MORE NEWS, 4-1 (IT’S OFFICIAL – COAL NOT NEEDED; EPCOT CENTER BUILDS SMALL WIND; OBAMA’S NEW ENERGY IS OUT OF THIS WORLD)

IT’S OFFICIAL – COAL NOT NEEDED
Government Report, New Wave of Coal Plants Not Needed
Virginia Cramer, March 31, 2009 (Sierra Club)

"The government found no need for scores of new coal plants currently on the drawing board, according to the Annual Energy Outlook report issued by the Energy Information Administration (EIA)... The outlook found need for just two new coal plants between 2013 and 2025—and that is without accounting for expected new investments in efficiency and renewables, which should eliminate the need for new coal plants. The government’s findings are a far cry from the coal industry’s propaganda that dozens of new plants are absolutely essential…"

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"The Annual Energy Outlook’s reference case only accounts for current conditions, not pending policy changes. Among those changes excluded from the report are environmental regulations like the Clean Air Mercury Rule and the Clean Air Interstate Rule, as well as upcoming carbon regulations or increased emphasis on renewable energies. Past results have shown that the EIA data tend to undervalue efficiency and renewable energy potential. Yet, despite these tendencies the number of estimated new coal plants built in the reference case has been revised downward by more than half in just the past year…"

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"Twenty-four coal plants were defeated or abandoned last year, making a total of 95 defeated or abandoned plants since the beginning of the coal rush. At the same time, in 2008 the wind industry added more than 8,000 megawatts of new capacity, its best year ever, while the use of existing coal-fired generation fell by 3.0%. With clear signals coming from the Obama administration that coal plants will soon have to account for their global warming pollution, coal is becoming an increasingly risky energy option. Even without the future cost of carbon dioxide pollution, the data in the EIA report show that in both 2020 and 2030 cleaner energies like wind will cost the same as coal…"


EPCOT CENTER BUILDS SMALL WIND
WePOWER's Wind Turbine Helps Power the House of Innoventions at Epcot(R); House of the Future Features Wind Energy Solutions Available Today
March 31, 2009 (PRNewswire)

“WePOWER LLC…[announced] that its innovative Seahawk, one of the company's vertical axis wind turbines, is currently being featured in the House of Innoventions exhibit as part of the INNOVENTIONS attraction at Epcot(R) at the Walt Disney World(R) Resort…

“The House of Innoventions features breakthrough technologies available today, which help to make our homes greener, safer, cleaner, more fun and comfortable. WePOWER joins advanced products developed by leading innovators in home automation, green energy and technology…”

Wind can be this simple. (click to enlarge)

“WePOWER's Seahawk is on display in the backyard of the House of Innoventions and illustrates the turbine's ability to generate clean energy to power homes, businesses and wind farms. Not only will guests visiting the House of Innoventions be 'blown away' by the unique, compact design of WePOWER's wind turbine, but they will also be able to learn more about the importance of wind energy.

“WePOWER's turbines can be used in urban, suburban and rural areas….work in low and high winds and are self-regulating. With only a few moving parts, the patented design is vibration and noise free, requires virtually no maintenance… provides a clean energy solution that is safe for people and birds…[and] can generate power from 1kw to over 2MW…”


OBAMA’S NEW ENERGY IS OUT OF THIS WORLD
President and-astronauts talk up green energy in call
March 24, 2009 (AP via WSYR Channel 9 Syracuse)

"President Barack Obama and a group of school kids at the White House have had a half-hour video chat with the orbiting astronauts.

"The 10 crewmembers onboard the International Space Station and shuttle Discovery are [shared] their final day together before the shuttle [undocked]…"

The space station solar panels with the earth beyond. (click to enlarge)

"The president described as "particularly exciting" the huge new solar array installed by the crew last week. It's doubled the station's power and will allow it to expand to a full-time crew of six. Obama noted how important it is for the whole nation to develop clean energy.

"One youngster asked the astronauts if they can play video games in space. The answer: they can, but there's not a whole lot of free time…"