Full Version: Colorado's Alternative Reality
The following link is to an editorial, but it contains solid information on what Colorado's government wants to do with the flat eastern part of the state:
Colorado's Plan for Alternative Energy Development
1) How might this plan succeed or fail?
2) Where might the alliance of alternative energy organizations with higher-education schools take us?
3) Are there similar things going on in your state?
4) What, if anything, would you like your state government to be doing about energy?
Not surprisingly, I'm all for the plan and the alliance and want more, more, and even more alternative energy development. Hoping to see the day that the US doesn't have to import a drop of oil or dig up an ounce of coal. Pretty sure there are some state tax breaks for installing alt energy, like solar panels that feed back into the grid (my little plan). I'd like to see more of that, tax breaks for personal alt energy installations.
Colorado's Plan for Alternative Energy Development
1) How might this plan succeed or fail?
2) Where might the alliance of alternative energy organizations with higher-education schools take us?
3) Are there similar things going on in your state?
4) What, if anything, would you like your state government to be doing about energy?
Not surprisingly, I'm all for the plan and the alliance and want more, more, and even more alternative energy development. Hoping to see the day that the US doesn't have to import a drop of oil or dig up an ounce of coal. Pretty sure there are some state tax breaks for installing alt energy, like solar panels that feed back into the grid (my little plan). I'd like to see more of that, tax breaks for personal alt energy installations.
1) How might this plan succeed or fail?
Hard to say. It all depends on whether these plans are profitable or not to the people who will provide the energy. If I had to guess, I'd say that some things will work, and that other will not. That's why it's good to have your eggs in several baskets.
I very much like the idea of adapting various forms of alternative energy to the local environment. Making use of windpower and drought-resistant crops makes sense in that part of Colorado. I also like the idea of moving away from corn-based ethanol production (which doesn't make much economic sense, at least with the current technology) and into making use of "waste" crops.
2) Where might the alliance of alternative energy organizations with higher-education schools take us?
It could allow scientists and engineers to work together with business people and government types to come with plans that are feasible and cost-effective. Of course, it is also possible that conflicts among these groups could slow things down. The main thing is to remind everybody that there are ways to make a clean environment pay off in cold, hard cash.
3) Are there similar things going on in your state?
I'm not sure. I do know that the local electrical power company allows me to choose a thing called "Green Power" when I pay my bill, which costs me more, but which supports alternative energy sources. That's nice for people who can afford it, but it may not have much of an impact overall.
4) What, if anything, would you like your state government to be doing about energy?
Working together with business and academia, as the state of Colorado seems to be doing, seems to be a decent idea. Here in the South, it might be a good idea for economic incentives to help people get away from growing tobacco to growing energy-supplying crops.
Hard to say. It all depends on whether these plans are profitable or not to the people who will provide the energy. If I had to guess, I'd say that some things will work, and that other will not. That's why it's good to have your eggs in several baskets.
I very much like the idea of adapting various forms of alternative energy to the local environment. Making use of windpower and drought-resistant crops makes sense in that part of Colorado. I also like the idea of moving away from corn-based ethanol production (which doesn't make much economic sense, at least with the current technology) and into making use of "waste" crops.
2) Where might the alliance of alternative energy organizations with higher-education schools take us?
It could allow scientists and engineers to work together with business people and government types to come with plans that are feasible and cost-effective. Of course, it is also possible that conflicts among these groups could slow things down. The main thing is to remind everybody that there are ways to make a clean environment pay off in cold, hard cash.
3) Are there similar things going on in your state?
I'm not sure. I do know that the local electrical power company allows me to choose a thing called "Green Power" when I pay my bill, which costs me more, but which supports alternative energy sources. That's nice for people who can afford it, but it may not have much of an impact overall.
4) What, if anything, would you like your state government to be doing about energy?
Working together with business and academia, as the state of Colorado seems to be doing, seems to be a decent idea. Here in the South, it might be a good idea for economic incentives to help people get away from growing tobacco to growing energy-supplying crops.
QUOTE(AuthorMusician @ Jan 27 2007, 09:40 AM) 
The following link is to an editorial, but it contains solid information on what Colorado's government wants to do with the flat eastern part of the state:
Colorado's Plan for Alternative Energy Development
1) How might this plan succeed or fail?
2) Where might the alliance of alternative energy organizations with higher-education schools take us?
3) Are there similar things going on in your state?
4) What, if anything, would you like your state government to be doing about energy?
Not surprisingly, I'm all for the plan and the alliance and want more, more, and even more alternative energy development. Hoping to see the day that the US doesn't have to import a drop of oil or dig up an ounce of coal. Pretty sure there are some state tax breaks for installing alt energy, like solar panels that feed back into the grid (my little plan). I'd like to see more of that, tax breaks for personal alt energy installations.
A wonderful idea. The trick will be in the development of the technology to get ethanol from say switch grass as opposed to just corn.
Schools and the government need to have a crash program to make this happen.
We should be drilling for (our own) oil everywhere including ANWAR. And pushing “clean coal” technology as well as ethanol and wind/solar
Feb. 1, 2006 — It grows throughout the Great Plains and parts of the South, can be used to make ethanol — an efficient and environmentally friendly fuel for cars — and it has the potential to reduce the nation's dependence on oil.
Switchgrass is the perennial wonder plant touted by President Bush in Tuesday's State of the Union address and in his remarks made today in Nashville, Tenn., where he joked that he could have a new career in farming. "All of a sudden, you know, you may be in the energy business," Bush said. "You know, by being able to grow grass on the ranch and have it harvested and converted into energy. And that's what's close to happening."
http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Business/story?id=1566784
4) What, if anything, would you like your state government to be doing about energy?
I would like to see my state pass a law to increase the insulation required for new homes to at least R-30. Does anyone notice that the price of oil swings with the temperature in the northeast. It is really stupid to put the burden on conservation and continue to allow inefficient homes to be built by the millions.
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