Comedian, satirist, and talk show host Al Franken is running for U.S. Senate in Minnesota on the DFL ticket (in MN, the Democratic Party is called the DFL).

Last month, Franken made an appearance at the Crow Wing County/Morrison County DFL summer picnic. I grew up in Morrison County, so I attended, and was impressed with the (relatively) huge turnout. I met Al, but more importantly he took the time to answer some questions I sent him via email about renewable energy and Minnesota’s place in the clean tech revolution.

Maria Surma Manka: What specific renewable energy legislation do you want to see implemented at the federal level?

Al Franken: On a macro level, I’d like to implement a national cap and trade for carbon dioxide. This would make the cleanest renewables cheaper than fossil fuels and reward sequestration of CO2 in the form of planting acreage.

I’d like to see more federal investment in pilot projects for renewables. Representative Collin Peterson has put in several pilot projects for cellulosic ethanol that would be conducted here in Minnesota.

When I have said I want an Apollo Program for renewable energy, I’m talking about making these kinds of investments in renewables, including things like tidal and wave power. The United States has to go back to investing in research and development. This means identifying promising technologies and investing in them.

Maria: How would you open up Minnesota’s markets for renewable energy investment?

Franken: I would refer you to my previous answer.

Maria: What is Minnesota’s biggest renewable energy advantage (i.e. what can we capitalize on in a clean energy revolution)?

Franken: First of all, we grow a lot of corn, the number one feedstock for ethanol. We also grow a lot of soy, which is the number one feedstock for biodiesel. So, obviously, we have had years of experience making both, and our state universities have been doing a lot of the research.

Wind is cleaner, and Minnesota is a very windy state. We’re ninth in the nation. We should really be exploiting that more. Also, I think we should reinvigorate our manufacturing base by building wind turbines in Minnesota. So many of the turbines - the mechanisms that turn the spinning blades into electricity - are made in Europe. Let’s make them here.

Cellulosic is only a few years away and we have prairie grasses, which are perennials and have very deep root systems, making them potentially a very sustainable feedstock.

Right now gasified biomass is being used as fuel in ethanol plants. We got a lot of biomass in many forms; for example, forests, especially in the northeastern part of the state, where we don’t have wind. As cellulosic technology develops, there is great potential in using our forests, managed in a sustainable way, to add to our arsenal of renewable energy sources.

Maria: What is the role of business, government, and consumers in a clean energy future?

Franken: The government has to find ways of encouraging businesses to make clean energy available and attractive to consumers. Government should take the lead in making green buildings, working in partnership with companies that develop green technologies, and by investing in energy-efficient transportation systems - light rail, commuter rail, etc.

Obviously, tax incentives should encourage businesses to develop technologies and consumers to buy energy-efficient products. This is one of those things where everybody has to work together because it’s in everybody’s interest.

Maria: What steps have you personally taken to fight global warming or make your life more energy efficient?

Franken: Right now I’m traveling from Duluth to Minneapolis in a hybrid vehicle - my family Ford Escape. I bike to work, when I can. Biking, as Jim Oberstar might say, converts a hydrocarbon economy into a carbohydrate economy. Of course, we recycle.

But the biggest thing I’m doing is running for the Senate, so that when I get to Washington, I can make sure that the things I wrote about in the first four answers can come to fruition.

Crossposted at Maria Energia.

Australian farmers have teamed up with environmentalists to create the Agricultural Alliance on Climate Change, a group that wants to cut emissions up to 60 percent by 2050.

Although they may not agree on all environmental issues, climate change is problem that they know requires immediate action and can be slowed. Farming groups like the South Australian Farmers Federation and Agforce are on the front lines of having to adapt quickly to a changing climate and risking their livelihood in the process. Some farmers also feel that they haven’t received the recognition they deserve for fighting global warming. The Alliance acknowledged as much in a statement:

Australia is tracking close to its Kyoto target due largely to the efforts of Australian farmers reducing emissions, particularly from practices such as minimum tillage and ceasing broad-scale land-clearing, while emissions from most other sectors have continued to increase.

The group seems to be rather light on specific policy initiatives or technology recommendations, while their ultimate aims include creating “effective and sustainable economic drives” from harvesting renewable energy, providing social and physical infrastructure and services to rural Australia, and providing information and tools to rural Australians to help them prepare for some of the unavoidable impacts of climate change.

Here in the U.S., farmers have joined with clean energy organizations and traditional environmentalists to push a common agenda as well. While they may not agree when it comes to party politics, issues like clean, efficient, and homegrown energy have clearly crossed party lines in many areas.

Organizations like the 25x’25 initiative were started by farmers with a vision of 25 percent renewable energy by 2025, and farmers unions are working at all levels of government to push for policies that support local, renewable power. Wind energy and biofuels are common grounds for collaboration, as so much farm land is also in some of the most wind-rich areas of the country, and as the potential for biofuels that go (and grow) beyond corn continue to hold great promise as a clean, reliable source of fuel.

Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Australian Conservation Foundation

When Iowa Governor Chet Culver signed the $100 million Iowa Power Fund into law this spring, Iowa committed to investing in cutting-edge research and development to continue leading the nation towards a new energy economy. But it also established something even more ambitious: The Office of Energy Independence - and they’re hiring.

The Office of Energy Independence is charged with weaning the Hawkeye state off of foreign oil by 2025 – no small feat considering that Iowans use 78 million barrels of oil each year.

But put down your muskets for this revolution – Governor Culver is looking for anyone already working to research, develop, commercialize, or implement new methods of reducing our dependence on oil through renewable energy, biofuels like cellulosic ethanol, and energy efficiency. He’s currently interviewing about 50 candidates, with a Director expected to be named by the end of the month.

When describing the Office of Energy Independence, Iowa State University President Gregory Geoffroy put it like this: “We are going to do for biomass what George Washington Carver did for the peanut, and it won’t be for peanuts.”

(Carver was a famous scientist who attended and taught at Iowa State, and developed multiple uses for the peanut, including peanut butter)

Ahem.

The director will be expected to provide an Iowa energy independence plan and release an annual report each year on the state’s progress. The creation of the Office of Energy Independence complements the establishment of a climate change emissions inventory and registry, as well as the Iowa Climate Change Advisory Council to determine the best strategies for reducing climate change emissions.

Office of the Governor
RE-AMP RoundUp
U.S. Department of Energy

The U.S., Canada, and Mexico have formally agreed to make their energy systems more efficient. A regional strategy will be implemented to better coordinate and exchange energy research, science, and technology. As one U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) official put it, the three countries are shifting towards a “North American perspective” as they explore how more synergy among their systems will help move us towards a cleaner, more efficient energy system and fight global warming.

This announcement seemed to come out of thin air to me. But apparently these talks stem from the North American Energy Work Group (NAEWG) that was formed in 2001 to improve transparency and regulatory compatibility, promote the development of resources and infrastructure, increase cooperation on efficiency standards, and address challenges on the demand side. The NAEWG began as a place to generate ideas, but has since evolved into developing plans for concrete results and the exchange of information and technology.

Energy efficiency was the top priority because of volatile natural gas and oil prices. Efficiency is also the cheapest, fastest, and easiest way to cut global warming emissions. The three nations will work together to expand the U.S.’s Energy Star program and share best practices and technologies in areas like fuel efficiency and biofuels, which have also been identified as high priorities. The plans specifically intend to benefit businesses, making it easier for those that manufacture appliances, lighting products and electrical equipment to do business across the continent.

More details of a cohesive energy efficiency plan are expected in June, with talks on other energy areas to follow.

Cross posted at Maria Energia

United Press International
U.S. INFO
The White House

Image: Sports IllustratedThe guys and some gals may disagree with me on this one, but the cover for the hottest Sports Illustrated cover is…global warming.

Clearly, environmentalists aren’t the only ones talking about global warming anymore: it’s affecting ski resorts, insurance companies, and a host of cultural institutions like the wide world of sports: The Miami Dolphins have built a climate-controlled bubble to avoid the extreme Florida heat during practices, seven World Cup ski racing events in Europe have been cancelled this season because of warmer temperatures, and Alaska’s Iditarod dogsled race hasn’t started at its traditional location in five years because of lack of snow.

So what is the sport world’s part in fighting global warming? Make sure stadiums are easily accessible by mass transit and install renewable energy systems (solar or wind) on stadiums are a few ideas. But many professional organizations and athletes are taking action now:

• Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, MA has a water filtration and reuse system that collects and recirculates "black" and "gray water" to make the most of all that beer and all those flushes.

• Saints safety Steve Gleason runs his Dodge Ram pickup on biodiesel.

• The NFL planted 3,000 trees around Florida to try to offset Super Bowl XLI’s estimated one million pounds of carbon dioxide emissions, a main contributor to global warming.

• NASCAR driver Ward Burton's foundation is pledged to habitat management, land conservation and environmental education in his home state of Virginia.

Ken Rakoz of Centralia, WA built the first biodiesel-powered dragster. He told Sports Illustrated:

"In the environmental movement there's way too much preaching to the choir. There are people sitting on the fence, and Joe Sixpack doesn't really know about [biodiesel] until we do something like racing."

As it impacts us all more and more, creative and meaningful action from all sectors of society will be critical to fighting it. There’s no wild card for the planet in the league of global warming.

Sports Illustrated

The United States may take real steps towards a greater energy independence and a stronger economy with the Program for Real Energy Security, or PROGRESS Act. The bill – first introduced in the previous 109th Congress and reintroduced last week in the 110th - aims to jumpstart a massive national effort to diversify U.S. energy sources to include more renewable energy and implement energy-efficient and environmentally friendly technologies.

Authored by Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (D-MD) and co-authored by more than 100 House members (so far all Democrats), the PROGRESS Act is designed to complement the House Democrats’ Rural Working Group’s Biofuels Plan. Representative Hoyer explained:

“Fostering a safer, cleaner, and more prosperous America requires that we reduce our dependence on foreign oil. It is past due time to achieve real progress for America. I hope to work with my colleagues in the new Congress as well as with President Bush to pass this critical legislation and take action once and for all to achieve energy independence that strengthens our national security, boosts our economy, creates more jobs, and protects our environment for future generations.”

The PROGRESS Act includes five major proposals:

• Establish a National Energy Security Commission that would bring together government, industry and academic leaders to develop national goals and recommendations that Congress would have to act upon under expedited rules.
• Establish a National Biofuels Infrastructure Development Program that would include development of retail pumps, tanks, etc for biofuels.
• Promote Transit Use & Develop a Rail Infrastructure Program that would create a stimulus package to promote public transit and upgrades to the freight rail system to get an affordable and reliable supply of biofuels to market.
• Ensure Federal Government Leadership in the Use of the Alternatives to Oil by increasing the use of alternative fuels in federal and state fleets, developing biofuel plants in every region of the country, and speeding development of biofuels standards to promote use.
• Establish a New Manhattan Center for High Efficiency Vehicles to develop and promote technologies to double the average vehicle efficiency, diversify fuels, and continue to develop fuel cells and hydrogen.

All of the proposals appear to be a strong step forward, although it’s unfortunate that the last one is named “the New Manhattan Center.” Alluding to the development of the atomic bomb doesn’t really inspire me as much as, say, “the New Apollo Center” would. And it’s ironic that Toyota – a Japanese automaker – blazed the trail for efficient hybrid vehicles, and we’re now trying to surpass them with a program name connected with their nation's destruction!

Although the bill failed in last year's Congress, Rep. Hoyer is hopeful that it will get to the House floor this year with such strong support.

Congressman Steny Hoyer
Southern Maryland Online

Renewable energy and rural economies are often talked about in a “love and marriage” sort of way: you can’t have one without the…OTHer. For instance, rural, agriculture-based economies can be dependable sources of wind power, biomass energy, and biofuels – but how much can we really squeeze out of America’s farmers, ranchers, and foresters?

A University of Tennessee study examined the impacts of agriculture and forestry contributing to a national goal of getting 25 percent of our energy from renewable sources by the year 2025, without compromising the quantity or quality of food, feed, and fiber.

The study examined two scenarios. 1) The impacts of producing 25 percent of America’s electricity and transportation fuels from renewable resources (using wind, solar, etc in addition to biomass and biofuels) and 2) How agriculture and forestry exclusively could supply 25 percent of America’s total energy. Here a few of the key findings of the second scenario:

* The projected annual impact on the nation from producing and converting crops into energy would be more than $700 billion in economic activity and 5.1 million jobs in 2025, most of that in rural areas.

* With a goal of producing 25 percent of our energy from renewable sources by the year 2025, the total addition to net farm income could reach $180 billion, as the market rewards growers for producing clean energy. In 2025 alone, net farm income would increase by $37 billion compared with U.S. Department of Agriculture’s projections.

* Higher market prices means saving government payments in the neighborhood of $15 billion.

Note: These numbers assume continued advancement in technology and significant shifts in crop patters. This study was funded by the 25 x ’25 Steering Committee, the Energy Future Coalition, and the Energy Foundation.

University of Tennessee: 25% renewable energy by the year 2025: Agricultural and economic impacts

Renewable Energy Access: Renewable energy roadmap: Rural America can prosper

The Swedish government, consumers, and businesses have joined hands and taken the leap to escape fossil fuels completely by the year 2020.

Already, 26 percent of Sweden’s energy comes from non-fossil fuels sources. There are cars that run on methane instead of gasoline, and heat that comes from wood pellets instead of oil. Currently, most of their non-fossil fuel electricity comes from hydroelectric power and…nuclear. But don’t choke on your lingonberry just yet – the government has committed to get new electricity from clean, renewable sources like wind and wave power, rather than more nukes.

These advances aren’t happening overnight: the Swedish government had to make the policies that brought about these changes, like tax breaks for heating homes with renewable fuel and a green certificate system that requires utilities to get a certain amount of their electricity from renewables. What’s more, motor giant Volvo plans to be the first heavy industry to emit no global warming pollution by the end of this year.

Solid government policies, determined consumers and innovative businesses could catapult the Swedes out of the fossil fuel age. In fact, I’d bet my lefse on it.

BBC: Sweden aims for oil-free economy
Environmental Science and Technology Online: Sweden to kick fossil fuel habit by 2020
MSNBC: Sweden hopes to be totally green by 2020