The main events for the second annual Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy (ARPA-E) Conference start tomorrow, March 1.  I have checked into the Gaylord National Convention Center Hotel and perused the agenda.  How exciting!  Topics ranging from rare earths to advanced fuels to zero carbon power will be discussion topics.  This is America ingenuity at its best.  Efforts to attract talent, both foreign and domestic, to the energy challenge.  Funding cutting edge research and development, knowing that some will fail miserably, but hoping a few ideas succeed spectacularly.  It is Sputnik time again for the United States.  Let’s hope we respond as successfully.