Thirty years working on energy policy and I had never thought much about fluid hydraulics. But today I had lunch with Professor Kim Stelson, Director of the Center for Compact and Efficient Fluid Power, and his colleague Michael Gust, Industrial Liaison Director. It turns out that the Center has been headquartered at the University of Minnesota for the past four years, and it may be the University's best kept secret.
Posted by: Michael Noble in policy on
Aug 18, 2010
Over the last two decades, Minnesota has experienced a dramatic change in our energy use and energy policies. We are closer than ever to achieving a new energy economy using homegrown resources that create jobs, protect our air and water, and strengthen our state's economy and communities. However, there is still much that needs to be accomplished to reach our state, regional, and national clean energy and global warming pollution reduction goals. Looking back, what are some of the biggest energy changes and successes for Minnesota over the past 25 years, and more importantly, what steps need to be taken to continue to improve the way we use energy and our energy policies?
Posted by: Michael Noble in solar, legislation, global warming, fuel efficiency, federal issues, energy security, economy, economic development, Copenhagen, climate bill, clean energy on
Aug 6, 2010
While watching Senate energy negotiations stall, collapse, and enter the critical life support phase, I didn't take the time to flag a good energy bill my legislators introduced July 21. The bill's goal is to keep you cool in the summer and warm in the winter - without warming your children's world - by promoting thermal renewable energy.
Posted by: Michael Noble in Renewable Energy Standard, policy, legislation, green jobs, green economy, global warming, federal issues, energy independence, coal, climate bill, CLEAR Act on
Jul 22, 2010
President Obama and the U.S. Senate have failed. They promised legislation to transform our energy system, create jobs and reduce pollution and today Senate Majority Leader Reid gave up.
Posted by: Michael Noble in oil, clean air act on
Jun 11, 2010
Yesterday's debate in the U.S. Senate shows that a majority of senators will not allow the Clean Air Act to be gutted. The Supreme Court has already spoken that if carbon emissions endanger public health and welfare, the EPA must act. After a very extensive scientific inquiry, EPA made its historic finding that carbon pollution is a danger to the public. Senators Klobuchar and Franken should be proud of their vote for clean air and protection of people and the planet.
Posted by: Michael Noble in coal on
May 18, 2010
Today's decision by the Court of Appeals affirms the decision by the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission that it would not be in the public interest to require Xcel Energy to purchase energy from the Mesaba project proposed by Excelsior Energy. Fresh Energy's friends will recall that the Mesaba Project is an Integrated Combined Cycle Combustion (or IGCC) coal plant to be located near Grand Rapids on the range. An IGCC plant is the technology most often advanced by people who advocate for "clean coal" because there is potential to capture the concentrated CO2 stream from the coal. Unfortunately, there was never a serious proposal here to actually capture those CO2 emissions. For Fresh Energy to even consider supporting a coal plant with zero or near-zero emissions, we would have to see the plan and the financing and the CO2 sequestration technology built in from the front end.
Posted by: Michael Noble in oil, clean cars on
Mar 31, 2010
On Wednesday, President Obama announced his intention to expand options for oil companies to drill for oil and gas in millions of acres of off-shore waters. On Thursday, the Administrator of the EPA Lisa Jackson and the Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood finalized the long-awaited rules for increased fuel economy in cars. When it comes to America's energy security, raising the efficiency standards for cars and light trucks blows offshore drilling out of the water. By making our cars much more efficient, we make huge steps in reducing our reliance on foreign oil. In addition, the Administration must keep up its pressure to have more efficient cars run on electricity or run on low-carbon domestic energy--alternative fuels that come from our engineers, not from our seas.
Last week, I blogged about New Zealand's birds. I had visited an island sanctuary where several near-extinct birds had been introduced. Today, I went to a museum in Auckland, and saw stuffed birds in glass cases--one I saw in the wild yesterday that seems to have made it and escaped extinction, one that hovers at the precipice, and one that is gone.
Today we went to Tiritiri Matangi with our group of Midwest college students studying sustainability and policy in New Zealand. We hiked the trails (or tramped the tracks as Kiwis say) with a volunteer for the Supporters of Tiritiri Matangi, an island sanctuary that is an exemplar of a conservation and restoration project. Olga, a opthamology nurse in Auckland, was our guide. She spoke with great demonstrative gestures and a joie de vivre revealing a true excitement for the conservation efforts on the island. We saw New Zealand birds that were once well on their way to extinction and now were faring well. Tiritiri Matangi is small dot of land in the ocean, situated off the eastern coast of Auckland, NZ. It is one of the world's pioneering habitat restoration projects, with over 300,000 trees planted and several species of endangered birds re-introduced by hundreds of volunteers in partnership with the New Zealand Department of Conservation.
Will Steger, the most accomplished and skilled polar explorer alive today, led Expedition Copenhagen and included me as a delegate to provide support and mentorship to 12 carefully chosen young leaders seeking to help tell the story of Copenhagen in the Midwest. I have known Will well now for 5 years, but during 10 days in Copenhagen, we really formed a close bond. He says I am a "good sleeper."
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