As energy prices soar and global warming emerges as a major threat, it is increasingly clear that New York State must start working toward a clean energy future. But what should that future look like? The sun and wind offer inexhaustible energy supplies, but photovoltaic cells and wind farms raise important questions about siting and connectivity. Meanwhile, climate change has reframed the debate around nuclear energy, which is highly controversial but also carbon-free.

The New York League of Conservation Voters Education Fund will help sort through these complex issues this fall by hosting the first in a series of policy forums "Greening the Empire State." Together with NYU's Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service and its Institute for Civil Infrastructure Systems, NYLCVEF will be hosting three events that lay out the facts about solar, wind and nuclear energy in the context of New York State. We'll hear from policymakers, regulators, industry insiders and financial experts who will discuss the pros and cons of each technology.

Powering the Future: Solar

The sun is an abundant and free source of power that annually bathes our planet in an enormous amount of energy. The sun powers everything from hot water heaters to calculators and futuristic cars.

But can this vast resource be cheaply harnessed to meet the growing energy needs of New York State? Can solar energy make the leap and become a cornerstone of a clean energy future?

Join us for a heated discussion about the future of solar power.

Together with our co-host, New York University's Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service and its Institute for Civil Infrastructure Systems, we will set the stage for experts to lay out the facts about solar power.

Our panel will be moderated by Matthew Sollars, distinguished energy reporter for Crain's New York Business, and will feature the following energy experts:

• Paul DeCotis; Deputy Secretary for Energy, Office of Governor David Patterson
• Jody Durst; Co-President, Durst Organization
• Ashok Gupta; Air and Energy Program Director, National Resources Defense Council
• Anthony Perieria; CEO, altPOWER
• Randolph Price; Vice President of Environment, Health and Safety, Con Edison
• Gil Quiniones; Executive Vice President, New York Power Authority