Phoenix, AZ – Growth Energy, the coalition of U.S. ethanol supporters, today hosted the first of four roundtable discussions at its two-day Executive Leadership Conference in Phoenix, Ariz. The roundtable discussion centered on the national security implications of continuing America’s dependence on foreign oil.
The panel featured Gen. Wesley Clark, Co-Chairman of Growth Energy, and Dr. Gal Luft, Executive Director for the Institute for the Analysis of Global Security. The discussion was moderated by Bruce Rastetter, Growth Energy Board Member and CEO of Hawkeye Energy Holdings, LLC.
“Today, oil is the most strategic commodity in the world and it controls the world’s economy,” said Dr. Luft. “If we want to preserve the future of this country we need to give consumers a choice at the filling station. Giving consumers a choice means that oil can no longer control prices and we will begin to grow a competitive market for ethanol.”
Other topics introduced during the roundtable included America’s reliance on fossil fuels, the long term economic implications of not switching to domestic and renewable energy and the role that Growth Energy can play in promoting the benefits of domestically-produced ethanol.
“Changing our dependence on oil starts with consumer education,” General Clark said. “You need to bring the American people on board and Growth Energy is one of the groups that will do this.”
Growth Energy’s Executive Leadership Conference is designed to bring Growth Energy members together to assess the state of the organization as well as the state of the ethanol industry. The conference will feature four roundtables with moderators and expert speakers from the renewable energy industry.
About Growth Energy
Growth Energy is a group committed to the promise of agriculture and growing America’s economy through cleaner, greener energy. Growth Energy members recognize America needs a new ethanol approach. Through smart policy reform and a proactive grassroots campaign, Growth Energy promotes reducing greenhouse gas emissions, expanding the use of ethanol in gasoline, decreasing our dependence on foreign oil, and creating American jobs at home. More information can be found at GrowthEnergy.org.