CERA Week: Day One

By Ashley Baird - CleanSkies TV - Houston, Texas -

It’s day one of CERAweek 2009 in Houston, Texas, and the CleanSkies TV News team kicked off the day with a keynote address by a heavy hitter in the energy industry, Chairman of the House Energy and Environment Subcommittee, Congressman Ed Markey (D-MA). His address, titled, “U.S. Energy and Environmental Policy: What’s Next?” laid out his plans for energy legislation in the coming year. Chairman Markey’s committee will likely write cap and trade legislation this coming year, and today he included a list of requirements for the bill: that it be science-based, technology-driven, and market-fueled. CSTV News Anchor and Managing Editor Susan McGinnis caught up with the Chairman after his address, where he granted CSTV an exclusive interview. Chairman Markey said that a comprehensive energy policy for our country is a top priority for President Obama and Speaker Pelosi. He said that over the next several months the U.S. will see an energy policy unfold that will go beyond the current stimulus package and include a national renewable electricity standard. You can catch this exclusive interview on the Morning Report at 9 AM EASTERN and The Energy Report at 4 PM EASTERN on Tuesday, February 10, 2009.

Following Markey’s address, IHS experts gave a series of presentations on the state of the energy industry, including speeches on the cost of infrastructure, security of energy infrastructure, oil and gas shipping, and GDP and energy demand outlook. Afterwards, Susan McGinnis sat down with Andy Byrne, Vice President and Senior Equity Analyst at IHS Herald. Byrne said the U.S. should expect “cliff diving and car crashes” for 2009, all due to the collapse in oil prices. He is, however, optimistic that a stimulus package will help. If that works, Byrne says he is optimistic that we’ll see a much stronger 2010 than 2009.

CleanSkies TV News Executive Editor Margaret Ryan sat down with Sara Johnson, Managing Director of Global Macroeconomics for IHS Global Insight. Johnson gave a presentation on energy demand outlook for 2009. She said we are currently seeing the worst recession of the post-war era. Johnson told CSTV that worldwide energy consumption will decrease this year, with a notable decline in petroleum demand and natural gas consumption. She said the stimulus package is very important and the government needs to move in and create demand for goods and services.

You can catch these interviews and more on Tuesday’s Morning Report at 9 AM EASTERN. Stay tuned for more CERAWEEK 2009 coverage all week long at www.cleanskies.tv. We’ll be speaking with Fred Krupp of EDF, Commissioner Peter Lyon of NRC, Stephen Leer of ArchCoal, Harold Krisle of TransCanada, and many more.