The Rice Energy Program

The Rice Energy Program (REP) is a multi-disciplinary program that includes activities addressing energy science and technology policy and research on emerging energy technologies, environmental implications of energy production and use, and sustainable strategies for fulfilling the world's energy needs. Building on the highly successful Energy Forum created by the James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy, the Rice Energy Program is supported by both the Baker Institute and the George R. Brown School of Engineering.

Since its founding in 1993, the James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy has become a leading institution advancing effective foreign and domestic policy. One of the hallmarks of the Institute's early years has been its independent research program on energy issues. The mission of the Energy Forum is to promote the development of informed and realistic public policy choices in the energy area by educating policy makers and the public about important trends -both regional and global-that shape the nature of global energy markets and influence the quantity and security of vital supplies needed to fuel world economic growth and prosperity.

The interdisciplinary nature of the Energy Forum has lent itself to close collaboration with the George R. Brown School of Engineering. The Rice Energy Program fosters partnerships between academia, business, governments, nongovernmental organizations and community groups to help meet society's needs for sustainable energy, environmental protection, economic development, and public health and safety.

The Rice Energy Program promotes collaborative, multi-disciplinary research to address global energy issues. The program currently supports projects in 13 departments in the areas of nanotechnology and energy, carbon capture and sequestration, biofuels and gas hydrates.