[ozonemania]

Don't think this conference is anything new, but I didn't know that there were that many participants.

The CBC Show Dragon's Den is doing auditions for their upcoming shows at the trade show on Friday, I believe.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/...rticle1510897/

Globe 2010 'green-business' conference opens in Vancouver

David Ebner
Vancouver, BC — Globe and Mail update
Published on Wednesday, Mar. 24, 2010 3:27PM EDT

The City of Vancouver announced another green initiative Wednesday morning as it works to become the world's greenest city by 2020. Mayor Gregor Robertson was speaking at the opening of the Globe 2010, the biennial conference and trade show billed as the continent's largest and most important green-business gathering.

Mayor Robertson unveiled a program called the Corporate Climate Leaders Program. Working with Climate Smart, a Vancouver-based group created by Ecotrust Canada, the city will help businesses save money by cutting greenhouse gas emissions and tell their customers about it.

“If you're a Vancouver business and you want to go green, city hall is ready to partner with you to make it happen,” said Mayor Robertson.

Mayor Robertson was speaking on a panel to a packed conference hall that also featured Frank Wouters, the chief executive officer of Abu Dhabi's renewable power company which, Mr. Wouters announced, is looking to invest some of a new $265-million (U.S.) green fund in North American companies.

“We're exploring,” Mr. Wouters said in an interview after the panel discussion.

Abu Dhabi has already invested $250-million in clean technology, mostly in small chunks and often in solar power. However, no money has yet been put into companies in Canada or the United States, and Mr. Wouters said he wants to partner with local companies.

“We would not go alone,” said Mr. Wouters, who added that part of the strategy is to connect with expertise that can benefit Abu Dhabi.

B.C. has numerous companies involved in solar and wind, two areas in which Abu Dhabi has particular interest.

Globe 2010 – celebrating its 20th anniversary – takes place Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, and is expected to attract more than 10,000 participants from almost 100 countries.

The range of participants runs from large companies such as General Electric Co. and oil sands developer Cenovus Energy to many small firms and numerous governments, including many Canadian provinces and European countries.

Abu Dhabi's Masdar Power is the lead sponsor of Globe 2010, aiming to greatly increase its profile in North American green circles.

Abu Dhabi is one of the emirates that comprise the United Arab Emirates in the Persian Gulf and is the seat of the Emirati royal family and the UAE's government. Abu Dhabi is working to build a clean-technology hub in the city, to complement its massive oil holdings. Unlike the better-known emriate of Dubai, which has no significant oil and is building an international business and financial centre, Abu Dhabi controls roughly 10 per cent of the planet's oil reserves.

Atop Abu Dhabi's green ambitions is “Masdar City,” a totally green city to be built outside Central Abu Dhabi near the city's airport. Masdar City “aims to be the world's first zero carbon, zero waste, purpose-built modern city,” according to Abu Dhabi marketing material.

The city's hub would be a science and technology institute, with the goal of establishing a clean-technology cluster. To attract businesses, Masdar City will be a “special economic zone” where there will be no taxes, either for corporations, individuals or imports.