PORTLAND, ME  – April 7, 2011 – The Maine Wind Industry Initiative (MWII) announces the final agenda for the 2011 Wind & Ocean Energy Seminar. Scheduled for April 13-14 at the Wyndham Portland Airport Hotel, the two-day conference will focus on how Maine companies can capture new business and create jobs from the opportunities in the expanding wind and ocean energy markets.

Conference sessions include:

• Opportunities and Outlook for North American Wind and Ocean Energy
• Developing Composites in Offshore Wind
• Wind Turbine Supply Chain
• Opportunities and Issues for North East Offshore Development
• Offshore Wind Service Vessel Needs and Opportunities
• Maine Tidal Energy Project: The Largest Ocean Energy Device Deployed in the US

“Maine is uniquely positioned to be a leader in the offshore wind and ocean energy markets. We have the greatest potential for wind energy development of the entire northeast, and expertise in marine services and composites development,” says Paul Williamson, Director and Industry Coordinator, MWII. “This two-day conference will help Maine businesses understand the opportunity, meet industry players, and position their companies to capture new business.”

The event is a Composites World conference, produced by Gardner Publications in association with the Maine Composites Alliance and the Maine Wind Industry Initiative. For a complete brochure of the two-day conference, visit http://www.compositesworld.com/conferences/2011-wind-and-ocean-energy-seminar

Registered press can contact Paul Williamson for a pass to attend the two-day event by calling 207.242.3521, or emailing pw@mainewindindustry.com

About The Maine Wind Industry Initiative (MWII)

The Maine Wind Industry Initiative was created to develop opportunities for Maine industry in the growing wind industry in the Northeast United States, and to support Maine’s efforts to become a major energy supplier to the northeast corridor. MWII identifies and documents industry needs, pursues market opportunities on behalf of Maine industry, and assists the State in leveraging its considerable natural resources to the benefit of the State. For more information, visit http://mainewindindustry.com/

Contact

Paul Williamson

Maine Wind Industry Initiative

207.242.3521

pw@mainewindindustry.com

or

Alison Harris

Harris Media Services

207.829.4500

alison@harrismediaservices.com

Some areas that he will be discussing are as follows: 

IRS Small Business and Self-Employed Tax Center

E-News for Small Businesses – free electronic mail service designed to provide tax information for small business owners and self-employed individuals.

Small Business Events – Find workshops and phone forums on a variety of topics for small businesses.

IRS Videos and Other Educational Products – Learn about business taxes on your own time, and at your own pace.

Small Business Resources – links to a broad range of resources across federal and state agencies.

New Benefits for Small Employers Who Provide Employee Health Insurance

Two New Benefits That Aid Employers Who Hire and Retain Unemployed Workers

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009

The Annual Rural Maine Small Business Conference and Business To Business Show will be held in Dover-Foxcroft at the Penquis Higher Education Center located at 50 Mayo Street.

The purpose of the conference is to help foster the success of microenterprises and small businesses in the greater Piscataquis County area and all of rural Maine. The conference expects to attract over 100 micro & small business owners.

Remember to bring your business card for some great networking opportunities 

The Rural Maine Small Business Conference’s sponsors and partners are Penquis, MaineStream Finance, Piscataquis County Economic Development Council, Penquis Higher Education Center, James Macomber’s Maine’s Best Web & Media Design & Green Web Hosting, Hall Web Services, Small Business Administration, Piscataquis Chamber of Commerce, Moosehead Lake Chamber of Commerce, Maine Woods Tourism Training Initiative, Maine Woods Consortium, Betterment Fund and USDA Rural Development

 Scholarships are still available.  To register go online at ruralmainebiz.org and click “Registration” then choose online or go to http://www.ruralmainebiz.org/Registration.html . 

FMI: ruralmainebiz.org

Contact persons: Sheree Brown or James Macomber

Phone: 564-7116 or 1-800-215-4942

Email: sabrown@penquis.org or jmacomber@penquis.org