THE FUTURE OF ENERGY
Two Tuesdays, February 8 and 15, 6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Upper Kirby District Headquarters, 3015 Richmond at Eastside (just west
of Kirby)
February 8: The Status of Current Sources of
Energy
Matthew Simmons, Chairman of Simmons & Company International,
will discuss what is in store for the United States as the world’s
largest consumer of hydrocarbons. Domestic sources of carbon fuel, except
for coal, are drying up, and coal is perceived as a dirty fuel, although
recent technological developments show potential. The world’s
new sources of oil and natural gas are located in politically volatile
areas, and demand from China is rapidly expanding.
February 15: U.S. Energy Self-Sufficiency—Myths
and Realities
Amy Myers Jaffe is the Wallace Wilson Fellow for Energy Studies at the
James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy at Rice University and
associate director of the Rice University energy program. She will discuss
the question: “Is ‘energy self-sufficiency’ a myth,
or is it the only hope for the future?” Many policy makers are
placing faith in alternative sources of energy, such as wind-power and
solar electrical generation. At present, these sources provide only
a tiny percentage of U.S. demand.
