Connecticut Comments on Energy during Conversation
New Haven residents seek solutions for energy security at A Conversation on Energy, co-hosted by ConocoPhillips and Quinnipiac University
New England was the setting for a conversation about the nation’s and Connecticut’s energy future on Tuesday, October 23. Hosted by ConocoPhillips and Quinnipiac University, nearly 100 residents of southern Connecticut shared their views on energy issues and listened to a panel of experts as a part of the Conversation on Energy New Haven.
New Haven’s Conversation on Energy panelists included Sig Cornelius, senior vice president of Planning, Strategy and Corporate Affairs, ConocoPhillips; Eric Brown, associate counsel, Connecticut Business & Industry Association; Lise Dondy, president, Connecticut Clean Energy Fund; Sabrina Watkins, manager of Environmental Technology, ConocoPhillips; and Amey Marrella, deputy commissioner, Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection. The town hall meeting was moderated by Mark Thompson, dean of the School of Business, Quinnipiac University.
Mark Thompson set the stage for the evening’s discussion by describing the United States’ growing energy consumption and subsequent energy challenges. He noted that solutions will require participation from individuals and organizations alike, including those represented by the town hall meeting panelists and audience members.
Sig Cornelius opened the panel’s comments by saying we all have a role to play in achieving energy security in the United States. “Energy drives our entire economy,” Cornelius said. “So when prices rise, it impacts all of us in every part of the country.” Cornelius shared his belief that public education and outreach are keys to helping consumers understand what drives energy prices, what is possible through alternative forms of energy and how community members can contribute to future energy solutions. “We can’t make wise choices together if there’s no communication. That’s why we want to hear from you tonight.”
Eric Brown continued the panel’s comments by outlining the Connecticut Business & Industry Association’s primary concern of reliable and affordable energy for Connecticut’s residents, especially for the organization’s more than 10,000 members. “Connecticut has done a great job in recent years of focusing on energy conservation and efficiency, and the CBIA is fully supportive of those efforts,” Brown said. In addition to conservation and efficiency, he challenged Connecticut residents to support better planning, improved infrastructure, fuel diversity, and increased power generation resources.
Following Brown’s comments, Lise Dondy described how the Connecticut Clean Energy Fund is researching, developing and investing in renewable and alternative resources through financial support from a surcharge on Connecticut residents’ utility bills. “Ultimately, we’d love to see a sustainable balance between energy, the economy and the environment, and we believe that renewables bring all three together,” Dondy said. The Connecticut Clean Energy Fund currently has 60 communities across the state committed to purchasing clean electricity options and increasing alternative energy usage to 20 percent by 2010.
ConocoPhillips’ Sabrina Watkins then spoke of ConocoPhillips’ commitment to technology and innovation. In the past year, she said ConocoPhillips has increased its research and development budget by 50 percent in order to pursue new and innovative energy opportunities across the world. “Technology is vital because it’s harder than ever to find low-cost, easily recoverable oil and gas in North America,” Watkins said. “So technology is one of the key tools that we have to use in order to meet the world’s growing energy demand. It drives energy development, conservation and our environmental stewardship efforts – all of which can help create a more secure energy future.”
Amey Marrella reminded the audience that they all play a role in what the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection considers the three “Es”: energy, environment and economic growth. “We need to have integrated planning so we can achieve the goals of Connecticut in all three arenas,” Marrella said. “And we would challenge the notion that you can only have one because we believe that success in all three ‘Es’ can be achieved.” Marrella stressed the importance of energy conservation as a path to protect the environment and reduce energy costs.
Following the panelists’ opening remarks, Thompson initiated the question-and-answer session with audience members. This portion of the meeting provided for an energetic dialogue between the attendees and panelists.
The first question came from an audience member who asked if climate change is a legitimate issue and if scientific proof exists to support the global concern. All five panelists agreed that global warming is a critical matter requiring effective and immediate strategies and resources.
Marrella cited the International Panel on Climate Change’s consensus that global climate change is a serious issue. “Here in Connecticut, we have a climate change action plan, and we are working actively to address the challenges that come with greenhouse gas emissions,” Marrella said. Additionally, Brown noted an upcoming CBIA event where climate scientists will discuss the serious effects of global warming, and Dondy called for additional technology solutions to address the issue.
From the energy industry’s perspective, ConocoPhillips acknowledged the effects of carbon-based fuels on the environment and cited the company’s efforts to mitigate the related impact. “It is undeniable that the concentration of greenhouse gases in the environment is increasing,” Cornelius said. “ConocoPhillips is part of the U.S. Climate Action Partnership, a coalition that supports a mandatory national framework to address greenhouse gases. We recognize that the combustion of fossil fuels contributes to greenhouse gases, and we want to be part of the solution.”
Another audience member asked about the possibilities of using Connecticut’s vast water resources, including the waves off the coast and rivers flowing into Long Island Sound, to produce electricity without harming the environment.
According to Dondy, the Connecticut Clean Energy Fund recently funded a demonstration project with a local engineering firm to design a fish-friendly turbine that harnesses energy from small Connecticut rivers. “This project is just getting underway; they recently completed the design elements,” she said. “Hopefully, within a year, it will be tested in the water.” Dondy also discussed a project off the coast of Rhode Island, co-funded by Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts, which aims to use wave-energy technology to supply power to the local utility grid.
One audience member expressed concern for future generations and how the effects of carbon-based fuels today will impact the world in the decades to come.
Watkins noted that, while more and more companies across many industries are focusing on ways to mitigate the impact of their operations on the environment, it will still take a variety of resources and time to reverse the effects of climate change. Watkins invited the audience member to meet after the town hall meeting. “I would like to hear your suggestions on making a bigger difference than what’s happening now,” she said. “Focusing on possible solutions is a way to get everyone’s creativity going, and it’s definitely worth our time.”
Marrella also noted that the state government is encouraging residents to get started on reversing climate change through recommendations posted on a new Web site, www.ctclimatechange.com. “We’re making progress in Connecticut, and this site can help even more people get involved,” Marrella said.
Audience members remained long after the conclusion of the town hall meeting to continue their conversations on energy with panelists and attendees alike. According to one New Haven resident, “Energy costs, especially since electricity deregulation in Connecticut, have increased significantly, creating affordability issues for all consumers. The town hall meeting helped bring to light the energy challenges that our nation faces and what we can and should be doing in Connecticut.”
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.
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