 1: "Wind Overview"
Moderator: Larry Flowers, National Renewable Energy Laboratory
  • Ron Lehr, Regional Transmission Organization
  • Tom Foley, Northwest Power Planning Council
  • Rachel Shimshack, Executive Director, Renewable Northwest Project
  • Steve Clemmer, Union of Concerned Scientists

Panel 2: "Development Options"
Moderator: Curtis Framel, US Department of Energy
  • Dave Warren, Last Mile Electric Coop
  • Bob Gough, Tribal Representative, Wind Powering America

Panel 3: "Northwest Case Studies"
Moderator: Tom Osborn, Bonneville Power Administration
  • Anne Walsh, Florida Power and Light
  • Dick Koenigs, Energy Northwest
  • Allan Barcley, Northwest Wind Power
  • Darin Huseby, SeaWest

6:30 DINNER OPTIONS

OPTION A: Idaho Ag Summit's Strolling Supper with Idaho Legislators

OPTION B: Harvesting Clean Energy Conference Dinner
  • Introductions: Dave Warren, Last Mile Electric Co-op
  • Bob Brown, Montana Secretary of State, "A Vision for Montana: Wind and Biofuels for Rural Economic Development"
  • Virinder Singh, PacifiCorp, "Wind Power in PacifiCorp's Future: The Clean Results of a Least-Cost Plan"

Day 2: TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 11

8:00 - 9:00 MORNING KEYNOTE
Moderator: Brent Olmstead, Executive Director, Milk Producers of Idaho 
  • John Prescott, Idaho Power, "The Future of Renewables in Idaho and How You Can Be a Part of It"
  • Dan Dorman, Minnesota legislator, "How We Helped Farmers Become Clean Energy Producers"

9:15 - 12:15 WORKING GROUP SESSIONS
Biofuels, Anaerobic Digesters and On-Farm Energy workshops repeat. Tuesday's Wind Session includes a special Idaho focus.

Panel 1: "Wind Overview & Development Options"
Moderator: Curtis Framel, US Department of Energy
  • Tom Osborne, Bonneville Power Administration
  • Larry Flowers, National Renewable Energy Laboratory

Panel 2: "Opportunities and Challenges for Medium to Large-Scale Commercial Wind Power Development in Idaho"
Moderator: Gerry Galinato, Idaho Energy Division
  • Michael Heckler, Windland, Inc
  • Robert Lewandowski, Owner, Lewandowski Farms
  • Peter Richardson, Richardson and O'Leary
  • John Prescott, Vice President, Power Supply, Idaho Power
  • Paul Kjellander, President, Idaho Public Utilities Commission
  • George Eskridge, Idaho StateRepresentative, District 1

12:30 GOVERNER'S AWARDS LUNCHEON

With Idaho Governor Dirk Kempthorne, sponsored by Windland and Idaho Sugar Beet Growers Association

2:00 - 4:00 POLICY WORKSHOP

Moderator: Senator Joe Stegener (R-Lewiston), Assistant Majority Leader, Idaho State Senate

Presentation of Northwest "Harvesting Clean Energy Action Plan"
  • Gretchen Borck, Washington Association of Wheat Growers
  • Rhys Roth, Climate Solutions

Panel of state-level leaders and policy innovators discuss policies they helped develop or implement that have proven effective in promoting clean energy production in rural communities.
  • Representative Don Dorman, Minnesota
  • Craig Clarke, Minnesota House Agriculture Finance & Rural Development Committee
  • Carel DeWinkel, Senior Policy Analyst, Oregon Office of Energy
  • Don Dixon, Senator Mike Crapo's Office
  • Sonja Ling, Renewables Northwest Project
  • Jeff Trucksess, Good Company Associates
  • Carol Werner, Energy and Environmental Study Institute

6:00 - 9:00 pm FARM BILL WORKSHOP
This interactive workshop by the Center for Rural Affairs is designed to help you navigate agriculture, energy and conservation funding opportunities in the new federal Farm Bill.