HOUSTON, March 24, 2009 – Houston Mayor Bill White, speaking to a group of executives who represent an array of energies ranging from solar and wind to nuclear, coal and traditional oil and gas, cautioned Washington to tread carefully when putting together U.S. energy policy.

White, who was previously the deputy secretary of energy during the Clinton administration, urged that an integrated view of energy be taken, or the nation could face unintended and potentially dire consequences.

“We need to do these things carefully,” White told executives who gathered in Houston on Tuesday, for a daylong series of discussions exploring solutions to U.S. energy security and energy independence. White, as keynote speaker, joined nearly 25 thought leaders and captains of industry who presented their views at the event, “America’s Energy Future: Assessing Our Paths to Energy Security.” The forum was hosted and organized by the Greater Houston Partnership.

White said the nation should not abandon one form of energy or energy policy for the sake of another. He said that if, for example, a quota was placed on U.S. imports, prices would surge out of control. Or, if environmental standards were lifted on drilling, resources would be quickly depleted, and the country would be in worse shape than before.

“There has been no time when this nation has had more serious choices to make on energy policy,” White said.

John Hofmeister, previously the president of Shell Oil Company and current president of Citizens for Affordable Energy, an energy advocacy group, addressed a morning session at the forum, calling for the formation of a new federal board to be created by Congress and authorized by the president to oversee America’s energy security needs. Hofmeister likened it to the independent Federal Reserve Board.

“The politicization of energy has turned this nation south,” Hofmeister said, adding, “politics will destroy our energy future.”

He said that “all forms of energy should have their place in our economy. Let’s not discriminate.”

Speakers included Walter D. Cruickshank, Deputy Director, United States Minerals Management Service; Amy Myers Jaffe, Wallace Associate Director, Rice Energy Program, Rice University; Victor Carillo, Chairman, Texas Railroad Commission; Dr. Renu Khator, Chancellor and President, University of Houston; Jose Bravo, Chief Scientist, Shell Oil Company; Will Thurmond, Chairman of Research, American Biofuels Council; Steve Winn, CEO, Nuclear Innovation North America LLC; Kevin Howell, President, NRG Texas; Brett Perlman, President, Vector Associates; and Mark Kapner, Senior Strategy Planner, Austin Energy.

Video of the event will soon be made available on www.houston.org and at www.americasenergycity.com.

Panelists focused on a wide range of energy issues Tuesday afternoon at the Greater Houston Partnership energy forum. Here are a few thoughts from energy leaders in various areas.

On LNG

James Yardley, president of the pipeline division at El Paso Energy, said the need for LNG will likely decrease in the future due to exploration efforts for unconventional gas. However, Yardley said the available LNG receiving terminals is good news for security supply.

On GTL

Mark Kapner, senior strategy planner for Austin Energy, said he sees a promising future for gas-to-liquids technology, which converts natural gas into fuel. When oil prices increase, Kapner believes GTL will be discussed more in the United States, especially with large supplies of available natural gas.

On Geothermal

Rebecca Ranich, director of energy and resources for Deloitte Consulting, LLP, said the stimulus bill will help inject $400 million in R&D investment for geothermal development. The key is that the perceived high risks need to be overcome in the marketplace.

John Hofmeister, president of Citizens for Affordable Energy, said politicizing our nation’s energy policy slows down progress and affordable solutions.  Hofmeister’s remarks occurred at the energy forum hosted by the Greater Houston Partnership on Tuesday.

Hofmeister said energy discussions center around a u-shaped curve. At the bottom of the “u” is the vast majority of Americans and each side of the “u” representing extreme opinions.

According to Hofmeister, former leader at Shell Oil Company, Energy solutions should focus on:

• Developing all forms of energy
• More efficiency through technology
• More legal and physical infrastructure
• Improving environmental conditions

Hoffmeister urged energy companies to improve their communications skills to the public, saying educating the public about energy is the key to finding solutions.

Here are some highlights from the Greater Houston Partnership energy forum so far this morning at the George R. Brown Convention Center. Comments came from panelists from the Bureau of Land Management, NRG, McKinsey & Company, CRA International Inc., Shell Oil Company, the University of Texas Economics Department, the American Biofuels Council  and the Economist Magazine.

Viewpoints on Coal:

• The Power River Basin has about 200 years of energy usage. There is also a movement in technology that captures carbon.
• Coal is an important industry, but clean coal technology is challenging. We have to deal with cost structures and the trade off of coal being an abundant resource.

Viewpoints on drilling in Alaskan Reserves:

People have a right to be concerned about places that are special to them, but there is a trade off. Most people want to find a balance. There needs to be education. Most people don’t understand drilling technology. Therefore, we need to get information out to them.

Viewpoints on Unconventional Gas:

Extracting unconventional gas has been an extraordinary story. People have greater expertise in drilling for unconventional gas and bringing down costs. There is the potential to double natural gas production in the near future.

Viewpoints on Nuclear:

Nuclear energy has come full circle in this country. A lot of existing sites already have the infrastructure in place.

Standard Renewable Energy (SRE) provides comprehensive energy solutions for homeowners, businesses, and government entities that assist them in lowering utility bills, reducing environmental impacts, and increasing energy reliability and independence.

If you’d like to attend the event, visit our website for registration or contact:

John Roper
713-513-9505
john.roper@fleishman.com

or

Micah Hirschfield
713-513-9516
micah.hirschfield@fleishman.com