San Diego Dialogue

In 1997 San Diego Dialogue established the Forum Fronterizo luncheon series to provide civic leaders with a venue to examine opportunities and challenges in the San Diego/Baja California metropolitan region.

The Forum has regularly attracted a distinguished audience of over 300 business, government and academic leaders from both sides of the border, including the region’s key elected officials and CEOs.

22nd Forum Fronterizo
Renewable Energy: Increasing U.S. Energy Competitiveness Through Crossborder Alliances

In Partnership With the

Mexico Business Center's 7th Annual Mexico Economic Outlook

On October 8th, the 22nd Forum Fronterizo focused on the current capacity and future potential for renewable energy in the San Diego-Imperial-Baja California region. Renewable energy is an increasingly important issue given concerns about energy supplies and addressing global climate change. California Lietenant Governor John Garamendi's keynote address touched upon these larger issues and how renewable energy resources along the US-Mexico border may help mitigate the looming challenges of achieving energy independence and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. At the same time, there is a large opportunity to improve our economic competitiveness through the development of new, clean technologies. A moderated panel discussion with renewable energy experts discussed their current activities and the future potential for solar, wind, and geothermal energy sources in the crossborder region.

Video of the Forum Fronterizo will be shown on UCSD-TV December 15-28, 2008.
Click here for the broadcast schedule.

Moderated Panel Discussion with:
Alberto Abreu
Director, Project Development
Sempra Generation

Cecilia Aguillon
Director of Market Development & Government Relations
Kyocera Solar, Inc.

Briefing Paper:
The California Center for Sustainable Energy will provide attendees with updated information on the current and planned capacity for renewable energy in the San Diego-Imperial-Baja California region. The briefing paper will also describe the policy issues and regulatory context on both sides of the border as it relates to the region's ability to address potential challenges and maximize opportunities for a cleaner, more sustainable energy future.

Past Forum Fronterizo Programs

Past speakers have included:
• U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno
• U.S. Secretary of Energy Bill Richardson
• Mexico’s Secretary of Foreign Affairs José Angel Gurría
• Mexico’s Secretary of the Environment Julia Carabias
• NADBank General Manager Victor Miramontes
• U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service Commissioner Dorris Meissner
• U.S. Department of Homeland Security Undersecretary Asa Hutchinson
• Qualcomm C.E.O. Irwin Jacobs

All Forum Fronterizo programs have received extensive radio, television, and print media coverage in both Mexican and U.S. markets.

Video of previous Forum Fronterizo programs are available online via UCSD-TV. Click here for a full listing of programs.

Now in its eleventh year of activities, the Forum Fronterizo has become a useful resource for defining strategic challenges facing the cross-border region and presenting potential solutions. The Forum's primary goal is to educate active and influential constituencies and inform a regional audience on the "state of the region."

Please submit your contact information on our Mailing List Registration page to be informed about future programs.