Power-Gen RE 2006 opening reception: Jackie Jones, Editor of Renewable Energy World magazine, announces the acquisition of the London-based magazine by PennWell Corp. Jones will join PennWell; the magazine will continue to be run from the UK.

MONDAY -- After three years and phenomenal growth, the Power-Gen Renewable Energy conference hasn't lost the feeling of a small gathering of friends.

On arrival day, delegates wandered the cavernous Mandalay Bay Convention Center and cheerfully greeted old acquaintances. Many of us were looking for the registration desk (PGRE is dwarfed by the other conventions happening here).

Gradually, people dribbled into the expo hall for the opening reception. We partook of free drinks and snacks while exhibitors finished setting up displays.

ACORE president Michael Eckhart casually kicked off the event from a back corner of the show floor. He introduced sponsors and honorees until he had more VIPs than would fit beside him on the tiny riser.

REW now part of PennWell
PennWell, the event's organizer and owner of 13 magazines in the utility industry, announced the acquisition of Renewable Energy World magazine from its London publisher.

Renewable Energy World is a bi-monthly international magazine for the renewable energy industry. Its subscribers are involved in power generating utilities, government, manufacturing of renewable energy systems, and management of renewable energy sites.

Two other magazines were also part of the deal, including Cogeneration and On-Site Power Production, a possible competitor to Forester's Distributed Energy magazine.

The influence of U.S. ownership over these magazines is unpredictable. PennWell itself is quite international, with offices from Tulsa and Houston to Moscow and Hong Kong.

The Power-Gen RE conference starts in earnest on Tuesday morning with a two-hour keynote session. Energy Priorities is reporting live from the conference.