Experts on renewable energy gather at the University of Missouri-Columbia on Wednesday for the fourth Advancing Renewables in the Midwest conference. Jay Hasheider, the Energy Services Supervisor for Columbia Water & Light, says a good deal of the focus will be on solar and wind power.

"We include, in terms of renewables, things like solar energy or wind energy or biomass and we also include energy efficiency," said Hasheider. "So, all of these are topics that would be, I guess you could say, fair game for the speakers to talk about."

While many renewable energy ideas are bound to be addressed, Hasheider says the greatest attention will be paid to large-scale projects.

"Most of the projects that we’re looking at I would call our utility scale type of things," Hasheider told the Missourinet. "What that means is that it would be projects that would have a large impact either through many people putting this on their homes or one large scale project."

A hydro project on the Mississippi River is among the ideas on the agenda. Hasheider sees the chance for experts to exchange ideas as very positive

"Conferences like this give people the ability to find out about the successful projects," said Hasheider. "Also, the big thing is that they get to network and talk to other people."

The one-day conference runs from 9:00 am to 4:30 pm.

Download/Listen: Steve Walsh report (:60 MP3)