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José Olivares gives talk for Clean Energy Economy Forum at the White HouseOn May 5, Biofuels Program Manager José Olivares participated in a Clean Energy Economy Forum at the White House. As part of a series of Clean Energy Forums, the objective of this forum was to promote renewable energy (especially its benefits for rural America and agriculture) and to mark the one-year anniversary of President Obama’s Biofuels Directive. U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack invited Olivares and other panelists to participate in the forum. The goal was to engage the audience in discussion and to educate them about the environmental and economic benefits of renewable biofuels. The audience included more than 100 energy executives, developers, bankers, lawyers, rural stakeholders, and others at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building. The group discussed renewable energy opportunities for rural communities and the Obama Administration’s efforts to help rural America build a clean energy economy that creates jobs, reduces our dependence on foreign oil, and enhances our position in the global economy. The Administration officials also had the opportunity to hear from farmers, ranchers, and energy producers about their experiences in the emerging clean energy economy. The day after the Clean Energy Forum, the USDA announced new funding opportunities for biofuels research. As a representative of the Southwest Region, Olivares spoke about the need for further collaboration between the USDA and DOE, the value of job training and education in the biofuels arena, and the contributions that are being made by research institutions and companies in the Southwest. He specifically spoke about the land-grant universities in the area that can be used to train a biofuels industry-ready workforce if the resources are allocated appropriately. A USDA press release also quoted Olivares as recommending new incentives for nascent technology and more collaboration among federal agencies. |
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