The production and distribution of energy, whether for consumer or commercial use, is an obvious topic of concern for all citizens. Just as concerning are

Energy by Marcel Kayser on Flickr / CC BY-NC-SA

the troubling difficulties in developing a clear and coherent energy policy when there are deep conflicts among the various–and often economically and politically powerful–stakeholders involved. Energy discussions also overlap with a wide range of other key issues of our time: the roles of science and technology in society, how we plan and live in our communities, how we prepare for the economy of the future, how we distribute societal resources and goods, climate change and how we act as stewards of our natural resources.

The Future of Energy discussion guide challenges us to consider all these issues as well as exploring five different policy possibilities for addressing some of those issues over the longer term.