Weather, Water, Energy 4-11-07

• A U of MA study finds that "[i]f solar power is going to play a significant role in the energy equation of the future, there must be advances in technologies to store that power and more investment by manufacturers." A really good overview of what you would need to know to get solar power rolling. Here's the order of investment the experts recommend: "focus first on getting power from the new inorganic materials that show promise but are far from viable for large scale production. Then focus on purely organic cells with organic semiconductors; these hold the promise of low costs but still haven’t achieved high levels of efficiency and face serious stability problems. And lastly investigate the so-called third-generation cells, which use entirely different technology but may ultimately yield much more power." So let's start already. (And, while you're at Science Daily, they're running daily reports on how climate change will affect specific portions of the planet, based on the IPCC report.)
• ConocoPhilips has become the first US oil company to embrace reality and call for limits on greenhouse gases and for more renewables. This is good news, of course, but both of these companies, before joining, were based in OK, where the wind is always blowing and the sun shines a lot. Just now they're getting a clue? Oh, well, welcome on board. Gives us all a gasoline choice beside those a--holes at Exxon.
• All the oil companies are looking at anti-price gouging regulation from Congress that forces them to provide us info about their doings. But oil execs assure us that regulating them will hurt us, not them. How sweet of them. And convenient.
• Wanna know where the other "Live Earth" concerts will be around the globe? And the acts for the US and UK shows? Go here.
• Finally, a poll showing US respondents want strong regulation of greenhouse gas emissions. Bushnev's response, of course? Only voluntary action by businesses. Because "anything that happens cannot hurt economic growth," as if global warming isn't going to rip major new ones in every economy on earth and efforts to mitigate it won't generate opportunities and frontiers for enormous growth. 21 months, folks. Will we make it to the finish line?