Conference speakers will ponder question: How do we fuel the future?

TEXAS – As energy prices have risen and supplies tightened, the debate over whether or not the world is running out of oil has heated up, accompanied by the question: How will we fuel our future?

That is the question that will be discussed Thursday, May 11 at the Midland County Multi-Purpose Building, better known as the Horseshoe. The day-long conference, “Fueling The Future,” is presented by the West Texas Energy Technology Initiative along with West Texas National Bank and the Reporter-Telegram. There is no charge and tickets for floor seating and lunch are available by calling 687-9034 or 684-9994. Grandstand seating will also be available and will not require a ticket.

“I just spoke at a career day in Andrews,” recounts Stephanie Sparkman, executive director of the West Texas Energy Technology Initiative. “I told the students there are so many people arguing over ‘Have we reached peak oil production? Are we reaching peak oil production?’ We will run out of oil, whether it’s tomorrow or 500 years from now.”

She agreed with President Bush’s repeated assertion that the nation is addicted to oil, and she takes it a step further, saying the nation is addicted to cheap oil.

“The big question is,” she said, “how long will it be before the average person can’t afford gasoline? I want to take a look at the alternative forms of energy being developed and focus on two things: Where are we in the transition and where are we in the cycle of production? How far, for instance, are we from hydrogen as a transportation source?”

Midland Reporter-Telegram