Weather, Water, Energy 9-25-06

Ted Turner is out there promoting biofuels not just as an energy alternative but as a means to improve incomes for the world's poor farmers. One thing about Turner, he's always been a nut, but he's never been crazy. . . . He might want to talk to this guy first, though, before he moves to biofuels too fast. Seems many of the plants promoted for the task are highly invasive species, like Johnson grass was, once promoted as forage grass and now I'm trying to convince my wife how good it looks all over the yard. One kind of potential biofuel is called "Johnson grass on steroids." I'm thinking that wouldn't be as cool as it sounds, although the Sci-Fi Channel might be interested. . . . Of course, as this TX story shows, distribution may be a bigger problem for these new fuels than production anyway. . . . Ants and grasshoppers in CO. The ants played fair on water, got screwed by the grasshoppers. Get ready for this being the story of the rest of our climate decisions. . . . A Boston Globe article notes that TX has proven much more proactive than MA in promoting wind power, attributed to a more receptive culture and resulting in a surprising alternative energy economic boom in TX. I've noted before as well the vast amount of the natural resource in question there. As we in OK always used to say, no matter what direction you leave TX, you're going into the wind because TX sux. . . . Meanwhile, less windy climes like WI are facing the nuclear question again. A decent article (pros/cons) on what will be an increasingly common topic in many states. . . . Good news in this article on forecasts that heating bills will be lower this winter as natural gas and home heating oil prices have dropped. . . . While we've been lauding CA's recent initiatives on alternative energy, perhaps this article should give us pause. Turns out the state has only increased use of renewable energy by less than 1% of the state's overall electricity use in the last 4 years. Moreover, some analysts project that CA will miss a regulatory deadline to get 20% of CA's electricity from renewables by 2010. Regulations are given much of the blame, of course. . . . In FL, proliferating algae blooms in Biscayne Bay are worrying state naturalists. . . . US News & World Report has an interesting piece on how the increasing costs of energy are also increasing workloads (and shortages?) for engineering and construction firms. . . . A conference in France produced a warning that, between global warming and increased use by ski resorts, mountain water resources have been endangered. Seems making fake snow leaves less downstream. More things we learn that we never thought of before. . . . Finally, Honda shoots yet another arrow into the US auto industry, with development of a new diesel powertrain as clean as gas-fueled cars, to be marketed here by 2009. And we get nitrogen at the end of it, for you possible fertilizer entrepreneurs. So get cracking.