Yesterday, the House of Representatives passed legislation allowing for $2 billion in loan-guarantee funds to be returned to the Alternative Loan Guarantee program. The $2 billion had been pulled away from the 'ALG' program to supplement the 'Cash For Clunkers' program, but the House finally has decided to give it back. This is important news for new renewable-energy companies and ventures who need those loans guaranteed so they can begin new construction of facilities. President Obama is expected to announce America's goal of at least a 17% reduction in our greenhouse gas emissions at COP15 (Copenhagen) in the next few days. This goal increases the need to transition to a more responsible economic model. The debate on whether we should keep spending insane amounts of money on new government projects (i.e. health care, and the 'green' economy) still rages. But what we can be certain of is the overwhelming need to confront climate change, and make our country self-sufficient and clean in it's energy harvesting and consumption. Any money the Fed wants to send entrepreneurs in realizing a smarter future for our country, is warmly welcomed.

A number of states like Georgia may soon have a new market place for their forested pine trees. Ethanol production is already quite common in other parts of the world, notably in Brazil. The ability to ferment biomass like pine tree's is adding to the potential wide spread use of moonshine for our cars. Georgia has always had a healthy foresting industry, especially in the various species of southern pines that cover the state. Something above 95% of the trees in the southeastern state are reforested, meaning they've been replanted by humans at some time in our recent history. We all feel that the impact of harvesting the trees should be carefully monitored and thought-out, to mitigate the damage (if any). And once we have a neutral, and sustainable harvesting cycle in place, we should push to maybe even make the cycle increasingly beneficial. We will be adding to this thread of development very soon, remember to thank your favorite pine tree on the way to work/school.

Update on Wednesday, November 18, 2009 at 12:40PM by The Green Synapse

We're actively planning a video-journal of a new cellulosic ethanol production facility setting up shop in GA. We will likely add the journal to our eco-nnections section

Electrically powered automobiles are a true vision of our future. Potentially very quiet, no emissions, and the ability to recharge at your own house. However, the intrinsic danger of chemically reactive batteries (like Lithium-Ion's) can cause some fear and reservations about the true safety of tomorrow's electric cars. Batteries have tendencies of shorting, or leaking, which can lead to 'thermal runaway', which boils down to a big fire that's not easily put out by foam or water. Among other problems, the fire and caustic risk potentials of large rechargeable batteries has loomed large on the electric vehicle horizon. This is obviously not a permanent problem to electric vehicles, but it's a massive one that is still being dealt with today by battery engineers. It's simply a matter of size/power storage, batteries that will be required to move a car hundreds of miles on a single charge will naturally have to be quite large, or in lieu of size, there will have to be a larger number of smaller batteries. With such an enormous effort being put on plug-in cars from the auto makers and even the federal government, one would assume it be only a matter of time before practical models become available to the public. But we still have a long road of safety testing to travel before plug-ins become an every day reality. Until then, the internal combustion engine will reign supreme, and they're becoming increasingly thirsty for bio-mass based renewable fuels.

Update on Monday, November 16, 2009 at 11:37AM by The Green Synapse

Mind you, we here drool over the idea of an all electric automobile capable of providing safety and a reasonable range between plug ins. And the car makers may surprise us in the future with an amazingly capable all electric car, we're all looking forward to that day.