Over 1,600 attendees from 37 different countries gather for the largest annual meeting of the global geothermal community
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| The Opening Session of the 37th GRC Annual Meeting |
The Geothermal Resources Council (GRC), the world’s premier geothermal association, has completed a successful 37th GRC Annual Meeting at the MGM Grand, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.
At the Opening Session, GRC Annual Meeting Chair Andy Sabin welcomed the attendees from 37 different countries and relayed greetings from Senator Harry Reid of Nevada to the global geothermal community.
Senator Reid said it was his pleasure to welcome attendees to Las Vegas for the Geothermal Resources Council Annual Meeting and the Geothermal Energy Association (GEA) Geothermal Energy Expo 2013. He told of first seeing steam coming out of the ground when travelling in northern Nevada while growing up.
Louis E. Capuano, Jr., President of the GRC, spoke of the task facing attendees. “We have a duty to tell the true success story of geothermal by working together with other organizations. We can make this happen through education”.
President Capuano extolled the benefits of attending the meeting, and he suggested that the old saying, “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas” should be amended for the purposes of this meeting to “What happens in Vegas may benefit you and your project so take it with you”.
There was an overwhelming consensus that the event was a great success. The numbers tell the story. 843 attendees registered with the GRC for the Annual Meeting, including 97 students who attended for just $5. The registration included entry to the GEA Geothermal Energy Expo.
Over four days attendees were treated to nearly 150 technical presentations totaling 50 hours, bringing the latest research from around the world. On display were over 40 posters and the winners of the 34th GRC Photo Contest.
Around one hundred attended the pre-meeting workshops on Geothermal Power Plants and Exploration, and nearly 80 ventured out into the Nevada desert and to the Imperial Valley in California on GRC Fieldtrips to view some superb geology and geothermal power plants.
A highlight of the Annual Meeting, the Student Leadership Luncheon attracted more than 100 students and geothermal leaders to discuss job opportunities in the industry. In addition, the inaugural GRC Scholarships were awarded to Koenraad Beckers from Belgium, attending Cornell University in New York state, USA for his Ph.D. and Andrés Ruzo from Nicaragua, attending Southern Methodist University (SMU) in Texas, USA for his Ph.D. GRC President Louis Capuano also announced an increase in the GRC Scholarships to $15,000 a year over the next three years at the Opening Session.
Demonstrating the focus on international involvement at the meeting the GRC and GEA co-hosted the 6th International Luncheon with representatives from Ethiopia and Kenya reporting on the exciting developments in geothermal power in their countries. This popular event attracted 194 attendees.
The climax to the GRC Annual Meeting is the Annual Membership Meeting & Awards Luncheon where the GRC recognizes individuals for outstanding contributions to the Geothermal Resources Council and to the development of geothermal resources. The Joseph W. Aidlin Award was presented to Lucien Y. Bronicki of Ormat for lifetime achievement in the advancement of geothermal energy worldwide and for steadfast support of the Geothermal Resource Council. The Pioneer Award was presented to Gustavo Cuellar of El Salvador for his contributions and years of service to the Geothermal industry. Other awards were presented to individuals for a variety of achievements in the field of geothermal energy.
A popular networking opportunity, the annual GRC Charity Golf Tournament was held at the Angel Park Golf Club. Over 90 golfers played for charity with all profits going to the local chapter of the Make-a-Wish Foundation.
Held in tandem with the GRC Annual Meeting, GEA’s Geothermal Energy Expo featured 125 exhibits showcasing the latest in geothermal technological advancements. Around 800 attendees, including booth staff, guests and registrants, signed up for the trade show.