WASHINGTON, Thursday, August 10, 2006 -- Keynote speakers have been confirmed for Advancing Renewable Energy: An American Rural Renaissance, a conference hosted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) that will take place October 10-12, 2006, at America's Center in St. Louis, Missouri.

Advancing Renewable Energy is designed to help create and strengthen partnerships and strategies necessary to accelerate commercialization of renewable energy industries and distribution systems, the crux of President Bush's Advanced Energy Initiative. Leaders from government and industry will address renewable energy topics such as Building Supply and Distribution, Encouraging Demand, Adapting and Building Infrastructure and Creating Effective Market Models and Partnerships.

In addition to Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman and Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns, the following conference keynote speakers have been confirmed to date:

• Vinod Khosla, Founder of Khosla Ventures, Former Co-Founder of Sun Microsystems, and Former Partner of Kleimer, Perkins, Kaufield & Byers, a venture capital firm
• Robert W. Lane, Chairman of the Board, President, and Chief Executive Officer, Deere and Company
• Patricia A Woertz, President, Chief Executive Officer, and Member of the Board of Directors, Archer Daniels Midland Company
• James R. Woolsey, Vice President of Booz Allen Hamilton, and Former Director of the Central Intelligence Agency

Attendance is open to the public. Anyone involved with renewable energy is encouraged to attend, including transportation, finance, and investment officials; other Federal and State Government officials; and elected officials. All attendees must register for the conference, including press, who may attend without charge. Attendees and press can register online at http://www.AdvancingRenewableEnergy.com.