Senator Mark Warner was joined by Deputy Secretary of Energy Dan Poneman to lead off what started as a conference and grew to a summit attended by a wide consortium of constituencies. Poneman stole the day early by announcing Virginia will immediately receive $37 million in funding for weatherization (some 8600 homes) under the stimulus plan. Some 500 attendees crowded into the Hampton University venue, far exceeding the anticipated seating requirements. In addition, hundreds more participated online. Dr. William Harvey, President of the University introduced the conference and welcomed the summit participants. The summit featured three sessions: stimulus funding for low income household weatherization; stimulus funding for state and local governments; and funding for innovative projects such as smart grid. Senator Warner emphasized his role as a self proclaimed bipartisan radical centrist member of the Congress, pointing out that energy does not have not a Democratic or Republican solution, there is an American solution. He called for innovation and cooperation.
Warner outlined five reasons for the summit. Possibly primarily, America is not positioned to take advantage of the opportunities for growth associated with alternative energy; we are losing our competitive advantage in the global economy. Secondly, changing our energy mix is a national security issue. It goes beyond dependency on foreign oil: it extends to a reliance that places us in a position of supporting regimes around the world that are anti-American. Third reason: We have to take on the very real challenge of climate change and carbon emissions. Next, it plays into the President's effort to kick start the economy: the stimulus program's focus on long term infrastructure to include broadband, health care information technology, high speed rail, and energy. We have to ensure that Virginia is in a position to take advantage of these opportunities; we have to make sure Virginia gets its fair share of the funding sources. This plays into the fifth reason: if we are going to get it right we need the financial resources. We will need a partnership between government and the private entrepreneurial base. He suggests we look forward to the day that when people think about energy requirements, they think of Virginia as a leader in green energy the way we today think about Silicon Valley in relation to computer technology.
Video of the entire conference is to be made available on Senator Warner's website.
