The theme of this year's forum was "Energy Efficiency: The Path Toward Independence," and special guest speaker Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) emphasized the need for energy security. "Energy is in the news right now." But the question is, she said, "Will we have the political will to make the decisions we know we must make for our energy future, our economic future, and our security future?"
Clinton stated, "I believe our present system of energy delivery and use is weakening our national security, hurting our pocketbooks, violating our common values, and threatening our children's future."