The American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) has announced that the WINDPOWER 2009 Conference & Exhibition will be held in Chicago next year, at the McCormick Place Convention Center from May 4 - 7, 2009 instead of Minneapolis which was the original location for the 2009 show but due to an unprecedented explosion in demand for exhibition space and hotel rooms the organisation was forced to find an alternative location. AWEA held WINDPOWER 2004 also in Chicago.