Two-day event to highlight renewable energy issues.

The Maui County Energy Expo 2007, a renewable energy forum, will be held at the Grand Wailea Resort Hotel and Spa on Thursday and Friday, Nov. 8 and 9.

The expo will include a keynote address by Ramsay Taum and remarks by U.S. Department of Energy’s William Parks, Jr., the Maui County Office of Economic Development (OED) announced recently.

Taum, who will speak on “Renewable Energy, Sustainability and Hawaiian Culture,” is External Relations and Community Partnerships director for the University of Hawai‘i School of Travel Industry and Management, executive director of “Sustain Hawai‘i” and director of O‘ahu Operations for the Hawai‘i Nature Center in Makiki.

Parks is currently serving as principal engineer and senior advisor to the Strategic Industries Division of the Hawai‘i State Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism (DBEDT), and is the deputy assistant secretary for Research and Development at the Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability, U.S. Department of Energy.

“The response to the Expo has been phenomenal,” said OED Coordinator Deidre Tegarden. “People have been very supportive of our efforts to bring together stakeholders from business, government and the community to address some very serious, yet promising issues on renewable energy.”

General admission for the two days is $75, including breakfast and lunch. For registration and conference information, or to sponsor a student, visit www.mauicounty.gov and click on “Energy Expo 2007” in the “What is New” box, or call Tegarden at 270-7710.

The Expo is presented by OED in partnership with Maui Economic Development Board.