Adrian's Comments

I am for PHEV's with electric motors on the wheels to make them more efficient. I think that they should be equipted with ultracapacitors to protect batteries from large current drain during acceleration and should use lithium ion battries based upon manganese rather than cobalt to avoid cobalt associated heat problems and costs.

The way things are going, I believe that China may have good PHEV's on the road before the US. The democratic system seems to make technical decision making difficult. Everyone knows we are addicted to oil but what is the most effective solution?

If we go to ethanol, we are still at the mercy of climate change. I prefer the renewable energy to grid to battery approach or, for the home owner, the renewable to direct battery recharge.

adrianakau@aol.com

Some areas of our country are approaching full capacity grid use as evidenced by the controlled rolling blackouts in Houston yesterday during the 4pm peak usage time. I think that grid system pressure will continue to rise. We need, more than ever, increased resources which should be in wind and other renewable sources rather than in increasing the number of thermal plants or expanding the ones presently in operation.

It is my contention that our government and our utilities recognize the present rising need both in increased grid demands and in keeping energy production clean. Our government, for the good of our nation, should do all it can to pass legislation conducive to continued renewable development and utilities should accept and promote clean power expansion.

I do not include the burning of ethanol for thermal production under clean power. It may be renewable but it produces carbon dioxide.

adrianakau@aol.com

Infrastructure development of all countries requires assurance in continit of energy. Our efforts should be redoubled toward renewables because they promise long term benefits. Just as the industrial age brought about the use of machines for manufacturing, the present age should be the use of manufacturing to build the basic tools of energy production. We have to become self-reliant by farming natural resources for energy.

Our energy farming tools include the wind generator, the PV panel, the Sterling Engine sun concentrating plants of California. They will also be the solar chimmnies, the OTEC plants, the wave farms and the ocean current generators of the future.

Farming of energy will become almost as important as the growing of food which we should recognize as a form of specialized energy production.

adrianakau@aol.com

As a non-NJ resident, this also makes my day. New Jersey is setting a wonderful example for other states to follow. I hope that my home state Hawaii will join in as well. Our renewable energy industries need as much government support as possible if our country is to prevent future energy shortages. Developing of additional renewable sources will take the pressure off further coal thermal plant production.

New Jersey's Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU) members should be commended for their good thinking and actions on this matter.

adrianakau@aol.com

It is almost mind-boggling to envision a 20 megawatt wind generator at this time. Yet with dedication to detail on each part , it may be accomplished. I only think that some consideration may have to be given to the law of diminishing returns which states that growth may be of economic benefit up to a certain point and then may decline after that.

For example, the former sugar plantation in my district (Ka'u, Hawaii) thought to use Alaskan logging trucks to haul sugar cane because their capacity was twice the regular trucks. Howver, upon more careful examination, they found that so many of the bridges would have to be rebuilt and roads widened that it was uneconimical to continue in this direction.

adrianakau@aol.com

I only wish GE had a thousand of these facilities around the world to help speed up wind turbine production. I believe government policies will change over the next decade or two as the struggle over oil and natural gas resources intensifies and because of increased damage from climate abnormalities.

I believe that there is to be a definite point in time at which a country will be able to realize cost effectiveness in wind energy surpassing thermal generation.

adrianakau@aol.com

Eco city studies are needed for engineering students in the US because that is where we are eventually headed. We are the ones first responsible for global warming and should take up the gauntlet to seek its demise.

The Dongtan project as well as the British efforts should be recognized as a light leading us in the direction of the future.

adrianakau@aol.com

I view ethanol production as a transitory stage at best and not as any permanent form of renewable energy. Burning of ethanol produces carbon dioxide just as does the burning of other carbon based fuels. In the long run, we will still have to deal with lowering carbon dioxide levels.

adrianakau@aol.com

I think that upgrading of government equipment to high energy standards is like replacing that old energy consuming refrigerator or light bulb in your house with something more efficient. Government responsibility is to tax payers and Bill 459 is an effort in the right direction.

I confess ignorance to IECC standards but do think that it is a good idea for utilities to provide 1.2% of their gross annual revenues to Focus on Energy in order to continue a high level of energy efficiency.

I hope Iowa and Wisconsin will be joined in their efforts by the other 6 state members of the Midwest Natural Gas Initiative.

adrianakau@aol.com

I think Professor Daniel M. Kammen's study states the problem well. We have to recognize energy conservation and renewable energy enhancement as two of the most important means of reaching independence. It is really time for us to act on this matter as a nation.

It does not make sense for us to continue oil dependency by pouring our wealth into foreign countries that harbor ill will to us. We have to stand on our own two feet much as did our pilgrim forfathers or our ancestors who braved the deserts and mountains to found our nation. Personal as well as national pride is at stake.

People did not come to America to continue being subserviant to the countries they left. By being dependent upon foreign oil, we go back to being under this condition which is not really promotive of freedom. America is supposed to be the land of the free and not the land of the "needy oil grubbers". Are we to be slaves of oil?

adrianakau@aol.com

Government policies in the UK, the US and China seem to have the most effect in wind energy progress. Funding in the UK is the factor of concern. Site approval policy as in the case of Cape Cod (distance from shipping lanes) will determine US progress. The new "bid process" regulations by the Chinese commission will decide if wind energy growth in China will be stiffled.

In all three cases, it is the government which must provide economic, legislative or regulatory policies in order to stabilize and promote continued wind energy growth.

adrianakau@aol.com

I sincerely hope that President Bush and Vice President Cheney will realize the importance of having a emergency bipartisan national energy summit. It seems that energy is becoming our nation's greatest concern and the problem should be recognized as such by our administrative leaders.

I think Senator Harry Reid and Representative Nancy Pelosi have shown that the legislative branch of the government is alive. Let us hope the administrative branch will function as our founding fathers had planned.

adrianakau@aol.com

I think Governor Ted Kulongoski's support of a national Wave Energy Research center for Oregon would be an excellent opportunity to bring his state to the forefront in developing wave power. Our country is facing difficult energy problems and the Governor is making a concerted to do something that will be of great help in future energy independence for his state and for our country.

Waves have such a dense concentration of energy that it makes good common sense to promote methods of energy extraction from them. Technology is already advancing in this area with a wave farm being built off the coast of Portugal and there is no reason our country cannot follow suit.

adrianakau@aol.com

A reliable product is a good product. Wind to power is conducive to a good business investment with low risk and high returns. This will lead to the main stream of investors; it is only a matter of time. I have not seen much wind energy investor encouragement up to the present time but I am sure that once wind energy is realized as a reliable income source, it will be promoted.

adrianakau@aol.com

Sometimes I think that the car factories GM and Ford are closing down might be used to make wind generators. It seems like a silly thought but just what if it could be done by re-tooling. There would be jobs for tens of thousands.

adrianakau@aol.com