Renewable and Affordable

By Megan Greenwell, Washington Post Staff Writer
As smoke rose from the power plant just across Cuckold Creek, one of the first residential windmills in Maryland began providing the Elliott-Robinson home with a greener source of electricity yesterday.
The couple spent $23,000 to put up a personal windmill in their back yard, which will decrease [...]

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OH YES, OH YES – It will be alllll the new administration’s fault if every parcel of land isn’t raped.  I don’t think I could live with myself if every single green space wasn’t turned over for record profit of oil tycoons.  Oh and of course it’s also the new administration’s fault if oil prices [...]

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Did anybody happen to notice how many green numbers are on the little worldwide markets widget today?  About half green today.  That’s better, right?
On another note – anybody else as pissed at I am at OPEC talking about cutting production?  WTF?  Assholes.

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Where in St. Charles are they going to build this?  Does anyone know?

By Megan Greenwell, Washington Post Staff Writer

A Silver Spring company has reached an agreement with Charles County officials that clears the way for construction of a $500 million natural gas power plant in St. Charles.
The agreement, announced Wednesday, is the most significant development [...]

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So, the Congress controls the purse strings of the the Gov’t, does it?  Not really.
Having already lost a bid to get Congress to appropriate billions of tax payers’ dollars, the big 3 have appealed to… guess who?  Yep, you got it.  George Bush.  And guess what?  He’s going to use the TARP money to [...]

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By Lisa Rein, Washington Post Staff Writer

Maryland should not try to buy back the valuable power plants that were sold when the state deregulated its electricity markets but should consider new laws to protect consumers, a report released by regulators yesterday concludes.
The long-awaited report by the Public Service Commission was ordered by the General Assembly [...]

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I guess the UAW would rather be representing unemployed auto workers, rather than accept a pay cut?  What kinda idocy is that?
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A $14bn (£9.4bn) bail-out deal for the US car industry has failed to get Senate support, raising fears of job cuts and a possible industry collapse.
Bipartisan talks on the rescue plan collapsed over Republican [...]

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If people sue the oil and power companies, how do you think that the companies will pay that bill?  I’ll bet that they pass the cost along to their customers.
David Adam and Afua Hirsch, www.guardian.co.uk
People affected by worsening storms, heatwaves and floods could soon be able to sue the oil and power companies they blame [...]

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Nuclear energy worries me a bit.  I know, it’s supposed to be safe and wonderful and clean and is a source that can keep up with demand. I’ve heard the cheers.  But, this morning The China Syndrome is on and I am reminded of Karen Silkwood and what it could mean if nuclear power became [...]

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Despite Drop in Oil, Americans Seal Up for Winter
CNBC.com
When crude oil prices climbed to a record $147.27 a barrel this summer, many Americans—their thoughts turning to winter heating bills—rushed to line their homes with insulation and replace drafty windows.
Now, with the U.S. economy in tatters, many figure they still cannot afford to let money escape [...]

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‘Fish Technology’ Draws Renewable Energy From Slow Water Currents
Science Daily
Slow-moving ocean and river currents could be a new, reliable and affordable alternative energy source. A University of Michigan engineer has made a machine that works like a fish to turn potentially destructive vibrations in fluid flows into clean, renewable power.
The machine is called VIVACE.  VIVACE [...]

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The United States’s biggest carmakers should be allowed to go bankrupt, a leading US politician has suggested.
Republican senator Richard Shelby said that Ford, GM and Chrysler should not get a $25bn government bail-out.
Mr Shelby said this would avoid factory closures and job cuts, and would just be “life support”.
He called for the car firms’ bosses [...]

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From the Autopia Unintended Consequences Department comes this dispatch from Tippecanoe County, Indiana, where researchers at Purdue University say the majority of drivers have no problem going 5, 10 or even 20 mph over the speed limit and see no risk in doing so.
The study of 988 drivers in that county, where Purdue is located, [...]

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…the price of a gallon of gas has only dropped 31% since mid-July while the price of a barrel of oil has dropped 54% in the same time frame? They sure were in a lot bigger hurry to raise prices on us then they are to lower them.

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Perhaps we are closer than we think to gaining some sort of energy independence? Strides like this are the reason I feel that not only will our country be able to “go electric”, we will be able to do it in less than 20 years.
NEVER count out American ingenuity.
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FREMONT, California — Solar cells have been [...]

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