SMU panel discussion, town hall to tackle Texas’ energy future

DALLAS (SMU) – A panel of diverse energy experts will take on questions related to Texas’ energy future in a moderated discussion followed by a town hall-style exchange with the audience at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 15, on the SMU campus.

The event, which is free and open to the public, will be in Georges Auditorium, room 175 of the Crow Building, 6210 Bishop Blvd. Panelists will examine the current state of Texas energy resources and its future energy portfolio, including the role of geothermal and solar energy. 

The panel will include:

• Al Armendariz, former Region 6 EPA administrator and current Sierra Club “Beyond Coal” senior campaign representative
    
• Maria Richards, SMU Geothermal Lab coordinator
    
• James Smith, SMU Cox School’s Cary M. Maguire Chair in Oil and Gas Management
    
• Jim Duncan, president of North Texas Renewable Energy Inc. and a solar/photovoltaics expert
    
• Mark Armentrout, former chairman of the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) and president/CEO of Texas Technology Partners

Panelists will introduce themselves and their positions on the issues. A moderator will direct the panel, leaving time for audience questions at the end. Questions up for discussion include:  

• Can geothermal energy be a part of our energy future, and what is the potential for geothermal power plants?
• How is natural gas affecting the pricing of other energy sources?  
• What are the possibilities of expanding the use of solar and wind energy in Texas?

The panel discussion is hosted by the Sierra Student Coalition, the Memnosyne Foundation, the SMU Geothermal Laboratory, the SMU Engaged Learning Center and SMU’s Students for a Better Society. There will be opportunities to interview panelists after the discussion.

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