In this issue:
- Report from ground zero of the energy revolution
Report from ground zero of the energy revolution
I had two speeches last week in Midland, Texas in front of engaged, enthusiastic crowds, including many industry members working in the Permian Basin.
The first event was a luncheon hosted by the Permian Basin Petroleum Association, where I spoke to industry members about the enormous challenges they face in trying to win hearts and minds–and how to overcome those challenges. There were some great questions afterwards, and I’m looking forward to hearing how they’ve implemented the ideas.
In the evening, the Wagner Noël Performing Arts Center featured “An Evening with Alex Epstein,” hosted by the PBPA and a group called Start the Conversation. It was an incredible venue that’s hosted everyone from the Rolling Stones to my favorite comedian, Jerry Seinfeld. Here’s a photo of me standing in front of a wall signed by some past acts.
The event was covered by the Midland Reporter-Telegram. Here a bit from the article:
Addressing the membership luncheon of the Permian Basin Petroleum Association Thursday, Epstein said, “The industry has a bunch of different channels of communication to use. But they also need to tell their story so that both the positives and concerns are objectively addressed.”
If an industry that produces 80 percent of the world’s energy “can’t explain why what it does is important, that’s a problem,” he said.
The general public doesn’t always grasp that energy is a fundamental industry that powers every other industry, from food to manufacturing to medical care, Epstein continued. But the conversation surrounding fossil fuels and the “Keep it in the ground movement” is so biased, he said.
“If you’re not looking at both sides, how will you get to the answers?” he asked. “How big are the potential positives? How big are the potential negatives? If you know how big the positives are and how big the negatives are, we can begin to get to the right answers.”
Video of the event coming soon.