Proceedings - Biomass South 2008
Ken Nemeth, Executive Director, Southern States Energy Board
Ken Nemeth has served as the Southern States Energy Board’s Secretary and Executive Director since February 1975. He is responsible for the direction, formulation, development, demonstration, and implementation of all Board programs. This includes the Southeast Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnership, the largest of seven regional initiatives funded by the U.S. Department of Energy with over 100 members. During Mr. Nemeth’s tenure, the Board has undertaken initiatives in a wide range of energy and environmental policy and technology areas. These include the creation of international partnerships and coalitions for clean energy, environmental protection, and economic development. His diplomatic and political skills have facilitated joint partnerships throughout the world. In the 1970's, he was responsible for developing a partnership with the state of Nuevo Leon, Mexico, to examine the potential for importing natural gas. During the 90's his leadership enabled the southern region to develop successful collaborative initiatives with the Republic of Uzbekistan, the Federative Republic of Brazil, the Industrial Estates Authority of Thailand, and the Republic of Viet Nam. Mr. Nemeth currently serves as a member of the National Coal Council and numerous boards, organizations, task forces, and partnerships representing energy and environmental strategies and technologies. His service to the region is acclaimed with honors and awards throughout the country. Mr. Nemeth is a graduate of the Florida State University in Tallahassee, Florida.
Southern States Energy Board: Leadership for Solutions in Developing Our Energy Future
Notes:
- We are here to develop regional solution, biomass research policy, regional strategies in order to have cleaner energy future
- South has been plagued by fragmentation...it's time to increase our cooperation to displace petroleum
- Extend tax credit through 2009 for wind & through 2020 for biomass
- Senate $17 billion tax package, $800 million in new clean renewable energy
- SSEB: 16 states & 2 territories, members: governors of these states
- Energy Security Study: establish leadership initiative
- Because of excessive dependence on imported oil from OPEC, supply disruptions by natural disasters
- Feedstock potential
- US needs a multifaceted biofuels strategy
- Pursue closer integration with Southern America
- Provide education & outreach & financial incentives to switch to biofuel vehicle
- Biopower facility have existed for a long time
- Biomass co-firing allows existing power plants to produce renewable energy
- The National Biomass Partnership: collaboration of four regional biomass effort
Thanks to Sarah Ashton, Rachel Cook, Lindsey Hannum, James Jeuck, Liwei Lin, James McCarter, Susan McIntyre, and Mark Megalos for providing notes and summaries for presentations.
Table of Contents
