Becca of DelphiForums noticed an interesting coincidence between the current gas price temperature map and the results of the 2004 Presidential election: can you spot it, too?

Could this simply be a coincidental reflection of relative demand, population density or other economic demographics, or could it reflect potential market manipulation by commodity traders, now under investigation?

What do you think? It's not as thought there's any kind of evidence of Republicans ever gaming the system, right?

From the Wall Street Journal,

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Global-Warming Study Weighs Impact of Human Action

By GAUTAM NAIK

May 15, 2008; Page A10

A new study says humans have changed the world's environment more by warming the climate than by directly encroaching on habitats.

The research, published Wednesday in the journal Nature, also establishes a link between climate change and narrower, continental changes such as the earlier spring flight of butterflies in California, the earlier release of pollen in the Netherlands and the increased growth of pine trees in Mongolia.
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An international team of over a dozen scientists, led by Cynthia Rosenzweig of the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies and the Center for Climate Systems Research at Columbia University in New York, showed very strong indications based on studies done on a continental scale.

In other news,

OhioNews Bureau

ONB COLUMBUS: After spending months dawdling over a bill that will redefine Ohio’s energy system for years to come, the Public Utilities Committee in the Ohio House yesterday got a sudden burst of energy that kept them sequestered into the wee hours of the morning in a subterranean meeting room, as they accepted a new, possibly industry-built version of a bill that the majority Republican party accepted and passed out of committee without Democrats even being in the room.

Democrats voiced concerns that they were given precious little time to read the new version of the bill, which one source reported had the digital fingerprints of a known utility insider on it and also said the committee chairman’s denial of their request to meet in private to review amendments they had not seen before was a case of disrespect to minority members.

-- originally posted 2008-02-17 05:09:16 - bumped

On January 12, 2008, I posted a piece titled Smarter Parts: Improving Efficient Energy Use and Demand? that touched upon an experimental program sponsored out of the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL). The essence of the program was to create a home energy system that could respond to changing prices and peak demand loads by dialing back energy consumption. The system would be accessible via the internet so homeowners could make changes in absentia. An update to the story included another article indicating that in 2009, California regulators may have direct access to homeowner thermostats via radio-controlled devices in new or substantially modified houses and buildings to manage electricity shortages -- a plan cooked up by the California Energy Commission (CEC).

I opened a discussion thread for the piece in a few places, including several Delphi forums. In one thread,¹ some energy and water efficiency ideas came up. One in particular spawned the short poll that you're about to see. Please read on, and take the poll; results will be published at the end of next week and included in another piece that I will cross-post in all areas where this appears.

OhioNews Bureau

ONB COLUMBUS: Ohio Governor Ted Strickland will soon be sent names of candidates to fill the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) post set to expire in April.

OhioNews Bureau

ONB COLUMBUS: The label “battleground state” generally refers to a state whose Electoral College votes can make or break a race for the White House. Ohio, the nation’s 7th largest state with 20 such votes, has been so designated in previous election cycles and is predicted to again defend that title this year.

This year the moniker "battleground state" may more aptly describe the breakout of intra-state battles taking shape over the budget, voting systems and energy. These battles are creating fissures between Republicans, who still rule the roost at the legislature and office of auditor, and Democrats, who for the first time in 16 years control the executive branch and offices of attorney general, treasurer and secretary of state.

Could creating "smarter" homes with devices and sensors that can monitor electrical demand and heating requirements -- including the going market price for electricity -- help automate efforts to use energy more efficiently and lower the impact of peak demand on the nation's power grid?

Possibly.

There's an interesting diary over on DailyKos right now -- it caught my interest, at least. It's Confused priorities: the scramble to exploit the Arctic sea bed by JohnnyRook.

Here's two of the comments -- one by NoBigGovernment, and my response. Both are, IMO, points worth keeping in mind while reading thru:

Unfortunately

Why are our leaders and the leaders of these other nations wasting time and money on seeing who can get access to the most underwater fossil fuels instead of investing in the renewable energy that might make it possible to keep New York, St. Petersburg, Vancouver, Copenhagen etc. above the waterline?

because they have to at this point. I think all reasonable nations are in fact investing in renewables, but in the meantime we need fuel to continue to make the world go round so to speak.

You just can't flip a switch and move from fossil fuels. Granted we could, and should, move faster but it's difficult to fault people for being somewhat prudent.

by NoBigGovernment on Mon Dec 31, 2007 at 03:02:54 PM EST

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"Prudent is as prudent does" so to speak...

...the BushCheney (CheneyBush?) Administration and Big Oil Republicans have done everything they can to force continued dependence on fossil fuels, when they should have been more prudent with the nation's resources and forward-thinking.

Instead, they essentially created a reality that is forcing us into greater, prolonged dependency but without any additional oversight, conservation, intelligent distribution or development of alternatives.

You are very correct that we need to be prudent with regard to a potentially untapped resource (vs. the relatively imprudent push by some to open the Arctic Refuge, which is a piddling amount in exchange for the potential damage/cost/impact).

However, we should eye any movement by BushCheney as an initial foray into yet another attempt to overfeed, gorge and run rampant instead of developing a sound policy for the securing, developing, use and distribution of energy and fuel sources.  

We must extricate BushCheney and their primary cheerleaders/benefactors from the process first, then put proper foundational structures into effect (rules, regs, laws and plans)...

Never, never brave me, nor my fury tempt:
  Downy wings, but wroth they beat;
Tempest even in reason's seat.

by GreyHawk on Mon Dec 31, 2007 at 03:28:43 PM EST

I do believe a genuine plan is needed to ensure that our economy and nation can adequately operate while slowly weaning itself off of oil. I do not, however, believe that the Republicans, Big Oil, the Bush Administration or anyone currently embedded with any or all of the above should have anything to do with it.

There are also some major corporations and other political parties who need to either recommit to the nation's priorites -- which should include a proper degree of planning for current and future needs -- or be banned from participating in the work of the people.

What do you think?

OhioNews Bureau

ONB COLUMBUS: Supporters of a comprehensive federal energy bill, known as H.R.6 took Ohio’s senior senator, George V. Voinovich, to task for his vote Thursday that helped defeat the current version that included, among other purposes, increases the production of clean renewable fuels.

Behold the lowly eggbeater, turned on it's head, spinning madly to generate electricity. These and too many other projects to list @ NREL, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.

In the Middle East, the Gulf Cooperation Council has put forth a proposal worth thinking about for Iran's nuclear fuel needs. Export the enrichment, import the finished fuel.