On Monday I was invited to participate in the Energy panel of the President's Council of Jobs and Competitiveness. After introductions by NCSU Chancellor Randy Woodson, North Carolina Senator Kay Hagan, and US Department of Commerce Secretary Gary Locke, Chair of the Council (and Chairman and CEO of GE) Jeffrey Immelt got right to the point of the session: He and his team came to North Carolina to listen. His job, and the job of the council, is to integrate ideas and insights from business leaders around the country into a realistic plan that can meaningfully reduce unemployment, strengthen our economy, and do so in a sustainable way. Energy technologies, policies, and strategies are all important dimensions to this overall challenge, and the assembled leaders--who are users, distributors, and generators of energy--came ready to participate in the discussion. » Read more
