PURPOSE
To serve as the catalyst for development of balanced energy independence within Texas by establishing a networking infrastructure that can drive smart common-sense energy initiatives within the public and private sectors.
FOCUS
Strategies and implementation using trained Coalition Volunteer Activists (VAs) with guidance from outside energy advisors to drive COS outcomes in the following areas:
- Comprehensive plan for energy security and environmental responsibility
- Communication package focused developing energy literacy in America
- Comprehensive energy policy consistent with COS values
TEAM SPONSOR
State Director
TEAM LEADER
Energy Independence Coalition Director
TEAM MEMBERS
- Energy Industry Liaison Coordinator
- Energy Security Coordinator
- Energy Literacy Coordinator
- Energy Policy Coordinator
- Energy Communications Coordinator
KEY ACTIVITIES / DELIVERABLES
Team Building
- Energy Independence Coalition Director will:
- Develop a comprehensive communication package that effectively outlines the EIC mission and Call to Action to motivate COS VAs to participate in the Coalition.
- Identify the technical skillsets needed for each Coordinator position.
- Onboard Coalition VAs fromTexas HDs
- Work with DCs within those HDs to turn Volunteer Interests (VIs) into VAs to participate in the Coalition
- Energy Industry Liaison
- Energy Industry Liaison Team to identify, contact and onboard key Texas energy industry groups/companies to serve on the COS EIC Energy Advisory Board.
- Maintain frequent contact with board members.
- Setup periodic meetings with the board to review Coalition work products and seek advice.
- Serve as the industry conduit through which new ideas and critical information flows to the Coalition.
Energy Security
Energy Security Group to develop a comprehensive energy security and environmental responsibility plan for the state of Texas drawing heavily upon input from the EIC Energy Advisory Board and other key industry and private sources leading to:
- A set of linked industry peer-reviewed white papers that provides a blueprint for Texas legislative and industry officials to follow.
- Key issues covered in the sewhitepapers may include (among other topics):
- Improving the resilience of the State Energy Sector against natural and man-made disasters.
- How to optimize (energy balance) energy sources for Texas.
- Levelized cost of energy (LCOE) analysis for power plants in Texas.
- How ERCOT can better protect and harden the Texas power grid.
- Hardening the electronic security perimeter in the power generation, chemical and oil refining industries.
- Economic argument for maintaining energy independence in Texas
- How to achieve the balance between energy independence and the environment.
- How new/emerging technology, such as battery energy storage, must play a role in maintaining energy independence in Texas
- How Texas can profit from its balanced approach to energy independence
- High-level position paper drawn from the set of white papers that presents a comprehensive Texas strategy with recommendations for energy independence that will serve as an exemplar to the other states.
Energy Literacy
- Energy Literacy Group to develop a powerful Energy Literacy Plan drawing in-part on the papers developed by the Energy Security Group but targeting all segments of the population and employing all methods of communication including, white papers, pamphlets, books, social media, news media, personal presentations, interviews, etc.
- Educational/training material will be developed for maximum understanding and impact for the following groups (or subgroups):
- Schoolchildren(K-12)
- College students
- Working adults
- Retired adults
- Industry professionals
- Legislators
- Others as identified
Energy Policy
- Energy Policy Group will draw from the materials developed by the Energy Security/ Energy Literacy Groups to draft these ideas to a cohesive Texas Energy Initiative that addresses needed changes in both Texas and Federal energy policy. This document will be further enhanced and molded into a set of actionable legislative bills, by the COS Legislative Liaison Group, TPPF and the EIC Energy Advisory Board.
- Energy Policy Group will assist State legislators introduce these bills into the Texas State Legislature.
Energy Communications
The Energy Communications Group will:
- Assist all groups in both internal and external communications including drafting white papers, presentations, policy documentation.
- Develop a literacy roll-out schedule that focuses on obtaining maximum near-term influence from the developed materials and will implement the Energy Literacy Plan using both COS Coalition VAs and external resources committed to the message.
KEY INTERFACES
- State Director
- State Coalitions Director/Advisor
- HD District Captains
- HD Integrative Systems Coordinators
- EIC Coalition Coordinators
- EIC Coalition VAs
- COS State Legislative Liaison Team
- COS State Communications Coordinator
- State Grassroots Coordinators
- EIC Energy Advisory Board
- Texas Public Policy Foundation (TPPF)
- Texas Oil & Gas Association
- Texas Railroad Commission
PERFORMANCE (Early Stage)
All coalition members will have shared goals with respect to advancing the purpose stated in the EIC charter. A working leadership team with the five operational Coordinators to be fully functioning, developing plans, securing training resources and adding Coalition VAs in this early stage.
MEASURES (Early Stage – First Four Months)
Team Building
EIC Coalition Director to identify and onboard the five operational Coalition VAs to serve as Coordinators within the Leadership Team within the first three months of startup.
A communication tool aimed at educating HDs, onboarding VAs, and turning VIs into VAs in support of the EIC Coordinators to be developed and rolled out within the first three months of startup.
Onboard two VAs per Coordinator (or as may be required) within the first five months of startup.
Energy Industry Liaison
• Energy Industry Liaison Coordinator to identify and onboard at least three key members of an EIC Advisory Board within the first three months of assignment.
Energy Security
• Energy Security Coordinator to identify the key areas to be addressed in the series of white papers and onboard VAs and outside resources including EIC Energy Advisory Board members required to do the research draft manuscripts within the first three months of assignment.
Energy Literacy
• Energy Literacy Coordinator to onboard VAs to support the group, produce a rough outline an Energy Literacy Plan and identify target groups for energy literacy within the first four months of assignment.
Energy Policy
• Energy Policy Coordinator to onboard VAs to support the group and assist in the Energy Security Coordinator until sufficient information has been developed to commence work on the Texas Energy Initiative within the first four month of assignment.
Energy Communication
• Energy Communications Coordinator will actively assist the Energy Industry Liaison, Security and Literacy groups with the communications efforts including EIC Advisory Board communications, white paper development, presentations, and development of the Energy Literacy Plan.
WORK PROCESSES
The Energy Independence Coalition will require a group of five VA Coordinators with extraordinary skillsets if Coalition goals are to be achieved. They must be chosen carefully and ideally have held executive or key managerial roles in one or more of the following industries:
- Power generation/transmission
- Downstream oil refining
- Upstream oil production
- Gas production
- Alternate energy
- Nuclear
- Mining/Coal/Shale
- Space-based solar power (SBSP, SSP)
- Board memberships in an energy industry
- Energy economic think tanks
- Pipeline transmission
- Legal/legislative activity in an energy industry
It is essential that the Energy Security, Literacy, Policy Coordinators work closely with one another assisted by the Energy Communications Coordinator because the work product of one depends upon the other. Priority should be given to assembling a powerful EIC Energy Advisory Board early in the formation of the Coalition along with staffing of the Energy Security group. The Energy Security Group is the driver for the Coalition. All other groups will be using the work product from the Energy Security group to perform their own functions.
Furthermore, all the work done within this Coalition on behalf of Texas will necessarily need to be ported into other states and eventually the nation. Texas cannot achieve its full objective of total energy independence without interstate commerce. Oil, gas, and power are fungible products bought and sold on the open market and subject to controls beyond Texas. But Texas can control how it responds to the energy challenges by legislating and then implementing the optimal blend of energy sources and environmental stewardship to secure the best possible outcome for Texas residents and the most profitable outcome for the state and for the private corporations that take much of the risk.
MEETINGS
The EIC Leadership Team will meet bi-monthly via a dedicated EIC Slack Channel, Zoom or other communication means to review progress within each Coordinator’s area, share learnings and improvement opportunities and develop/revise plans for the next three rolling months. Weekly communication will occur among Coordinators, VAs and other Key Interfaces via phone, Slack, ZOOM and email. The team will lean heavily on input from its EIC Energy Advisory Board and establish fixed meeting times and agendas with them.
