News
ENLARGE
EAGLE COUNTY, Colorado — With oil prices on the rise, this seems like a good time to have a serious discussion about energy, and Beaver Creek seems as good a place as any.
Carl Colby, a part-time area resident and documentary filmmaker, started thinking about trying to organize a seminar based on big ideas some time ago. Colby said he's been impressed by the energy and spirit of valley residents and wanted to find a way to channel that energy into something important.
More important than presenting ideas, though, is Colby's desire for “information without agendas.” As someone who spends time in Washington, D.C., New York and Los Angeles, Colby said he sees an ideologically divided country.
Colby said the Vail Valley is a bit different, thanks to the number of working professionals who live here, either full or part time. Those people are often focused more on solutions, Colby said.
“There are a lot of jewels in the crown here,” Colby said, “but I wondered, why isn't there a global forum, one that isn't locally focused?”
The old AEI World Forum was sort of like that, Colby said, but it was remarkably expensive to attend and quite partisan — attendees ranged from Gerald Ford to Dick Cheney, with mostly right-of-center important people taking the rest of the spots on the dais.
Colby said he hoped to follow a different model — one that was more affordable and less partisan.
So Colby got to work, talking to people associated with the Vail Valley Foundation. That led to more contacts, which led to Vail's version of a power lunch — breakfast with a group of influential residents at the Westside Cafe.
At one of those breakfast meetings, Vail resident George Gillett put a good idea into crisp focus.
“He said, ‘It's got to be about one thing,'” Colby said.
That one thing turned out to be energy, a single subject with a host of subtexts.
To get even a decent view of that broad landscape, the forum will bring in speakers with a range of expertise. From the political side come Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper and Sen. Mark Udall. Former U.S. Secretary of State George Shultz is on the schedule, too, as are other representatives from industry.
But, Gillett said, the panel wouldn't have nearly the diversity it does without the involvement of part-time area resident Jay Precourt, who also funds the Precourt Institute of Energy at Stanford.
“Jay knows about the impacts and effects, and he's concerned about the environment,” Gillett said. “He's really one of the unsung heroes of our community.”
The Precourt Center is sending its director, Franklin Orr, and James Sweeney, director of the Precourt Energy Efficiency Center.
Sweeney's own specialty is efficiency, which he called a “bridge to a clean-energy future.” The world's energy system is “anything but clean” at the moment, but the technology for clean power is still in its “emerging” phases, Sweeney said.
Caught by phone on his way to a daylong series of meetings, Sweeney said he's excited about the forum's prospects.
“It's a chance to get a group of deep and broad perspectives on energy” from people with a variety of backgrounds, Sweeney said. “It's going to be an opportunity at a very high level to be able to discuss various issues in a thoughtful way.”
Gillett said he's also looking forward to the conversations that could start at the forum but said it might be too soon to expect action.
“Still, I think it's going to be a wonderful event,” Gillett said.
Besides professionals, Colby said he's happy that a number of students, both high school and college, all recommended by their instructors, are planning to attend.
Colby said he hopes all who attend are thinking about a few things as they leave March 4: Things everyone can do to increase energy efficiency, the real state of energy-related science and how new technology will be paid for.
Those ideas may spark more conversation in the future and could lead to other forums.
And, Gillett said, the idea is in the right hands with Precourt and Colby.
“You have (Precourt), with outstanding credibility in business,” Gillett said. “And (Colby) is a likable, brilliant thinker. ... I think this will be great for the world and great for Vail.”
Business Editor Scott N. Miller can be reached at 970-748-2930 or smiller@
vaildaily.com.
Carl Colby, a part-time area resident and documentary filmmaker, started thinking about trying to organize a seminar based on big ideas some time ago. Colby said he's been impressed by the energy and spirit of valley residents and wanted to find a way to channel that energy into something important.
More important than presenting ideas, though, is Colby's desire for “information without agendas.” As someone who spends time in Washington, D.C., New York and Los Angeles, Colby said he sees an ideologically divided country.
Colby said the Vail Valley is a bit different, thanks to the number of working professionals who live here, either full or part time. Those people are often focused more on solutions, Colby said.
“There are a lot of jewels in the crown here,” Colby said, “but I wondered, why isn't there a global forum, one that isn't locally focused?”
The old AEI World Forum was sort of like that, Colby said, but it was remarkably expensive to attend and quite partisan — attendees ranged from Gerald Ford to Dick Cheney, with mostly right-of-center important people taking the rest of the spots on the dais.
Colby said he hoped to follow a different model — one that was more affordable and less partisan.
So Colby got to work, talking to people associated with the Vail Valley Foundation. That led to more contacts, which led to Vail's version of a power lunch — breakfast with a group of influential residents at the Westside Cafe.
At one of those breakfast meetings, Vail resident George Gillett put a good idea into crisp focus.
“He said, ‘It's got to be about one thing,'” Colby said.
That one thing turned out to be energy, a single subject with a host of subtexts.
To get even a decent view of that broad landscape, the forum will bring in speakers with a range of expertise. From the political side come Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper and Sen. Mark Udall. Former U.S. Secretary of State George Shultz is on the schedule, too, as are other representatives from industry.
But, Gillett said, the panel wouldn't have nearly the diversity it does without the involvement of part-time area resident Jay Precourt, who also funds the Precourt Institute of Energy at Stanford.
“Jay knows about the impacts and effects, and he's concerned about the environment,” Gillett said. “He's really one of the unsung heroes of our community.”
The Precourt Center is sending its director, Franklin Orr, and James Sweeney, director of the Precourt Energy Efficiency Center.
Sweeney's own specialty is efficiency, which he called a “bridge to a clean-energy future.” The world's energy system is “anything but clean” at the moment, but the technology for clean power is still in its “emerging” phases, Sweeney said.
Caught by phone on his way to a daylong series of meetings, Sweeney said he's excited about the forum's prospects.
“It's a chance to get a group of deep and broad perspectives on energy” from people with a variety of backgrounds, Sweeney said. “It's going to be an opportunity at a very high level to be able to discuss various issues in a thoughtful way.”
Gillett said he's also looking forward to the conversations that could start at the forum but said it might be too soon to expect action.
“Still, I think it's going to be a wonderful event,” Gillett said.
Besides professionals, Colby said he's happy that a number of students, both high school and college, all recommended by their instructors, are planning to attend.
Colby said he hopes all who attend are thinking about a few things as they leave March 4: Things everyone can do to increase energy efficiency, the real state of energy-related science and how new technology will be paid for.
Those ideas may spark more conversation in the future and could lead to other forums.
And, Gillett said, the idea is in the right hands with Precourt and Colby.
“You have (Precourt), with outstanding credibility in business,” Gillett said. “And (Colby) is a likable, brilliant thinker. ... I think this will be great for the world and great for Vail.”
Business Editor Scott N. Miller can be reached at 970-748-2930 or smiller@
vaildaily.com.
