Febuary 22, 2010

From Earth Science Information Partners (ESIP)

visioneers Telecon February 22, 2010 [edit] notes

Participants: Brian Rogan, Bruce Caron, Carol Meyer, Chris Lenhardt, Rahul Ramachadrian, Bruce Wilson, Rob Raskin, Margaret Mooney, Tamara Ledley

the energy and climate theme was approved by the excom as well as meeting locations three years out, but there was a caution on signing contracts too early. There were no ideas for speakers but gave the green light for the group to go ahead and plan that part of the agenda.

The discussion centered around the following document, presented by Chris Lenhardt


"Straw Man" Discussion ESIP Energy Group – Draft Proposal

Understanding Climate change impact on Energy demand and supply, and decision support for planning adaptation and mitigation strategies is one of the highest priorities from national security as well as from national and local government agency’s perspective. It has significant implications both from domestic and international point of view. ESIP could play a major role in bringing together a forum for impacted organizations to provide end user needs, utilities to articulate challenges and requirements to meet those needs, and government and private sector leaders to serve those needs.

To that end, we would like to launch an Energy WG within ESIP at the upcoming ESIP Summer 2010 meeting in Knoxville, TN.

Proposed Agenda Items are:

I. General session - Key Notes

Possible name: Tony Janetos JGCRI ?

Baker Center: public policy person?

Tom Wilbanks?

Tom Karl?

Al Gore?

Heidi Cullen Climate Central People

Jim Hack (ORNL) good speaker

Jeff Christian (energy efficient houses)

· Climate Change and Energy: Utilities Perspective

· Climate Change and Energy: National Security Requirements

II. Breakout Session I: End User Needs

· Energy requirements for local communities in the face of climate change and population growth

Example: Fossil Free by 33 Campaign bruce c 14:44, 22 February 2010 (EST)

· Military Base energy requirements for adaptation and mitigation

· User Group Panel Discussion: Energy Requirements

III. Breakout Session II – Public Policy and Government Plans

· Climate Change Impact on Energy Sector: Public Policy Issues and Challenges

· State Planners Perspective on Climate Change and Energy

· NASA Perspective on Climate Change and Energy

· NOAA Perspective on Climate Change and Energy

IV. Breakout session III. Decision Support Solutions

· National Data Resources -

· Economic and Energy assessment

· Power Infrastructure Decision Support

· Downscaling Models for Regional Applications

· Others?

Bruce Wilson (Group Leader, Environmental Data Science and Systems, ORNL) Shailendra Kumar (Director, Environmental Business Development, NGC)


There is a need to get a modeling perspective into the mix. Dean Williams is interested in coming. Carol has talked with Walt Warrnick who has an interest in coming to the meeting. OSTI is within Oak Ridge. There was an early climate cluster that was forced together that only met at one time but never really materialized. It may be that Climate may be too large to take on as a cluster itself but have it more integrated into the other groups. There are several people who are interested in moving this beyond just the meeting.

Possible Speakers Tony Janetos - Climate change/energy project in Maryland through Batelle. Might be better for a DC meeting. Speaker from the Baker Center discussing it from a public policy view Tom Wilbanks Tom Karl Al Gore? Susan Moser Heidi Cohen Jim Hack - director of Oak Ridge Jeff Christian - light, interesting speaker. Works with energy efficient housing.


The idea of the summer meeting is to have a 'lite' approach so people can talk to one another rather than a lunch speaker. It will be a buffet lunch.

It would be good to put the straw man proposal into the general meeting framework. It would be good to know what the other groups are doing in order to put it into the meeting. What other tracks, half days or longer are being proposed? Time sizes vary from 90 to 120 minutes. Carol will start to block out the agenda.

Starting time will be 8:30 on Tuesday which would give three blocks by noon.

Tuesday Technical Workshops Rahul will meet with Karl Benedict to help put together the technical workshops. There is interest in a data visualization boot camp strand. Rahul will put out an esip-all invitation for individuals to contribute ideas for the track. There will be a search for people at ORNL who might contribute their expertise. Bruce Wilson volunteered to help fund the poster session reception

Education Workshops The plan is to start the workshop on Tuesday at noon. The capacity for the computer labs are 20 plus. There has been a committment from NOAA and EPA to give workshops. Workshops will occur on Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday afternoon.

Bruce Wilson will help to make the connection with local teachers. There is also a need to invite the middle and high school librarians who work with students.

Student Competition Need a local person to hand out fliers to get students aware of the competition. Bruce will get someone to distribute the materials.

Other Items Air Quality and Water will probably want some time in the tracks.

Action Items

   * Carol will start to put the proposal into an agenda framework
   * Rahul will send out an ESIP-all invitation for the technical sessions
   * Bruce C. will work with Carol to start planning some future summer meeting sites