January 2008
Jones Raises Energy Security Awareness
The post-Cold War era has ushered in a new global energy paradigm, said General (Ret.) James L. Jones, President and CEO of the Institute for 21st Century Energy, in a January 8 speech to business leaders. Nations rich in oil and natural gas, including Venezuela and Russia, can monopolize and constrain essential supplies, Jones noted in a keynote address at a New York City conference sponsored by the investment banking firm Needham & Company. Jones also said terrorists in Nigeria and elsewhere pose a real threat to critical energy infrastructure. These challenges require the United States to develop a comprehensive, cohesive energy security strategy and to foster effective international cooperation on stable supplies for all nations, Jones remarked. All energy technologies—ranging from renewables to coal—will play an important role in meeting energy demand, which experts predict will grow between 50 and 60 percent globally by 2030.
Excerpts from General Jones’ speech:
If we don’t have the energy we need in the future, we could face higher prices at the gas pump or the electric meter, and perhaps even gas lines and rolling blackouts.
Just a few months ago, the Department of Homeland Security conducted an experiment that successfully simulated a cyber attack on a power generator. Experts involved in the experiment said that if a third of the country was without power for three months, the loss would total $700 billion–not to mention the threat to public health and safety.
Inadequate supplies and high prices are threatening our energy security and our family security. We see it today as the less affluent choose between filling up their cars and filling up their refrigerators.
Presidential Candidates Weigh In On Energy
This month, the Institute released its matrix on the energy positions taken by the 2008 presidential candidates. “Our matrix indicates that, generally, presidential candidates consider energy security of significant importance to the public. We hope that all candidates continue to speak out on what is clearly one of the most important issues of our time,” General Jones said. “Our next president must effectively articulate a strategic energy plan, be willing to back it up with strong action, and provide consistent leadership on the global stage if we are to avoid the serious problems that will most surely present themselves if we do not act responsibly. The time to do so is now.”
Institute Auto Event Draws Broad Interest
The interest in the Institute’s January 23 automotive technologies seminar in Washington D.C. is running high. It may be due in part to it being held the same week as the auto industry’s annual show in the nation’s capital and because the 2007 energy law signed last month by President Bush requires cars and trucks to be more efficient. Expert panelists from industry and government will discuss a variety of automotive technologies that are under development, the technical and market challenges they face, and when we can expect to see these technologies on the road. General Jones will deliver opening remarks at the forum and welcome speakers.
Jones Says $100 Oil Could Launch New Pricing Era
The widely anticipated $100 crude oil benchmark hit the market this month. General Jones said the news underscores the need for a concrete U.S. plan to secure adequate, affordable, and clean energy supplies for the next several decades. “High energy prices will become the norm without a comprehensive and common-sense energy policy,” General Jones said. “Leaders in the United States and elsewhere must work together to ensure that global energy supplies are affordable, diverse, and secure.”
In the Headlines
New York Times—S&P energy investments paid well in 2007
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/02/business/02markets.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
Salt Lake Tribune—gubernatorial adviser’s op-ed favoring oil shale, other domestic sources
http://www.sltrib.com/opinion/ci_7897701
Guardian—UK government to move ahead with nuclear incentives
http://politics.guardian.co.uk/green/story/0,,2237526,00.html
Fuel for Thought—energy facts to remember. This month, our thoughts focus on automotive technologies.
1. E-85 is the cleanest ethanol based fuel, but 30 states have less than 10 stations that sell it. Only two states, Minnesota and Illinois, have more than 100 E-85 stations.
2. Making hydrogen with renewable energy and using it in fuel cells may lead to pollution-free vehicles and cut U.S. dependence on foreign oil.
3. Electric vehicles have no tailpipe emissions, but they may increase emissions from power plants.
4. Aggressive driving can lower your gas mileage by 33 percent at highway speeds and by 5 percent around town.
5. Existing engine technologies can boost fuel economy between 5 percent and 13 percent.
Stay Tuned ...
For the unveiling of our redesigned Institute for 21st Century Energy Web site by January 15.