Delahunt To Keynote Forum On Renewable Energy

09/11/2007

WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Bill Delahunt will be the featured speaker at the Southern New England Enterprise Forum’s (SNEEF) meeting on Renewable Energy which will be held this Thursday September 13, 2007 at UMASS-Dartmouth’s Advanced Technology and Manufacturing Center in Fall River, MA.

“The development of offshore renewable energy such as wave, tidal and wind has the potential to serve as an economic boost to southern New England while also making our region more energy independent.” Delahunt said. 

Last spring, Delahunt signed on as an original co-sponsor of the “Marine and Hydrokinetic Renewable Energy Promotion Act” which provides loans for the development of new marine technologies and extends renewable energy tax credits to such utilities.  It also would pump $50 million a year into marine-energy research for 10 years to help overcome hurdles such as integrating power generated into the grid and creating infrastructure than can survive in harsh marine environments.  Delahunt is also a supporter of legislation that promotes the establishment of marine renewable energy centers and is interested in establishing one in Massachusetts as a way to spur economic development in the Buzzards Bay region. 

The Southern New England Enterprise Forum is a newly formed group composed of businesspeople that are dedicated to developing entrepreneurship and venture activity. This meeting will focus on encouraging the development of offshore renewable energy.  SNEEF is initially supported by the University of Massachusetts ATMC but directed by a Board with broad experience from throughout the region. Board members include Robert Crowley, a founder of the MIT Enterprise Forum and President of the Massachusetts Technology Development Council; William Jackson, founder of the Brown Forum and Board Member of the Regional Technology Development Center of Cape Cod; Carol Malysz, Director of the Center for Women and Enterprise Rhode Island; Toby Stapleton, Director of the International Trade Assistance Center; and others.

The meeting will start with a networking Clambake by the Lake, followed at 6:00pm by the formal program. The cost is $20 in advance; $25 at the door. Reservations may be made by calling the Program Director, Colleen Powers at 508-910-9823 or cpowers@usmassd.edu. For more information, please visit SNEEF’s website at http://www.sneef.umassd.edu.

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