Leading energy suppliers meet to evaluate advanced technologies and recommend energy policies that most benefit consumers

WASHINGTON & CHARLESTON, S.C.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Jan. 6, 2006–The National Energy Marketers Association (NEM) has been invited by the South Carolina Research Authority (SCRA) to hold its annual Winter Executive Committee and Policy Development Meeting at the Trident Research Center in Charleston, SC on January 19-20. NEM’s Winter Meeting is held in January each year to identify and prioritize the issues, states and utilities that support market-based energy policies and encourage price and technology competition for homeowners and businesses alike.

“South Carolina passed a series of laws that leverage the state’s resources to capture technology dividends in the form of economic growth,” said Craig Goodman, president of NEM. “SCRA is becoming an important model for state-backed innovation and advanced technology policy. The key to a more reliable, efficient, and affordable energy future is innovation – new technologies and novel services. Innovation is being driven today by the number of educated consumers that state regulators allow energy suppliers to compete for and serve. Maintaining this pressure to innovate in a competitive environment is essential for the future of our industry and our economy,” said Goodman.

“NEM technology policy leaders are also reporting cost breakthroughs and technology advances that could help consumers fight the rising costs of energy,” said Bill Kinneary, Chairman of NEM’s Executive Committee, and Senior Vice President for Infinite Energy, a Florida-based competitive energy supplier. “Combining the rapid innovations in digital home communications with advanced energy management devices is a natural extension of our current technology trends,” added Rick Jones, Intel Corporation’s Chief Strategist for Government Programs.

In addition to mitigating energy price crises through innovation, the Executive Committee will formulate next steps for utilities that wish to exit from competitive market functions; analyze tax and jurisdictional issues arising from The Energy Policy Act of 2005, and recommend structures for competitive incentives to fund demand response, metering and energy information technologies.

“With strong support from both government and private industry, South Carolina is a fertile breeding ground for much of the nation’s most promising new technology,” said Bill Mahoney, President of SCRA. “We are pleased to host NEM’s Policy Development Meeting for 2006, and look forward to partnering with NEM to identify, support and promote energy industry innovation.”

On the evening of January 19th, SCRA will hold a special reception to introduce NEM executive committee members to South Carolina-based companies and university programs that are currently developing promising energy technologies. NEM and SCRA are both non-profit institutions committed to opening competitive markets for energy related products and services to encourage technology-driven economic growth.

Contact:
National Energy Marketers Association (NEM)
Craig Goodman, 202-333-3288
[email protected]
www.energymarketers.com