A partnership of automakers, technology suppliers, energy suppliers and regulatory agencies are among the sponsors supporting "2020: California’s Transportation Energy Future” conference. This single-day CALSTART conference focuses on finding solutions to achieve the state's goal of significantly reducing petroleum consumption and increasing the use of alternative fuels by 2020. DaimlerChrysler, Honda Motor Company, Southern California Edison, Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A., Robert Bosch Corp., the South Coast Air Quality Management District, Southern California Gas Company, FedEx Express, Pacific Gas & Electric Co., Clean Energy, the California Air Resources Board, and the California Energy Commission are among the sponsors for the forum. The conference is scheduled from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Thurs., Dec. 2, at the Wilshire Grand Hotel in downtown Los Angeles. Some sponsors will also showcase technology highlighting their approach to energy efficiency and alternative fuel use. DaimlerChrysler will feature its diesel Jeep Liberty, which achieves a 30-percent fuel economy gain over its gasoline counterpart, together with its GEM neighborhood electric vehicles. Honda will bring examples from its portfolio of clean and efficient vehicles, which currently encompasses natural gas and several hybrid electric vehicles, including the new Hybrid Accord. These and other automakers will be joined at the conference by an array of leaders from industry, business, public policy, government, academia, and others, focused on driving forward solutions to California’s transportation energy challenges. “In a world where $50 a barrel petroleum is the new norm and domestic oil sources are in decline,” said John Boesel, president and CEO of WestStart-CALSTART, “the question is no longer whether we need to reduce petroleum use, but how and how soon. This conference focuses on near-term steps to take and long-term solutions.” As "2020: California's Transportation Energy Future” conference will underscore, there are several challenges facing the state:

• Economic: Rising and fluctuating petroleum prices destabilize the economy, reduce the real income of consumers, and drive up the average cost of production goods and services.
  

• Source depletion: As California’s and other domestic sources of petroleum – such as Alaska – are depleted, California increasingly will have to compete with emerging economies around the world for oil. Additionally, the state will be at the mercy of external and often unstable parts of the world for its fuel supply. This will make California’s economy more vulnerable to external disruptions and geopolitical instability as well as channel more California dollars out of the state.
  

• Environmental: Global warming, resulting in large part from greenhouse-gas emissions produced by petroleum combustion, is expected to negatively impact California’s water supply, coastal communities, and urban smog.

  The conference will bring together distinguished leaders representing multiple interests to explore the needs, technologies, and methods for reducing California’s petroleum consumption by 15 percent and increasing the use of alternative fuels to 20 percent of on-road vehicles before the year 2020. The conference is structured to provide a forum to draw attention to a recent state report that outlines these goals. Coupled with the action-oriented forum will also be an awards luncheon celebrating current transportation leaders. CALSTART will present its prestigious 2004 Blue Sky Awards, given annually to recognize outstanding action to move clean and efficient transportation solutions to market. Visit www.California2020.com/ or contact Monica Alcaraz at (626) 744-5655 for more information.