Symposium Coverage

Energy and the 110th Congress
The newly installed Demcrat-controlled legislature is calling for a fresh look at the energy policy in the U.S. As House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is expected to introduce a new energy package in mid-January, what challenges face this Congress in creating a successful energy policy?

A Short History of the "Energy Problem"
Henry Lee, Director of the Environment and Natural Resources Program at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government, gives a short primer on the background and future of America's energy situation.

The Axes of Energy
Dr. Nathan Lewis of Caltech presents the challenges and trade-offs involved in meeting the world's energy needs. Fossil fuels are abundant, but that means pumping unprecedented quantities of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

Dimensions of the Energy Problem
Feeding the world's energy thirst is no simple task. Henry Lee, director of the Environment and Natural Resources Program at John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, provides an overview of the national energy challenges.

The Economics and Engineering of Automobiles
Experts discuss the economics of America’s “addiction to oil,” conservation and the problems with hybrids.

Energy experts urge transition to new fuel sources
The U.S. will face a critical energy shortage in coming decades if it does not transition from fossil fuels to a mix of oil and renewable energy resources, said energy experts, including several from the USC Viterbi School of Engineering. But the recipe for the mix is still not clear.

Power Points and primers
Check here for faculty members' Power Point presentations and primers they have written on energy.

News Coverage

Getting beyond the hydrogen hype
If an economical method of extracting hydrogen is discovered, then there may be a true hydrogen economy, but until then, people selling a "hydrogen economy" may just as well be selling perpetual motion, wrote Steven Krivit of New Energy Times. "Discussion cut through the rhetoric and hype. For this reason, the symposium was particularly worthwhile."

Energy Bulletin - Peak Oil News Clearinghouse
Energy Bulletin provides a quick summary of the National Energy Symposium, along with extensive resources on the issue of peak oil.

The call for increased fuel-efficiency has come from some strange fellows: 'Big Oil'
Dave Downey reported from the National Energy Symposium that car buyers are more interested in engine power and braking ability than fuel economy. But that may change with new calls to boost fuel economy standards.

Looming energy crisis requires new Manhattan Project
The United States needs an effort similar to the Manhattan Project or NASA's moon mission to confront a looming energy crisis, according to experts at the National Energy Symposium. Agence France-Presse covers.

Going Nuclear
Jim Steinberg, Business Editor at the San Bernardino Sun, covered the June 15 National Energy Symposium at USC. Steinberg focused on the nuclear power issue, which experts said would go a long way toward solving national and global energy problems.