This week, ConocoPhillips has made two announcements of note related to the company's ongoing commitment to finding solutions for a secure energy future.
On April 11, the company announced its support for a mandatory national framework to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In addition to its own internal programs, ConocoPhillips has joined the U.S. Climate Action Partnership (USCAP), a business-environmental leadership group dedicated to the quick enactment of strong national legislation to require significant reductions of greenhouse gas emissions.
And on the previous day, the company announced a $22.5 million grant to Iowa State University to fund developing technologies that produce biorenewable fuels. The grant is part of ConocoPhillips' plan to create joint research programs with major universities to produce viable solutions to diversify America's energy sources.
Please read more about these announcements below, or by clicking through to related websites and news stories.
As ConocoPhillips continues to take the Conversation on Energy across America, you will receive periodic news announcements or other items of note. Thank you for your interest in our nation's key energy issues.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ConocoPhillips Supports Mandatory National Framework To Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Company joins business-environmental USCAP group (4.11.07)
ConocoPhillips announced its support for a mandatory national framework to address greenhouse gas emissions and has joined the U.S. Climate Action Partnership (USCAP), a business-environmental leadership group dedicated to the quick enactment of strong national legislation to require significant reductions of greenhouse gas emissions.
"We recognize that human activity, including the burning of fossil fuels, is contributing to increased concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere that can lead to adverse changes in global climate," said Jim Mulva, chairman and chief executive officer. "While we believe no one entity can alone address the environmental, economic and technological issues inherent in any solution, ConocoPhillips will show leadership in finding pragmatic and sustainable solutions.
"In addition to taking actions in our own businesses, we believe it is important that business should step forward to help devise practical, equitable and cost-effective approaches to address the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere at both a national and international level. To that end, we have joined USCAP in support of the development of a mandatory national regulatory framework to reduce the level of greenhouse gas emissions. Further, we believe that a mandatory national framework that links to international programs is most likely to achieve meaningful impact on global greenhouse gas emissions."
Mulva continued, "Any such framework should be transparent, clearly communicate the cost of carbon to consumers, be structured to avoid increasing the volatility of energy prices, and encourage energy efficiency. It also should be paced to match the speed at which technology can be developed and deployed, in order to avoid undue impact on the economy including any impact on the number and location of jobs. The most likely and prudent approach will result in a slow, stop, reverse pattern."
More...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ConocoPhillips Establishes $22.5 Million Biofuels Research Program at Iowa State:
Research program to promote biorenewable fuels technologies (4.10.07)
ConocoPhillips will establish an eight-year, $22.5 million research program at Iowa State University dedicated to developing technologies that produce biorenewable fuels. The grant is part of ConocoPhillips' plan to create joint research programs with major universities to produce viable solutions to diversify America's energy sources.
ConocoPhillips will make an initial $1.5 million grant in 2007 to support Iowa State researchers, with additional grants of $3 million per year for seven years.
Biorenewable fuels are produced from organic materials and help reduce pollution and greenhouse gas emissions while diversifying the energy supply. Conventional biorenewable fuels include ethanol from corn starch and biodiesel from soybean oil. Advanced biofuels are expected to be made from fibrous biomass such as the stalks and leaves from corn plants and switchgrass.
"I'm pleased Iowa State University and ConocoPhillips will partner to research and develop new technologies for producing biofuels," said Iowa Governor Chet Culver. "These kind of public-private partnerships are an important part of my plan to fuel Iowa's future. Private sector investments will be the driving force behind the development of new industries and technologies, and I'm encouraged that Iowa State and ConocoPhillips are working together to create the right research programs for our state's energy future."
"We believe the key to a secure energy future is the efficient and effective use of a diverse mix of energy sources," said Jim Mulva, chairman and chief executive officer of ConocoPhillips. "ConocoPhillips is developing long-term relationships with respected academic institutions such as Iowa State to research extensions of traditional energy sources that ultimately will benefit consumers."
"We are excited to work with ConocoPhillips to develop a research program that applies Iowa State University's strengths in renewable energy," said Iowa State President Gregory Geoffroy. "The emerging consensus is that a very big part of increasing the nation's energy security will be producing fuels from plants. Iowa State scientists and engineers are well positioned to put science to work advancing biofuels technologies."
Robert C. Brown, the Iowa Farm Bureau Director of Iowa State's Office of Biorenewables Programs, said ConocoPhillips is especially interested in converting biomass to fuel through fast pyrolysis, a process that uses heat in the absence of oxygen to decompose biomass into a liquid product. This so-called bio-oil can be used as a heating oil or can be converted into transportation fuel at petroleum refineries.
Brown said ConocoPhillips also will sponsor studies of other thermochemical technologies that produce biofuels.
More...
|