Panel Discussion: Effective Energy Policy - Learning Lessons from Forty Years of Trying

Cannon House Office Building - Room 121

Independence Avenue and 1st Street, SE

Washington, DC 20003

 

The George C. Marshall Institute will host a panel discussion concerning federal energy policy "Effective Energy Policy: Learning Lessons from Forty Years of Trying." Panelists will consider what lessons are to be learned from 40 years of federal energy policy and discuss the implications of those lessons for the future direction of energy R&D, subsidies, loan guarantees, and tax policy.

 

The U.S. spends billions annually to support the energy industry using an array of tools and approaches. The U.S. Energy Information Administration reports "The value of direct federal financial interventions and subsidies in energy markets doubled between 2007 and 2010, growing from $17.9 billion to $37.2 billion. In broad categories, the largest increase was for conservation and end-use subsidies, followed to a lesser degree by increases in electricity-related subsidies and subsidies for fuels used outside the electricity sector."

 

But, after 40 years of effort and billions of R&D dollars spent, federal support for alternative energy (save for nuclear power) has yet to appreciably change the mix of energy used by the U.S. Why? Are the policies wrong? Is the technology still not ready? If so, why not? What set of energy policies makes sense? Is the best option to continue to do what we already do?

 

The Institute will host a panel discussion to consider these and related questions. Institute CEO William O'Keefe will moderate the discussion.

 

Panelists include:

- Karen Harbert, President and CEO, Institute for 21st Century Energy

- Mark Mills, Founder and CEO, Digital Power Group, and author of The Bottomless Well

- Lou Pugliaresi, President, Energy Policy Research Foundation, Inc. (EPRINC)