John Hofmeister is the founder and CEO of Citizens for Affordable Energy, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to educating the public about energy solutions. Hofmeister retired as president of Shell Oil in July 2008 after serving in that role since March 2005.
He visited UNT in July, meeting with faculty researchers to discuss the energy-related research being conducted at UNT. He also presented a lecture titled, "Energy Solutions for the 21st Century," in which he discussed the history and current state of the U.S. energy industry.
Why did you start Citizens for Affordable Energy?
It became obvious to me during my tenure as Shell Oil Company president (from 2005-2008) that Americans in general, including their policymakers and political leaders, did not know or adequately understand the dynamics and complexities of energy production and its environmental impacts and related costs.
I primarily blame the industry's historic reluctance to engage its stakeholders as the root cause of the lack of knowledge. As a consequence, I chose to engage my leadership team and myself in broadening the outreach of my company during my tenure.
I also concluded that in my post-corporate career that I would continue to engage Americans — where they live — to help them better understand what they need to know about energy and the environment as consumers and as active participants in the political process.
What is your vision for the organization and the role it can play in shaping the energy industry and policy?
Citizens for Affordable Energy is a nonpartisan, non-commercial, not-for-profit organization that seeks to engage grassroots Americans in learning more about the "Four Mores" of energy and the environment. This includes engagement on Citizens for Affordable Energy's four basic principles:
- more energy from all sources;
- more technology and innovation for efficiency;
- more environmental protections, especially regarding gaseous waste management; and
- more infrastructure, both legal and physical, to move energy from where it is produced to where it is consumed.
The importance of learning more about these principles is best expressed in the need for increased awareness of the impact of energy and the environment on America's economic competitiveness, lifestyle choices and sound public policy.
Affordable energy is an enabler of economic well-being, a cleaner environment and sustained lifestyle choices. Sound public policy must address all four principles simultaneously in order to deliver security of energy supplies and their affordability.
What role do you see for renewable energy sources in the U.S.?
Citizens for Affordable Energy promotes increased investment in alternative energy as part of its four mores. This includes extensive, increased use of wind, solar, hydropower, geo-thermal, biofuels, hydrogen, clean coal and nuclear power because the carbon footprints of each power source is potentially lower or zero.
Over the next decade the U.S. should double, then double again its use of wind, solar and biofuels because their current penetration into the marketplace is so low. I believe that with determination and the appropriate incentives the U.S. could get roughly 20 percent of its energy from such sources within 10 or 20 years at most.
With regard to clean coal, Citizens for Affordable Energy advocates extensive use of coal gasification with carbon capture and sequestration within the next two to three decades. With regard to nuclear power, the organization promotes the doubling of the number of nuclear plants from 104 to more than 200 within the next three to four decades.
What do you think is the ideal mix of traditional and renewable energy sources in the U.S.?
Citizens for Affordable Energy promotes an ever increasing mix of low or no carbon energy sources for the U.S. In terms of electricity production, it supports the use of clean coal, meaning coal gasification with carbon capture and sequestration for new coal plants, so that by 2050 the U.S. has more than 100 large generation plants utilizing such technologies.
The organization also promotes the doubling of nuclear plants from 104 to over 200 in roughly the same time frame. Both initiatives would help to replace hundreds of existing, aging nuclear and pulverized coal plants during that period. Wind and solar farms could contribute approximately 20 percent of the nation's electricity by at least 2030, with more solar over time coming online as new technology provides more efficient solar energy production capability. Biofuels could replace up to 20 percent of oil-based fuels in the next 20 years for transportation.
Ultimately, however, personal transportation can be electrified by the use of hydrogen fuel cell technologies and batteries, leading to the replacement of internal combustion engines with electric forms of power for consumer mobility. Trucking, marine and air transportation may continue to require a mix of biofuels and oil products for decades to come.
You once said, "We need to change the hearts, minds, values and behavior of Americans toward a culture of conservation." How can people start this change at home?
Awareness and education are keys to changing hearts, minds, values and behavior. It doesn't happen by wishing or waving magic wands. Sound public policy helps, but such policies only happen if conscientious and informed citizens demand it. Citizens for Affordable Energy plans to help with the education and awareness by taking the lessons of energy and the environment to where grassroots Americans live.
By engaging, discussing and explaining pragmatic and non-politicized factual information, the organization can help more and more people become aware of what it is important to know about these topics. This will aid their ability to make sound choices and appropriately influence their elected officials.
What role do you think that universities like UNT play in researching and developing new energy sources?
The future of energy and the environment depends on education and technology. UNT is well-positioned to influence global outcomes by doing what it does best and by integrating its efforts. Research, development, education and outreach are the university's core capabilities. The extent to which UNT performs in these areas on an integrated, cross-disciplinary basis will influence the university's impacts. At the energy and environmental systems levels and at the public policy and consumer levels, energy and the environment come together. The university's role as an integrator could distinguish it from other institutions that impact these topics departmentally. Having a commitment to sustainability and social responsibility is an excellent mechanism to promote an integrated, cross-disciplinary approach on the part of the entire university.
