NEWS RELEASE

Office of External Communications

Houston, TX 77204-5017 Fax: 713.743.8199

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 15, 2004

Contact: Angie Joe
713.743.8153 (office)
713.617.7138 (pager)
ajoe@uh.edu
ENERGY INDUSTRY’S IMMEDIATE, LONG-TERM CHALLENGES
SUBJECT OF TWO-DAY UH-GEMI CONFERENCE

The energy industry faces several challenges – some immediate, some long-term. Why are alternative approaches to energy necessary? Is hydrogen a practical source? How can we build a new electricity grid? Who will pay for all of this?

These are the perplexing issues that will be addressed at “The Energy Advancement Leadership Conference,” a two-day conference sponsored by the University of Houston’s Global Energy Management Institute (UH-GEMI) and the Houston Advanced Research Center (HARC) Nov. 17-18.

“With fluctuating oil prices and political turmoil, the industry needs to plan for an uncertain future,” said Jeff Graefe, UH-GEMI director of operations. “Through this two-day seminar, we hope to provide a forum to discuss these pressing issues and to prepare for what’s ahead.”

Discussion topics are: Conventional Energy Under Stress, Available Technologies, Hydrogen, Fuel Cells, Climate Change, Vision of Energy Future, Longer-Term Technologies, Building a New Grid and Financing the Energy Future.

Presenters include Karl Rábago, HARC; Andrew Bermingham, HydrogenWorks; Bill Nitze, The Climate Institute; Paul Chu, UH; Richard Stuebi, Next Wave Energy and Art Smith with John S. Herold.

WHAT: “Energy Advancement Leadership Conference”
WHO: UH-GEMI, HARC
WHEN: Nov. 17-18
For a complete schedule of events, go to: https://www.bauer.uh.edu/gemi/energyregistration.htm.
WHERE: Reliant Center

For more information about UH visit the university’s ‘Newsroom’ at www.uh.edu/admin/media/newsroom.