A Conversation on Energy Comes to Columbia
Marylanders discuss America’s energy future in Columbia at a town hall meeting co-hosted by ConocoPhillips and the University of Maryland Energy Research Center
More than 150 residents from communities in Howard County and surrounding areas throughout Maryland gathered in Columbia on Tuesday, September 25, to discuss the state’s and nation’s energy future. Co-hosted by ConocoPhillips and the University of Maryland Energy Research Center, the town hall meeting called on residents to share their views on energy issues and gain insight and information from a panel of experts. With support from more than 10 community partners across Maryland – including the Maryland Chamber of Commerce, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and the Maryland Grain Producers – business leaders, key industry influencers and concerned citizens came together to exchange ideas on viable ways to secure the future of U.S. energy.
Bill Berry, executive vice president, and Jim Scinta, manager of the heavy oil division in R&D and shared services, represented ConocoPhillips on the panel. Other panelists included local energy experts Malcolm Woolf, director, Maryland Energy Administration; Pam Kasemeyer, co-chair, environment committee, Maryland Chamber of Commerce; and Josh Feldmark, executive director, Howard County Commission on the Environment and Sustainability. The meeting was moderated by Dr. Greg Jackson, chair, steering committee, University of Maryland Energy Research Center.
Dr. Jackson kicked off the meeting by stating that one of the greatest challenges today is meeting our energy appetite without destroying our natural resources. Dr. Jackson pointed out that it’s not a problem that only concerns government or researchers, but also the community in general.
Bill Berry told the audience that there were several reasons the company wanted to have this conversation, including the need for robust energy policy, high energy demand and the industry’s poor record of communicating with the public. Berry also noted that there’s great concern over the fact that daily global consumption of oil is expected to increase from 85 million barrels to 100 million barrels by 2023
Pam Kasemeyer, who spoke on behalf of the business community in Maryland, kicked off her opening remarks by assuring that “there’s no one single voice on energy” at the chamber. She explained that chamber members are everyone from producers to generators, and are all concerned with energy use and rising energy prices. She concluded by saying that business owners not only have affordability issues, but that they also care about the environment.
Jim Scinta explained to the audience that research and development spending at ConocoPhillips has increased by 50 percent to encourage the development of new technology. “ConocoPhillips has pioneered the development of renewable diesel fuel in our refinery in Ireland,” Scinta said. He also cited the recent alliance with Tyson Foods to produce renewable diesel from rendered animal fats in the United States. Scinta added that energy efficiency and stewardship also play an important role in securing our nation’s energy future, saying “we (at ConocoPhillips) are a consumer of energy and are looking at ways to reduce our own footprint.”
Josh Feldmark referred to several goals that his office has set forth, including a seven percent reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 2012 and an 80 percent reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 2025. He shared with the audience what his office has done so far in Howard County, including converting emergency vehicles to hybrid vehicles and establishing a common action plan which calls for an audit of all greenhouse gas emissions to develop a plan to reduce those emissions, among other action items.
Following opening remarks, Dr. Jackson began the question-and-answer portion of the meeting.
A member of the audience asked panelists to comment on whether or not they supported nuclear energy. Feldmark responded, “I’m not ready to support it unless we figure out a safer way to use it.” Both Woolf and Berry agreed that all forms of energy are needed, thus every option should be considered.
Another attendee expressed concern about the environmental impacts of coal mining and the extraction of shale oil, saying that both are harmful and create waste. Berry stated, “That’s the reason why oil shales haven’t been developed.” He added that getting the shale out of the rock without generating carbon dioxide is a challenge, “but I think it’s good that we’re thinking about it.”
An attendee asked how to actually conserve energy. Woolf said, “The cheapest kilowatt is the one you don’t need.” He proceeded to provide the audience with some tips to reduce energy consumption, including keeping water heaters set at 120 degrees or lower, maintaining proper air pressure in car tires and turning off “anything that glows” when items such as Ipods and computers are not in use.
Berry and Scinta were asked if ConocoPhillips supports a CO2 cap and trade system. Berry responded that the company is a member of USCAP, which calls on the federal government to enact national legislation to require significant reductions of greenhouse gas emissions.
The session also featured questions and comments on several local issues such as the need for rail to alleviate increasing traffic congestion in Howard County, safer bike paths and additional assistance to provide homeowners with the necessary tools to make their homes more energy efficient.
Exploring New Horizons
ConocoPhillips scientists focus on developing renewable energy technologies.
In April 2007, ConocoPhillips announced its alliance with Tyson Foods, Inc. to produce the next generation of renewable diesel fuel from beef, pork and poultry fat. The alliance will create a transportation fuel that contributes to America’s energy future, helps address climate change concerns, and helps supplement the traditional oil-based diesel fuel supply. The company also said it will establish an eight-year, $22.5 million research program at Iowa State University dedicated to developing technologies that produce biorenewable fuels.
In December 2006, the company began commercial production of renewable diesel at its Whitegate Refinery in Cork, Ireland. The production process, which was developed by ConocoPhillips, uses soybeans and other vegetable oils to produce renewable diesel fuel that meets European Union standards for diesel fuels.
ConocoPhillips employs a team of approximately 250 scientists, engineers, and researchers to explore viable alternative and renewable energy sources. These scientists are studying everything from clean-coal technology applications to liquefied natural gas initiatives.
A major area of interest is in hydrogen research, which is why ConocoPhillips is a partner in the Freedom Car & Fuel Partnership, a collaborative including the U.S. Department of Energy, automakers and energy companies. The partnership explores energy, environmental and economic attributes of various pathways to hydrogen production, as well as the merits of hydrogen-powered fuel cell vehicles.
|