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Sunday, April 22, 2012

The new energy economy

Micheal Noble of MinnPost offers up some ideas about the new energy economy in a recent article.   He points to increased fuel efficiency requirements of vehicles and improved power grid infrastructure that will allow better use of fossile fuels and easy use of renewable energy.   Although it is not mentioned in the article. The 5 Billion dollar improvement to the transmission lines is needed to get stranded windpower to larger cities.

Conservation and improvements in energy efficiency in the US may just translate into cheaper coal for other countries.  A proposed new coal terminal in Bellingham, Washington would provide a transport route for cheap western coal to China.  The Seattle Times notes that the earliest construction would be 2015 or later.  The article outlines the typical debate over jobs and concern for the environment.  Residents are also concerned about dust generated during coal transport.

http://getwhatcomplanning.blogspot.com/2011/07/not-done-deal-coal-trains-through.html


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