Good morning, everyone. I would like to welcome you all to the Roundtable on the Development and Marketing of Advanced Energy Technologies in New York State. I would also like to welcome Assemblywoman Cohen and you to the Center of Excellence in Energy and Environmental Systems and express my appreciation to Ed Bogucz, Center Director, and his staff, for making all the arrangements so that we could hold the roundtable here. As many of you know, the Center is doing some amazing things in energy-related R&D, and I am excited that we can all meet here for this roundtable.

We have convened this roundtable, in part, because the current energy crisis highlights a growing worldwide need for comprehensive, sustainable energy and environmental policies. An industry centered around advanced energy technologies promotes the development and implementation of new and improved energy systems for environmental protection and the improvement of public health. Such an industry also promotes job creation in the R&D stages as well as in the manufacturing and installation of these advanced energy sources.

The need to promote this industry has perhaps never been greater than it is today, and it is crucial that government does what it can to enable the private sector and university researchers to conduct the research, make the discoveries, develop the technologies, and bring them to the public.

We need to nurture and enhance the environment that encourages critical R&D and that includes this type of dialogue where we can all discuss how to encourage the industry. One way government can promote change is through appropriate legislation. Last session, for example, I introduced four bills that would help engender a positive environment for the advanced energy technology industry.

Briefly, these bills would provide the following:

• Grants to small businesses and research institutions to translate discoveries and inventions into commercially viable products in New York State. (This bill passed the Assembly.)
• Tax credits for investing in the commercialization of technologies developed from universities within New York State.
• Grants to colleges and universities to work with small manufacturers in developing or designing new, or improving existing products, materials, prototypes or processes to improve productivity and competitiveness.
• Tax credits for the production and storage of biofuel.

These last three remained in committee and I anticipate all four coming up again this session.

Earlier this year, Assemblywoman Cohen chaired a roundtable in Brooklyn on alternative energy and I know she is looking forward to hearing more on the subject this morning. I would like to offer her the opportunity to welcome you at this point, and following Assemblywoman Cohen’s remarks, I am going to ask you all to introduce yourselves and then we can begin a discussion using the questions in front of you as a starting point.

As you share your perspectives and ideas, as well as needs and concerns, with us, the dialogue will undoubtedly take us in many different directions, including beyond the scope of the discussion questions, and that is perfectly fine.