Government officials from the United States, Kenya and Turkey, several hundred business leaders, and UCLA faculty and students attended the 2008 International Clean Energy & Power Forum on Tuesday night.
The event included speakers discussing many aspects of alternative energy, including chief executive officers of companies looking toward practical solutions for energy dependence in the next few years.
Kevin Maloney, CEO of QuantumSphere, Inc., one of the event’s sponsors, spoke at the event about how his company and others like it are pursuing techniques to create energy efficient products.
“(The forum addressed) issues facing our planet and talked about some of the near-term, viable solutions and showcased some cutting-edge products that will change our lives in the next few years,” Maloney said.
Some of QuantumSphere’s products, which are used to produce energy efficient fuel cells, were displayed at the event, along with products from other companies.
Consul General of Turkey Hakan Tekin spoke during the forum about the move toward energy efficiency within his country.
“Three-fourths of the world’s hydrogen reserves are near Turkey, and clean energy is a growing sector there,” he said regarding Turkey’s energy reform initiatives.
Many speakers focused on the importance of creating solutions for future generations.
A number of students from the Forum for Energy Economics and Development, a UCLA student group, attended the event to learn from the business and political leaders present.
“I came to learn more about what is going on in the world in terms of energy development,” said Eddison Lai, a member of the organization, which creates a quarterly online journal about energy issues. Students and faculty from CSU Los Angeles, Loyola Marymount and American Intercontinental University were present as well.
A majority of the attendees and speakers were business leaders, and several spoke about the growing demand in the marketplace for alternative energy resources.
Beverly Macy, a UCLA Extension professor of global marketing and CEO of Y&M Partners, addressed the economic possibilities within the energy industry.
“The economy internationally was just dismal this year, but the bright spot was clean energy and power,” she said.
California’s 48th District Director Lou Penrose also attended the event and said he was eager to report back to Rep. John Campbell, R-South Orange County, about what he gained from the conference.
“Everyone’s talking about what McCain and Obama and Clinton will do about the cost of gas, but change is not going to come from the capitol or a congressional hearing; it is going to come from the countryside,” he said.
“The people brought together here represent the next generation of how we think about energy. You can feel the passion they have.”