Iowa Falls to 4th in Wind Power Production

[pstans]

http://commoniowan.blogspot.com/2008/01/iowa-falls-to-4th-in-wind-power.html

Even with much discussion about promoting renewable energy in the state, including the development of the Iowa Power Fund to invest in Renewable Energy, Iowa has fallen to 4th place in the nation in wind power production.

As the final day of public testimony on a proposed coal plant in Marshalltown finishes, a new report by the American Wind Energy Association shows that Iowa's leadership in wind power is falling compared to other states in the region. Minnesota now has more capacity installed and both Illinois and Minnesota installed more wind power than Iowa in 2007.

"The difference is clearly policy," said Mark Kresowik with the Sierra Club's National Coal Campaign in Iowa. "Illinois and Minnesota have passed policies that look to the future, such as Renewable Electric Standards, carbon dioxide reduction targets, and even a moratorium on new coal plants. Iowa's energy policy remains in the 20th century."

This new report comes in sharp contrast to the proposed coal plant in Marshalltown, where groups including the Office of the Consumer Advocate are opposing the costly coal burning facility before the Iowa Utilities Board.

"The more Iowans get the facts about this proposed coal plant the more they agree with us," said Carrie La Seur, President of Plains Justice, representing a coalition of energy and environmental groups opposed to the project. "There are better answers for Iowa's energy future."

[Vet31203]

1. Hate to sound like a broken record but...

This needs to change and there is a good way that we can jump start the growth of new energy initiatives and that is by electing more democrats to congress. Right here in our fourth district (Iowa). I believe we can bring about a change. William Meyers has new energy legislation ready to go that is both financially feasible and able to pass through a congress weary of spending.
Thank you for listening to me (hope it's not getting old:)
Adam Smith

[haroldgiowa]

2. It,s not old yet.

But it might be by the time primaries roll around in 4 months?

[Vet31203]

5. Your right

It probably will:) Hopefully ya'll won't be too upset:)

Meyers for House 2008

[4dsc]

3. Too bad for everyone..

While these little groups look at various so called renewable energy's, not one group is looking into a world or Iowa for that matter, where oil becomes more scares, aka peak oil.. Its a shame too.. No amount of these so called renewables will replace what we get from oil..

[pstans]

4. Not just oil, coal is a big part of it too.

Culver and Judge are speaking out of both sides of their mouth on this. They talk about renewable energy and reducing carbon emissions and then support the building of 2 coal plants in the state.

http://commoniowan.blogspot.com/2007/07/do-culver-and-judge-want-it-both-ways.html

[progressoid]

8. Ironically we need those coal plants to make ethanol.

DES MOINES, Iowa — Clean-burning ethanol may have a smoggy secret.

If power companies are to be believed, the only one way to keep up with the fast-growing ethanol industry is to invest in good old fashioned coal-fired electricity. It's a line of logic that some say turns ethanol's clean burning appeal on its head.

"It's just damning of the notion of ethanol as a clean fuel," said Mark Kresowik, a Sierra Club organizer based in Iowa. "If we need to burn coal to create a clean burning fuel, we're not creating a clean burning fuel. It rips the shiny green veneer right off of ethanol."

Coal is the old guard of energy production, generating about half of U.S. electricity. It is comparably cheap but much derided by environmentalists who note it's the nation's biggest source of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide.

...

The divide comes over where that electricity should come from. Environmental activists believe greener means, such as natural gas, should be used. Power companies argue that coal is the only cost-efficient solution.

In Iowa, the nation's top producer of corn and ethanol, dozens of plants are producing the fuel and more are being built. That's prompted a push for two coal-fired electricity plants, in Marshalltown and near Waterloo.

Both projects explicitly pitch ethanol as a reason for their construction.



http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/fn/5497484.html

[4dsc]

9. at least they didn't use the term "clean coal"

Ethanol isn't that clean to begin with and now they want to use more coal..

I actually thought the coal fired plant proposed in Waterloo would deliver electricity to the Chicago area..

[progressoid]

11. I know it's blasphemy to say this in Iowa but...

Corn ethanol ain't all it's cracked up to be. (pun intended).

And our leaders need to look beyond and make plans for what happens when ethanol looses it's appeal.

[4dsc]

12. They're blind...

Lets face it, the corn growers accociation and ethanol lobby have our legislators in their hip pockets..

[Hardrada]

6. Even with our politicians? Wait ,did Vilsack move out of state?

[Debi]

7. Ahahahahah!

:rofl:

[4dsc]

10. We need this to happen in Iowa..

With oil prices around $100 per barrel and some predictions gasoline soon will cost $4 a gallon, an expert will appear before a joint legislative committee to share his opinions on peak oil demands.


Matthew R. Simmons, who served as an energy advisor to President Bush, is a prominent oil-industry figure and one of the world's leading experts on the topic of peak oil.

Simmons is scheduled to appear at a joint Minnesota House and Senate Energy Committee meeting February 4 at the State Office Building in St.

http://www.echopress.com/articles/index.cfm?id=53382§ion=news&freebie_check&CFID=344655&CFTOKEN=27214277&jsessionid=8830341a51a7505c5221

[Vet31203]

13. How do they get away with it?

Exxon Mobile made 40 Billion last year. The most by any company anywhere and they try to blame gas prices on the war and on terrorism?

William J Meyers for House 2008

[4dsc]

14. We are to blame sir

They wouldn't be making these obscene profits without the help of the average joe who refuses to conserve gasoline.. It has truely amazing the so called experts that although gasoline has doubled in the past couple of years, driving habits have not changed.. Its only been recently in the past couple of months have the American consumer shown that they are going to drive less..