Credit Suisse U.S. Equity Research recently hosted the first annual Future of Energy Conference in Washington, D.C. The conference focused on a variety of topics, ranging from emerging technologies to investment opportunities in both the public and private arenas.
Highlights included keynote addresses by former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich and political consultant James Carville, as well as Andy Karsner, former assistant secretary of energy for the Department of Energy's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.
CEOs and executives from over 60 companies attended the conference, representing sectors such as cleantech, chemicals and advanced materials, smart grid technologies, solar, wind and utilities.
‘As technological advancements continue to influence the energy space, we recognize that strategic decisions need to be made to ensure that existing and future energy supplies remain safe, sustainable and economically viable,’ says Mark Flannery, head of U.S. equity research at Credit Suisse.
In their joint keynote address, Gingrich and Carville discussed their views on the political environment and how it might impact the future of energy. They also expressed concerns regarding the environmental and political implications of the Gulf Coast oil spill. With a similar focus on the role that government will play in the future of energy, Karsner addressed the need for government to create a predictable and enabling framework to ensure capital formation within the alternative energy field.
SOURCE: Credit Suisse AG
