This event will be held in a hybrid format, and the Potomac Institute will welcome a limited number of individuals to attend in-person at their Arlington Headquarters (901 N. Stuart Street, Arlington, VA 22203). Participants will have to opportunity to indicate their interest in the registration form. The Institute adheres to the most current CDC recommendations regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, and all in-person attendees will be required to attest to their vaccination status.

Register: https://potomacinstitute-org.zoom.us/webinar/register/3016470263414/WN_JF7bYpAXQnie2Rgt7se-SA 

About the Event

The discussion will center around the US energy sector, related technologies, resources, infrastructure, and policy, as they pertain to America’s competitive advantage on the world stage. What is the path to enduring security, prosperity, and quality of life when it comes to energy policy, resource allocation, emerging technology, and international relationships?

The 21st century lifestyle we are accustomed to requires global interdependencies; balanced reciprocal relationships (economic and otherwise) with other nations, reliant on common energy markets. While the US might further leverage its wealth of oil deposits, refining capabilities, and push research and development to the edge, is energy independence required (or even possible)? If so, how does that factor into our continued security, prosperity, and overall societal stability? Given America’s complex role as an energy supplier and consumer on the world stage, how do we navigate those sometimes-tenuous interdependencies between energy markets and the broader global economy?

The answers to these questions are not independent and bad actors further complicate the dynamics of energy interdependence and reliance. Our energy infrastructure is constantly targeted (Colonial Pipeline cyber-attack) and our Allies and partners have been coerced and even attacked (Kuwait) based on energy-driven motives. Questionable political, economic, and humanitarian (Venezuela and Saudi Arabia) situations can impede approaches to energy policy consistent with America’s morals and values. How does the US leverage its strengths and resources in the energy sector while mitigating such challenges to assure enduring competitive advantages on the world stage?

If the US expects to keep a sustained leg up on competitors as the world’s second largest producer and consumer of energy, pursuit and employment of state-of-the-art technologies and practices is an imperative. Continued development and adoption of advanced energy capabilities (such as eVTOLs, EVs, and more powerful mobile devices) for civilian and military use will not only improve daily life, but also help hedge against the ails of climate change, mitigate risk to lives, social stability and security, and the economy. How do we balance pursuit of sustainable energy practices and renewable energy technologies while assuring security and prosperity?

For the US to maintain a competitive advantage in an arena as broad and potentially volatile as the energy sector will require a multi-pronged, societal level effort. Such is especially challenging given modern-day demands for consistent, proliferated access to energy and subsequent dependencies on global markets that render vulnerabilities (and opportunities). Today discussion is focused on which opportunities to pursue while mitigating vulnerabilities. What is the right mix of policy and public and private investment to assure the US remains a competitive leader when it comes to energy on the world stage? What should our energy future look like?

Speakers

Ms. Gentry Lane, CEO and Founder of ANOVA Intelligence, Fellow at Potomac Institute for Policy Studies, Technical Team Member at NATO Science & Technology Organization, and Visiting Fellow at GMU’s National Security Institute  

Ron Nussle Jr., Former Sr. Advisor to the Under Secretary of State; President/COO @New Hope Energy, a renewable plastics, fuel and energy producer in the circular economy.

Frank Fannon, Former Assistant Secretary of State (Energy Resources), Managing Director at Fannon Global Advisors, Non-Resident Senior Advisor at CSIS, and Non-Resident Senior Fellow at Atlantic Council

About the Project

The Global Competition Project (GCP) commissions a spectrum of experts from diverse fields to present insights as to the primary challenges/opportunities associated with societal level competition in the Information Age. The Potomac Institute will host a series of seminars to foster animated discussion on a variety of topics important to the Institute’s work – and global societal interaction – and publish associated articles on the topics.