Gov. Patrick: Let's Crack the Energy Crisis
Gov. Deval Patrick writes about the state's new energy law in today's Globe:
Later, he mentions a few companies by name:
Our vision capitalizes on the Commonwealth's natural advantages in technology and entrepreneurship to combat rising energy costs and satisfy the need for new, clean, affordable ways to meet energy needs - creating a whole new industry along the way.
Later, he mentions a few companies by name:
...A123 Systems in Watertown, which is developing batteries for plug-in hybrid cars to enable them to get up to 150 miles per gallon; Evergreen Solar, which is set to open a new solar-panel manufacturing facility in Devens, encouraged in part by the state's new rebate program for solar electricity installations, Commonwealth Solar; Mascoma in Cambridge and Sun Ethanol in Amherst, two leaders in cellulosic biofuel, the non-petroleum, non-food-based fuel of the future, which will get a boost from a gas-tax exemption now pending in the Legislature, the first of its kind in the country; and GreatPoint Energy, a Cambridge firm now demonstrating its innovative technology for turning coal and biomass into clean-burning natural gas at the Brayton Point power plant in Somerset.
Labels: A123 Systems, Deval Patrick, energy, Evergreen Solar, GreatPoint Energy, legislation, Mascoma
posted by Scott Kirsner at
3:28 PM
10 Comments:
It's great that this technology and innovation is getting publicity and recognition, especially from government officials! When you think about it, if the car/electric industry upgraded and improved itself as much as, say, the computer industry does, we'd probably be living in a much different world.
I love your blog. I have something similar about a car that gets 72mpg. If you want to learn more visit my blog.
Hi!
Anything we can do to save energy, make more of it, and save money, is awesome! We all have a part in this challenge.
Please see my blogs as well.
Thanks,
Robert
It is great to hear about the innovation of the oldest and most significant publications.
Working in the book industry, I always try to find new ways (which is not the common type of publishing).
Great blog - keep up the great work!
neale@bebozole.com
Scott, I've been pondering the following questions:
Gov. Patrick’s effort to make Massachusetts the hub for new, clean and affordable energy is highly publicized, but is Massachusetts leading the way in attracting these companies? What other states are making a push? Other than tax breaks (which is huge), why would a new, clean and/or affordable energy company choose to set up in Massachusetts?
I like your blog concept's topicality. And although as a Physicist, I have long believed and worked in an alternative energy industry, want to develop better, renewable sources of energy but before we embrace the electric car we must realize it's power is not free. Unless the utilities use sources other than fossil fuels, electric car use will only drive up the consumption of the same utility resources we use now. The outdated investment and ROI models for energy creation and use are at the root of the problem- unless they change, the investment will not occur.
If you want to be shocked, watch the movie/documentary called "What Ever Happened to the Electric Car". It is very informative, and will make everone wonder why we still depend on foriegn oil to the extent we do.
I understand people's enthusiasm about these new innovations, but I personally have to be a skeptic, not that we will reach the goals of energy independence, but that the technologies mentioned, and constantly mentioned, will and can do it. Many of these technologies do hold great promise (hybrid cars), but some, such as solar panels, are no quick fix, and will require a miracle or decades to become efficient enough to produce large quantities of electricity. Others, such as biofuels, have whole other problems associated with them, mainly environmental, and it is as if we are cutting off our hand to fix a hangnail.
In the race for cleaner and more efficient energy solutions, solutions which will wean us off of oil and other fossil fuels, we must not be become to rushed with the science, or look the other way at things that seem not to work at the moment. What we want are long term solutions, not a quick fix.
With oil price rising rapidly the chase in on to find an alternative. Interesting post.
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