This year's Forum provides an opportunity for those interested in the larger programmatic solutions offered by the Department of Energy to brief conference participants on new initiatives. Keynote speakers and panels focused on the DOE's Investment in the Future, Revolutionizing the Consumer and Automotive Market, and Investing in Advanced Energy Solutions will be highlighted throughout the Forum.
In an effort for the audience to get the most out of these sessions, we encourage questions. To submit a question for consideration, please select a panel from the menu below and specify your question. We will pick from among those submitted to ask the Panelists during the event.
Panel:
Question:
Panel 1: DOE's Investment in the Future: A Sampling of Energy Security Initiatives
Solar Energy
“The Solar Energy program focuses on research and
deployment of solar power that will reduce our demand
for natural gas and promote a cleaner environment.
Through the Solar America Initiative (SAI), the
Solar Program is accelerating the market competitiveness
of solar electricity as industry-led teams compete
to deliver photovoltaic (PV) systems ($137.3 million)
that are less expensive, more efficient, and highly reliable.
By focusing on PV manufacturing and systems integration
issues, the program estimates that progress
toward its cost could aid in the deployment of 5–10
gigawatts (GW) of new grid-connected electricity generating
capacity by 2015.
At $148.3 million, funding for Solar Energy remains
constant with the FY 2008 request, as do the
Federal Energy Management ($16.8 million) and
Industrial Technology ($46.0 million) programs.
FutureGen
“The FutureGen project will establish the capability and
feasibility of co-producing electricity and hydrogen from
coal with near-zero atmospheric emissions; including
those from carbon (carbon sequestration is an integral
component of the project). The FutureGen project will
employ a public/private partnership to demonstrate
technology ultimately leading to near-zero atmospheric
emission plants (including carbon) that are fuel-flexible
and capable of multi-product output and electrical efficiencies
over 60 percent. The FutureGen project would
lead to a cost of electricity at no more than a ten percent
increase over that of comparable plants without
carbon sequestration, that use coal, biomass, or petroleum
coke. The project could help retain the strategic
value of coal – our most abundant and lowest cost domestic
energy resource.
The 2008 budget request for FutureGen is $108
million and is to support activities such as detailed
plant design and other site characterization
efforts.
Nuclear Energy
The Office of Nuclear energy (NE) leads the government’s
efforts to develop new nuclear energy
generation technologies to meet energy
and climate goals; develop advanced, proliferation-
resistant nuclear fuel technologies that
maximize energy from nuclear fuel; and maintain
and enhance the national nuclear infrastructure.
NE serves the present and future energy needs
of the country by managing the safe operation
and maintenance of our critical nuclear research
infrastructure that provides nuclear technology
goods and services. A key mission of DOE’s nuclear
energy research and development program
is to lead the U.S. and international research
community in planning and conducting applied
research in next generation nuclear technologies. The aim of these efforts and those of
our industrial and overseas partners is to enable nuclear energy to fulfill its promise as a
safe, advanced, cost-effective and environmentally friendly approach to providing reliable
energy to all of the world’s people.
Over $567.7 million have been requested for research and development and more
than $157.7 million has been requested for infrastructure.
Joe Giove, Sr. Program Manager, U.S. DOE Office of Clean Coal, Office of Fossil Energy Buzz Savage, Director, Fuel Cycle R&D, Office of Nuclear Energy Scott Stephens, U.S. Department of Energy
Panel 2: Investing in Green, Alternative Energy Related Technologies
According to Dow Jones VentureOne, VCs invested more than $1 billion in alternative
energy-related technologies in 2006. “Venture capital investments in biofuels, including
ethanol and biodiesel, grew to $740 million in 2006 from
$110.5 million in 2005. Solar investments rose to $378 million
in 2006 from $242 million in 2005 while wind energy attracted
$380 million last year compared with $1.5 million in 2005.” The
future looks even rosier with forecasts projecting investments in
alternative energy sources expected to reach between $6.2 billion
and $8.8 billion by 2009.1 Many revolutionary technologies
still have long lead times and investors struggle to determine
the best strategies for investment. This panel of equity investors
from the private sector will share their strategies for finding
good candidate firms for investment and will discuss the dilemmas
and benefits of investing in green technologies.
Neal Dikeman, Partner, Jane Capital Partners John Dearing, Senior Vice President and Managing Director, Capstone Strategic, LLC Richard A. Sun, CFA, Founder & Owner, Sun & Co. Walter Howes, Managing Partner, Verdigris Capital, LLC Dan Hullah, Associate, RockPort Capital Partners
Panel 3: DOE Initiatives to Revolutionalize the Consumer and Automotive Market
Solid State Lighting “Building Technologies (BT) program develops and
deploys technologies for improving energy efficiency.
The reduction of building energy requirements,
coupled with renewable energy systems, could
enable commercial production of net Zero Energy
Homes and Buildings by 2020 and 2025, respectively.
The portfolio of energy efficiency research to reduce
building electrical loads includes solid state lighting,
more affordable efficient windows, and more
efficient heating, ventilation and air conditioning. The
program pursues market transformation activities by
developing Energy Star labels for major appliances
such as windows, refrigerators, dishwashers and
compact fluorescent lights, and by establishing
building codes and national appliance standards on
an accelerated schedule. The program also develops
tools and information for promoting whole-building
system design and construction approaches that aim
to optimize the integration of energy efficiency and
renewable energy systems.”
ENERGY STAR®
“ENERGY STAR® is a government-backed program
helping businesses and individuals protect the environment
through superior energy efficiency. Results
are already adding up. Last year alone, Americans,
with the help of ENERGY STAR®, saved enough energy
to power 10 million homes and avoid greenhouse
gas emissions from 12 million cars – all while
saving $6 billion.”
Reduction In Gasoline Consumption– Making Alternatives Available
"The President’s plan for energy security includes
“Twenty in ten”– reducing the U.S. gasoline usage
by 20 percent within 10 years. In order to do this alternatives
must be available and presented to the
consumer. The Alternative Fuel Standard will include
sources such as corn ethanol, cellulosic ethanol, biodiesel,
methanol, butanol, hydrogen and alternative
fuels. DOE is making large investments in these alternatives.
For example, in February 2007, DOE announced
its plan to invest $385 million for six biorefinery
projects over the next four years. With respect
to the Hydrogen Fuel Initiative, the Budget provides
$309 million to complete the President’s five-year,well it
$1.2 billion commitment to support development by
2020 of commercially viable hydrogen infrastructure
technologies and fuel cell vehicles that produce no air
pollution or greenhouse gas emissions.
Under the President’s proposal, the fuel standard will
be set at 35 billion gallons of renewable and alternative
fuels in 2017. This will displace 15 percent of projected
annual gasoline use in 2017. The President’s proposal
will also increase the scope of the current Renewable
Fuel Standard (RFS), expanding it to an Alternative Fuel
Standard (AFS).