June 11, 2008
Apollo Feedback
After the Senate Climate Debate, Ideas Keep Coming
No end to thoughts on clean energy solutions

Though the Senate debate on climate change ended abruptly last week, it prompted considerable discussion in the Apollo nation. From ideas about high-speed rail and new high mileage vehicles, to proposals about energy efficiency and conservation, we’re clearly ready for changing how America uses energy. A lot of Americans are thinking about this. Here’s what they told us in the last week:

New Ways To Make and Save Energy

Railvolution in New England
I live in the Boston area, and I’m a conductor on the commuter rail. Believe me when I say it, people are getting on board! We are busier than ever up in Boston. We've even modified come of our coaches to accommodate more bicycles on our train. We’re also seeing a big increase in reverse commuting as well. We saw this coming with the advent of higher gas prices. We Americans couldn't just change our ways to better the environment. No, We had to be hit where it hurt the most: in our wallets. So be it. We have to move away from a fossil fuel based economy, the sooner the better.
Chuck Abbate
Boston

Wind in Michigan
I read in the Kalamazoo (Michigan) Gazette that a major auto parts supplier in southeast Michigan was converting to wind turbine production. Meanwhile, the Boulder Daily Camera reported on June 4 that "lured by scientific labs and a cluster of intellectual capital, Siemens Energy on Tuesday selected Boulder as the home of the company's first wind turbine research and development center in the United States. By August, the energy subsidiary of German engineering giant Siemens AG expects to lease and occupy a 6,000 sq. ft facility that will employ 12 to 15 people in its first year of operation and grow to employ 50 people by 2013."  This summer, Siemens also will enter into a cooperative research agreement with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory to install a 2.3 megawatt pilot wind turbine with a 101-meter rotor at the Golden-based lab's National Wind Technology Center south of Boulder.
Dale Porter,
Nederland, Colorado

Electric Vehicles in Philadelphia
I am recently retired from 24 years as an AFSCME Local union representative in Philadelphia. During my tenure as AFSCME Local 1637 President, the Union and the City of Philadelphia's Office of Fleet Management created a joint Internship and Apprenticeship Program. That program worked with Philadelphia public schools to identify and mentor students in automotive technology programs as they moved from being high school students to full time civil service employees.
 
Through my work with the schools, I became involved with the Electric Vehicle Team at the West Philadelphia High School Academy of Automotive and Mechanical Engineering. The team was extremely successful in building and competing with alternative fuel vehicles, winning the national Tour de Sol in 2002, 2005 and 2006. In 2007 they won the 21st Century Automotive Challenge.
 
Now, we are contenders in the Progressive Automotive X Prize, a competition to build a 100 mpg vehicle and design a business plan to build and sell 10,000 vehicles a year. There are over 70 teams from 12 countries entered in the PAXP. There are only 3 academic institutions: Cornell University, Western Washington University and West Philly High. Recently, Popular Mechanicsranked us in the top 10 contenders likely to win.
 
While many of the entrants are building high-end high cost vehicles, that's not our plan. We are using the 2008 Ford Focus as the chassis for our hybrid entry.We are building both 2 models of the vehicle, one that can burn diesel and its alternatives and one that can burn gasoline and its alternatives. For the gasoline alternative vehicle, Harley Davidson, through our work with the IAM has donated a Buell motorcycle engine.
 
We are working with Drexel University and St. Joe's University to develop our business plan. Key to our plan - unlike many competitors - is to build our vehicle here, in the Commonwealth, in our community. We would love to work with the Apollo Alliance in developing more of the key relationships that we need to be successful in this project. Our students are an amazing group of young people.
Ann Cohen
Manager
West Philadelphia Hybrid X Team
Email: acohen@evxteam.org
Web site: www.EVXTeam.org

Geothermal Now
Geothermal power is a practical reality today. It supplies 26 percent of electrical power in Iceland and the Philippines, and 5 percent of California’s at prices that are competitive with coal. Geothermal power plants require no fuel and produce no pollution, yet they produce steady base load power 24 hours a day. The world’s first geothermal power plant, built in Larderello Italy in 1911, is still producing enough power for a million homes today.
T. Blakesles
Email: T.blakeles@attitiudefactor.com

LFG and MG
What about using landfill gas (LFG) as part of the alternative fuels for electric generation and transportation. about using straight vegetable oil SVO for electric generation and transportation.about using magnegas (MG) as part of the alternative fuel for transportation and welding gas.about using municipal waste water to convert water and bio-mass for fuel.am glad you discovered wind and solar energy
Heinz Dullinger 

Why Not Solar
As a 67-year-old grandmother, I read every bit of scientific information I come across on climate change. My children and grandchildren deserve the attention  and action of all adults on this issue to secure their future.  
 
The coverage of wind and atomic energy in the media, and clean coal plants, are the most discussed energy sources. The one least discussed is solar energy. We do have sun in the Midwest. So it isn't just California, Utah or Florida that should be getting a real push toward using solar panels.
  
As I was thinking about this, I realized that solar panels, once installed and paid for, create almost free energy for homeowners. Wind and nuclear and coal energies are still tied to the utility companies.  Like those few in California who have installed so many solar panels that they are selling what they don't personally use tutility companies. Many others could do this as well. I just don't see advertisements for solar panels taking up space in the print media to any noticeable increase over the last five years or so. 
Anne
Email:westiedogs2@sbcgoobal.net

How ‘Bout Biodiesel?
Lately, biodiesel has been getting bad press due to the issue of corn and soy feedstock. I am looking to manufacture biodiesel from waste vegetable oil but need the assistance of the state and federal government. If biodiesel manufacturers can obtain restaurant grease for a free haul, the business model will allow us to easily bring biodiesel to market at a savings to the transport system of America: diesel trucks. 

Right now the exposure of the Western world to unstable oil manufacturers is clearly scary in conjunction with rising demand from China and India. There is a way to ensure that at minimum, in the event of any supply catastrophe, goods can get to market. My proposal is to enlist government support for restaurants and other vegetable oil users to give their waste oil free to haulers, who will guarantee recycling of the oil into biodiesel.  Currently the large haulers are bent on producing biodiesel at the same gouging prices as those people who are charging for feedstock based biodiesel. I want to keep the manufacturing local, to the urban areas where the greatest supply of biodiesel is available and where we can change the equation for truckers.
Matt Topas
President
Atlantic Biofuels
Email: mtopas@comcast.net  
 
Algae
Long term, I'm certain that if the government will support research and development of new sustainable energy sources (e.g. algae), the country could reverse the terrible situation that is hitting the econmy with rising costs of all goods.  
Matt Topas
President, Atlantic Biofuels
Email: mtopas@comcast.net   

Oil From Coal?
In the past 15 years there was drive to produce oil extracted from coal. However, I haven't read any articles that provide any progress on this process. I do know that the United States has an abundance of coal and if maximum effort and money was appropriated it could put us in a new direction. Along with ethanol and oil extracted from coal these are two sources of energy. I also read in the Atlanta Journal Constitution that there is very large oil field located in Colorado that supports as much oil that is currently located in the Middle East. That story was never resurrected and no one ever mentions it today. If we need domestic oil to free us from imported oil, why isn't someone in Congress bringing this to the attention of our government and to the people? Seems to me that we are relying on the oil companies to provide this country with oil and gas at our expense.
Frank Anzalone
Email: f_anzalone@hotmail.com

Home Economics
We have long utilized geothermal heating/cooling and have recently emphasized combining tasks into one motor trip with driving 5 mph below the speed limit to increase mileage.  Our car is 18 years old so we consider it being recycled without the energy consumption to produce a new one.  By changing the oil myself and using synthetic, oil changes are less frequent and the engine efficiency is preserved, all of this giving us 22 mpg on regular travel and 28-30 on interstates and 200k+ miles on our cars.  Pretty good for an Imperial. We also have a large no-till garden fertilized with compost from our household with plants coming from our own greenhouse for which I only use an occasional exhaust fan.  The gardens are watered with soaker hoses (we're in a drought) and flower plantings are converted to drought hardy plantings.  We do not fertilize or water the yards but keep them essentially "natural" which is the original farm field.
 
By utilizing "time-of-use" power rates wherein possible our 2,200 sq ft. all electric house averages $100-105 /mo year round.  Our modular house (more efficient to build than a stick-built) was designed to nestle amongst large trees for shade. We continually look for further energy efficient ways to handle our affairs.
Bill Palich
Email: wpalich@msn.com

High-Speed Trains
What we need is a weatherproof rapid-land transport system using the medians of our Interstate Highway System, which was completed during the Eisenhower Presidency. The call for such a rapid transit system to be built can only be equated, in scope and task, to President Kennedy’s declaration that “We will go to the Moon in 10 years.” This national “subway” system built with 21st century technology would be based on a magnetic levitation (MagLev) concept in which trains would “fly” 6 inches over a rail in partially evacuated tunnels at speeds fast than airlines travel today. Is such a tunnel/tube system feasible? Ask the Chinese who already are running such a high speed system from the Shanghai Airport to the center city or the Japanese and Germans who are developing a similar system. As for the tunnels, think of the huge pipelines carrying gas from Texas to the Northeast, built many years ago using old technology, which we now take for granted. This rapid transit system could start on a regional basis as a combined government (state)-private company enterprise connecting: Boston-New York-Philadelphia and Washington; Miami-Orlando-Atlanta; Houston-Dallas-Oklahoma City-Kansas City-Chicago; Seattle-San Francisco-Los Angeles-San Diego, etc. before being interconnected nationwide. Such a system in its construction and operation would have tremendous political, social, economic and environmental ramifications.
Benjamin J. Scherlag
Oklahoma City, OK
Email: benjamin-scherlag@ouhsc.edu

No More Coal
The climate is changing, getting warmer and warmer, The primary reason for this change is caused by us humans, namely the emitting of hydrocarbons by burning coal and gasoline. We still have an opportunity to arrest this change and keep it at a safe level, but only if we act very aggressively, and very soon.
 
The easiest and quickest immediate thing for us to do in my view is to stop the burning of coal. We start this process by not approving anymore coal burning power generating plants period! We are having a terrible battle doing this in Virginia because of waffling by our governor who just happens to have received large campaign contributions from the company that wants to build the “dirty coal” plant.  I think you get my point. The Minnesota governor faces the same dilemma.

At the same time we can start reducing our  current emissions by converting to clean solar, wind and other alternative means of producing electricity. We are planning on doing this with our home to reduce our “carbon footprint” to as close to zero as we can. As of now, it will be costly but we want to be dedicated and responsible stewards of that which we control on this planet. We need incentives as we had during the Carter Administration for people to convert to non-polluting sources of powering their homes and cars. 
William J. Abbott, PhD
Email: wabbottct@earthlink.net

Security and Efficiency
I’ve always been environmentally aware. I drive a hybrid and we recycle and buy electricity generated by wind (green mountain energy). I even write environmental articles and teach preschoolers about the environment. But lately, the debate in the Senate has really bumped up my awareness and my interest. Recently on the tennis courts, with my 12-year-old son, I looked up at the lights and wondered why they weren’t powered by solar cells. As the wind picked up and our attempts at volleying became futile, I thought, why aren’t there windmills all over this town making electricity for free? Everywhere, every day, I am seeing more and more opportunities for smart energy choices. They are right in front of us. We must all summon our politicians to insist on creating a clean, green, new economy that will support our nation’s independence, our personal health, our sense of security, while also protecting our only true home. Just decide to pay attention and you will also see the environment invite all of us to use our common sense to solve our common problems.
Stacy Clark
Dallas
Email: stacy@dallaswriter.com
 

Need For A Substantive Policy Discussion in Washington

Prepare Now 
Preparing to anticipate climate change in terms of 50 years, or even 20 years is not realistic. The changes will be more rapid and less possible to counteract. The value of learning to care about our planet and to accept that we haveher abominably, will be the gift we get as we experience the power that we have negated.she be changing even if we had never drilled for oil?we had used Tesla's discoveries and not inundated the earth with the limitations that come with electric usage, would earth be changing at a less radical pace, allowing us to change with her? Interesting questions don't you think? 's to a future worth walking into. 
Tari Parker

Not Grinding Her Teeth
Instead of having to grind my teeth as the likes of Steve Forbes, Senator Inhofe, my Republican golf partners and other blind, deaf and dumb insisted that climate change was not real, we now, thanks to Barbara Boxer, Al Gore and many others start to make progress on addressing this issue. Suddenly it feels like dawn in American, the start of becoming stewards rather than exploiters of the planet.
Barbara Measelle
Email: bmeaselle@san.rr.com

George Will Makes Sense 
I was excited about the climate change bill until I read an op-ed by George Will.  Usually George and I don’t agree, but he made a good point: The climate act as it now stands with cap and trade as the central theme will produce a huge new federal bureaucracy and an enormous new tax on the public. What George doesn’t recognize is the enormous tax on our environment right now that is being paid by the entire planet. But George suggested a carbon tax would be better. I agree. A carbon tax would be much better than cap and trade and the tax should be offset by reductions in income taxes on individuals. That makes a lot more sense.  The cap and trade with the proceeds being spent by government just paves the way for more lobbyists and a new class of special interests to pander to politicians who control increasingly large amounts of the economy. Tax the crap out of carbon and let American ingenuity find the best way to beat the tax. 
John Simonsen
Corvallis, OR

Proud of Barbara Boxer
As a former Califrornia resident, now living in Washington state, I am so proud of Senator Boxer for her unceasing efforts. I am disappointed that the Republicans have once again chosen to be uncooperative, going against the wishes of a majority of Americans. A new administration
can't come soon enough!!
Carolyn King
Email: Kingcj3@yahoo.com    

Warming Exists
I find this debate both useful and enthralling because they are finally recognizing that global warming exists, and there are win-win solutions for: (1) the economy with many more renewable energy, efficient transportation, and efficient housing jobs, (2) the environment with cleaner cars, housing and manufacturing with much less CO2, and (3) national security with much less dependence on foreign oil imports. 
Andrew Fisher
Email: fisher.a@sbcglobal.net

Needs Green-Collar Job
If green collar jobs can be created, then why is there resistance in Washington D.C.? The economy is horrible right now. I cannot drive my car to attend job interviews in my town and I have to be selective where I drive due to the price of gas. Congress can debate about climate change and for what? It’s a waste of time. Congress needs to accept climate change and get on with legislation that is going to favor the creation of green collar jobs. Oil and coal are nonrenewable. The price of gas is a lesson in how reliance on this energy source can cripple our economy. The future is renewable energy, so get on with it and create those green collar jobs. I need to work!
Kelly Tyler
Email: locusohmygodlocus@gmail.com

Buy Local
My local USA SSI Office has photovoltaic solar panels, obviously installed when President Jimmy Carter was in office. My suggestion is obvious: Have the federal government buy solar, wind, hybrid and fully electric vehicles, as was obviously done 30 years ago. This would be much better than a mere subsidy. It would show the USA as a world leader in actual green energy technology utilization. Already, some local governments do only buy hybrids for fleet use, so this suggestion will also work on a bigger scale too.
Stephen Salgaller
Email: wa3zgt@yahoo.com

Glad for the Debate
I'm glad to hear the Senate is debating what to do about climate change. I've been a big fan of the Apollo Alliance from first hearing of the concept that we need to motivate our country like we did in the Apollo program to reach the moon. There's nothing that American's cannot do! Senator, thank you for your leadership! I have many engineering/science associates who are looking for different direction in their lives.

Some have been laid off due to our struggling economy or due to outsourcing to India/China. Like in the game of musical chairs, these folks are left without a place; they they have tremendous value to add to large, complex engineering endeavors such as shifting our country's economy toward green. The tricky part is, they cannot seem to connect up with job opportunities which might exist in the growing green economy.

May I recommend reaching out and connecting to tech community?
Here are just a few ideas:
-- Work with Monster.com, CareerBuilder.com, HotJobs to have Green Jobs category and listed prominently.
-- Create a group in LinkedIn
Mike
Email: MichaelCarrell@yahoo.com

Mobilize
Our "instant gratification" society can't seem to realize that even if we did a full WWII-style mobilization, it would take 4 years before we'd be in full production and probably another three years before we'd replaced enough high-carbon-producing facilities/vehicles etc. to actually cut global warming gasses.  We're running out of time.
Barbara Fitzpatrick
Email: bfitz_1951@yahoo.com

Be Sure About Policy
Just be sure the Senate doesn't favor Wall Street and the unions over Main Street and the "new collar workers." Small independent contractors make up the bulk of the emerging clean energy workforce: plumbers, electricians, insulation contractors, roofers, HVAC specialists, and small builders. "User-owned energy systems" will be (or should be, if we value our communities) a key part of the energy ecology.  The middle class needs new assets, not the mounting liability of energy "rents". Be sure Apollo and Senator Boxer cite all the reasons why renewable energy should be the focus of US energy policy:
 
* When energy collection, storage and conversion systems become income-producing assets of American homeowners, municipalities, and small businesses, we build middle class wealth, upon which democracy depends. This creates local jobs and keeps energy dollars circulating in American communities.
 
* Competition, economies of scale and falling prices in a growing US market for distributed, small scale renewable energy systems build the world market for these products, which builds middle classes, prosperity, democracy, friends and good trading partners worldwide - “good globalism.” Poor countries can build local capacity before building power grids, and their new grids will likely be cheaper and smarter than today’s grids.
 
* The more small scale generators we have on the grid, the less susceptible it is to storms, infrastructure failures and sabotage.
 
* The “energy awareness effect” and energy husbandry: Homeowners and business owners naturally and enthusiastically conserve energy when they make their own electricity and can sell their surplus.
 
* Less need for expensive, resource-intensive new transmission and distribution infrastructure. An intelligence-intensive “smart grid” (the grid will remain a central element) will support real-time buying and selling of electricity by numerous small user/generators, as well as some large generators. (Large wind farms and solar installations are more efficient to put in place than small ones, but we will need both, and distributed generation has many external benefits.)
 
* Fewer cases of new interstate transmission lines, nuclear power plants and nuclear waste facilities being sited against communities’ objections.
 
* Fewer taxpayer-funded security operations for LNG terminals, oil tankers and transportation and storage of nuclear materials.
 
* Reduced overall worldwide CO2 and mercury emissions from coal-fired power plants, despite car buyers turning to plug-in hybrids and electric cars in the coming decade.
 
* Avoidance of the “renaissance” in the nuclear technology value chain that would have the inevitable, if unintended, effects of nuclear weapons proliferation and a widening of the conflict-causing energy gap between rich and poor nations. (Halliburton's KBR builds nukes AND fights insurgencies – Now THERE's a double-edged business model!)
 
* It will happen anyway, because the price of unsubsidized solar power will fall below the price of unsubsidized fossil and nuclear power by 2012, or sooner if federal and state governments eliminate all energy and power subsidies. (Market realities would motivate lenders and solar and wind power supply contractors to provide customer incentives for solar and wind power.) And it will happen sooner if we get a sensible carbon tax or robust global carbon emissions market soon. (Why don’t governments tax/disincentivize Old Energy’s externalized costs – environmental, national security and health risks -- instead of activities that produce value -- work [income tax] and investment [capital gains tax]?)
 
* It will happen anyway, following the precedent of information technology: Distributed ownership of sophisticated, low-cost, networked devices increases personal autonomy, so these products will become more and more popular.
 
* Future-proofing: Almost all of the fringe energy research topics will, if they pan out commercially (and it will take at least 10, more likely 30 years) have the potential to yield systems that can economically be scaled – like solar and wind -- for distributed generation and user ownership.
 
* Less anxiety and guilt. My beloved solar hot water system and small PV panel help me worry a little less about cash flow in my retirement years, and they help me feel I’m personally doing something to preserve a peaceful and livable world for my children.
Lance McKee
YourEnergyOptions, Inc.
Email: lmckee@yourenergyoptions.com
Web site: http://www.yourenergyoptions.com

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