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The top business news from The Associated Press for the morning of Thursday, Jan. 31, 2008:Investors Want More Interest Rate CutsWASHINGTON (AP) - Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, criticized last year for being too tentative in cutting interest rates, has shown he can act boldly. But the Fed’s two aggressive rate cuts in the past eight days have left investors demanding still more. That may be a sign of how much trouble the economy is facing, with many analysts contending that the country is flirting with a recession and may, in fact, already be in one.—House, Senate at Odds on StimulusWASHINGTON (AP) - The Senate is set to begin voting on dueling economic aid proposals, as senators rush to add jobless benefits and tax rebates for high earners, the elderly, and disabled veterans to a House-passed package. Senate Democrats and some Republicans are teaming up to tack $32 billion onto the House measure with a bill that would send rebates of $500-$1,000 to all but the richest taxpayers. Families also would get $300 for each child. Senators could begin voting as early as Thursday in hopes of completing the package by week’s end.—Starbucks Axes Sandwiches As Part of FixSEATTLE (AP) - The scent of ham, eggs, cheese and bacon will soon stop competing with the aroma of coffee in Starbucks stores as hot breakfast sandwiches become the first casualty of the company’s battle to win back customers. The sandwiches, which will disappear by this fall, boost a typical store’s annual revenue by $35,000, so pulling them off the menu will cost at first. Chairman and Chief Executive Howard Schultz said that proves the company isn’t letting the soft economy distract it from committing to big changes that will pay off over the long haul.—Amazon Expects Sales to Rise in 2008SEATTLE (AP) - This year isn’t looking quite as sweet for Amazon.com shareholders as 2007. Despite a possible recession in the U.S. economy, the Web retailer said it expects sales to rise briskly again in 2008. But the gains won’t translate as readily to bottom-line growth. “A lot of old Amazon bears are going to be growling,” said Tim Boyd, an analyst at American Technology Research.—Sony Quarterly Profit Rises 25 PercentTOKYO (AP) - Sony reported a 25.2 percent jump in profit for the October-December quarter Thursday as its PlayStation video game business stopped losing money after six straight quarters of losses. Profit at the Japanese electronics and entertainment company climbed to 200.2 billion yen ($1.88 billion) for the fiscal third quarter from 159.9 billion yen the same period the previous year.—Super Bowl’s Big Day for TV, Pizza SalesNEW YORK (AP) - Super Bowl Sunday may be the biggest day of the year for football fans, but it’s also a big day for people who sell big screen TVs, recliners and pizza. Yes, some sports fans are willing to pay thousands of dollars for a TV just to watch the game. Jim Ferrero, of Yardley, Pa., has done so twice.—Cost Cuts Push Lenovo Profit Up 198 Pct.BEIJING (AP) - Lenovo Group, the world’s No. 4 personal computer maker, said Thursday that profit in its third fiscal quarter rose 198 percent and forecast strong sales this year despite a possible U.S. economic slowdown. Driven by strong sales and aggressive cost-cutting, profit for the three months that ended Dec. 31 was $172 million, or $1.93 per share, on revenue of $4.6 billion, Beijing-based Lenovo said. That was below the average $253.5 million expected by analysts polled by Dow Jones Newswires.—Market Turmoil Felt in Central EuropeWARSAW, Poland (AP) - It took years for Andrzej Solyga to muster the courage to invest in mutual funds. But in June 2007, at the urging of a friend, the Polish sculptor invested 200,000 zlotys ($82,000) in a fund that had been earning rich returns of 50 percent a year, joining a growing number of small investors in Europe’s post-communist countries who finally succumbed to the lure of booming stock markets.—$50M Grant Will Finance Plant ResearchPHOENIX (AP) - A collaboration of botanists and computer scientists is being awarded a $50 million federal grant to conduct research into plant biology with an eye toward resolving global problems related to agriculture, environment and energy production. The five-year National Science Foundation grant announced Wednesday will pay for research on topics such as climate change, development of biomass energy, and agricultural land use, said foundation Director Arden L. Bement. The University of Arizona is leading the project.—Mardi Gras Means Money in New OrleansNEW ORLEANS (AP) - That happy, singsong sound heard on Bourbon Street is trickle-down economics at its best as hundreds of thousands of Carnival season visitors spend themselves silly before Fat Tuesday. The city’s tourism industry, getting back on its feet after Hurricane Katrina, is counting on a big weekend crowd to fill restaurants and hotels leading up to Fat Tuesday, or Mardi Gras, on Feb. 5.—Gold PricesLONDON (AP) - Gold opened in London Thursday at a bid price of $923.10 per troy ounce, up from $920.85 on Wednesday.—Japan MarketsTOKYO (AP) - Japanese stocks rose Thursday as reports that a troubled U.S. bond insurer had closed an investment deal helped to ease concerns about the subprime loan crisis. The Nikkei stock index rose 247.44 points, or 1.85 percent, to close at 13,592.47 on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. The index shed 0.99 percent the day before.—Dollar-YenTOKYO (AP) - The dollar fell against the yen in Asia Thursday amid anxieties about U.S. bond insurers and continuing fallout from the subprime mortgage crisis. The U.S. dollar was trading at 106.46 yen at 2:50 p.m. Thursday, down from 106.95 yen late Wednesday in New York. The euro fell to $1.4879 from $1.4898.

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The first step toward responding to our state’s energy challenges is realizing they exist. The high price of gasoline, rising utility bills and the fact that Idaho imports the majority of its total energy needs leads to a general conclusion - the time is now to act!But there is no need to panic. There are numerous emerging opportunities presenting themselves to help meet our energy needs into the future. Energy-related developers are showing significant interest in Idaho. Proposed projects include nuclear, natural gas generators, wind, geothermal, biomass, methane digesters, pump storage hydro, interstate pipelines and transmission. And there is innovative activity to convert methane from dairy waste into pipeline-quality natural gas. Regarding transportation fuels, development of biofuels is expanding and more service stations are offering ethanol and biodiesel to Idahoans. There clearly is an interest in developing energy resources to serve Idahoans. When we focus on big-ticket items, there are five interstate transmission projects, three natural gas pipelines and two nuclear generation ventures that are exploring options here. This represents more activity than we have seen in decades. But why now? The reason for all this potential new supply is simple demand. We have seen tremendous growth, and our ability to manage it with the existing energy infrastructure is nearing capacity. It is time to build. And as a state, we have to be prepared to accommodate those projects that are economically feasible and cost-effective. Collaboration is under way among state, federal and local units of government to coordinate our efforts as these projects move forward. We cannot allow projects to fail because we lacked the ability to deal with them appropriately. As we confront our energy needs, we also must accept that factors beyond our control limit our options. A case in point is the impact that greenhouse gases have on our choices for generation resources. People can and do argue both sides of the science, but Wall Street has essentially settled that argument for developers. Investors simply will not risk their money on carbon-emitting resources. We already are feeling that impact in Idaho. Idaho Power and Rocky Mountain Power each had previously proposed building coal-fired generators in Idaho. Both utilities have scrapped those plans. They simply cannot build them until costs associated with greenhouse gases are resolved.So what can we build? Based on greenhouse gas realities, and the fact that renewables such as wind, solar and geothermal are not yet ready to meet our large-scale needs, our resource options are limited to the three “N’s” nuclear, natural gas, or nothing. Each of these options carries baggage. Nuclear is carbon-free, but concerns over waste and safety require our attention to overcome. Additionally, completion of a nuclear plant is 10 to 15 years away. Nuclear offers long-term solutions, but does not resolve our short-term requirements. Natural gas facilities are low-carbon emitters, but they expose utilities and customers to volatile fuel prices. And if we do nothing, our energy plan would likely need to include scheduled rolling blackouts.There clearly is no silver bullet. That is one of the reasons Gov. Butch Otter placed the 25 by ‘25 initiative under the Office of Energy Resources. The goal is to have 25 percent of Idaho’s energy provided by renewable resources by the year 2025. This challenge represents a tremendous opportunity to explore all renewable options and their financial viability. Additionally, it enables us to examine the role that carbon trading can play in pushing projects to fruition. Ultimately, the 25 by ‘25 initiative allows us to thoroughly investigate possible energy resources. We want to avoid stomping on innovation before it has a chance to bloom.There is something each of us can do. Through energy efficiency, conservation and demand-side management we can control the size of our energy bills and reduce the burden on our existing infrastructure. If you want to do your share, go to your utility’s Web site and explore some of the options that exist. You also will find some cash incentives there that could make your choices a little less expensive. The cheapest energy is the amount we do not consume. Working together, we can meet our energy needs. Paul Kjellander is the director of the state’s Office of Energy Resources.

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The top business news from The Associated Press for the morning of Thursday, Jan. 31, 2008:Investors Want More Interest Rate CutsWASHINGTON (AP) - Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, criticized last year for being too tentative in cutting interest rates, has shown he can act boldly. But the Fed’s two aggressive rate cuts in the past eight days have left investors demanding still more. That may be a sign of how much trouble the economy is facing, with many analysts contending that the country is flirting with a recession and may, in fact, already be in one.—House, Senate at Odds on StimulusWASHINGTON (AP) - The Senate is set to begin voting on dueling economic aid proposals, as senators rush to add jobless benefits and tax rebates for high earners, the elderly, and disabled veterans to a House-passed package. Senate Democrats and some Republicans are teaming up to tack $32 billion onto the House measure with a bill that would send rebates of $500-$1,000 to all but the richest taxpayers. Families also would get $300 for each child. Senators could begin voting as early as Thursday in hopes of completing the package by week’s end.—Starbucks Axes Sandwiches As Part of FixSEATTLE (AP) - The scent of ham, eggs, cheese and bacon will soon stop competing with the aroma of coffee in Starbucks stores as hot breakfast sandwiches become the first casualty of the company’s battle to win back customers. The sandwiches, which will disappear by this fall, boost a typical store’s annual revenue by $35,000, so pulling them off the menu will cost at first. Chairman and Chief Executive Howard Schultz said that proves the company isn’t letting the soft economy distract it from committing to big changes that will pay off over the long haul.—Amazon Expects Sales to Rise in 2008SEATTLE (AP) - This year isn’t looking quite as sweet for Amazon.com shareholders as 2007. Despite a possible recession in the U.S. economy, the Web retailer said it expects sales to rise briskly again in 2008. But the gains won’t translate as readily to bottom-line growth. “A lot of old Amazon bears are going to be growling,” said Tim Boyd, an analyst at American Technology Research.—Sony Quarterly Profit Rises 25 PercentTOKYO (AP) - Sony reported a 25.2 percent jump in profit for the October-December quarter Thursday as its PlayStation video game business stopped losing money after six straight quarters of losses. Profit at the Japanese electronics and entertainment company climbed to 200.2 billion yen ($1.88 billion) for the fiscal third quarter from 159.9 billion yen the same period the previous year.—Super Bowl’s Big Day for TV, Pizza SalesNEW YORK (AP) - Super Bowl Sunday may be the biggest day of the year for football fans, but it’s also a big day for people who sell big screen TVs, recliners and pizza. Yes, some sports fans are willing to pay thousands of dollars for a TV just to watch the game. Jim Ferrero, of Yardley, Pa., has done so twice.—Cost Cuts Push Lenovo Profit Up 198 Pct.BEIJING (AP) - Lenovo Group, the world’s No. 4 personal computer maker, said Thursday that profit in its third fiscal quarter rose 198 percent and forecast strong sales this year despite a possible U.S. economic slowdown. Driven by strong sales and aggressive cost-cutting, profit for the three months that ended Dec. 31 was $172 million, or $1.93 per share, on revenue of $4.6 billion, Beijing-based Lenovo said. That was below the average $253.5 million expected by analysts polled by Dow Jones Newswires.—Market Turmoil Felt in Central EuropeWARSAW, Poland (AP) - It took years for Andrzej Solyga to muster the courage to invest in mutual funds. But in June 2007, at the urging of a friend, the Polish sculptor invested 200,000 zlotys ($82,000) in a fund that had been earning rich returns of 50 percent a year, joining a growing number of small investors in Europe’s post-communist countries who finally succumbed to the lure of booming stock markets.—$50M Grant Will Finance Plant ResearchPHOENIX (AP) - A collaboration of botanists and computer scientists is being awarded a $50 million federal grant to conduct research into plant biology with an eye toward resolving global problems related to agriculture, environment and energy production. The five-year National Science Foundation grant announced Wednesday will pay for research on topics such as climate change, development of biomass energy, and agricultural land use, said foundation Director Arden L. Bement. The University of Arizona is leading the project.—Mardi Gras Means Money in New OrleansNEW ORLEANS (AP) - That happy, singsong sound heard on Bourbon Street is trickle-down economics at its best as hundreds of thousands of Carnival season visitors spend themselves silly before Fat Tuesday. The city’s tourism industry, getting back on its feet after Hurricane Katrina, is counting on a big weekend crowd to fill restaurants and hotels leading up to Fat Tuesday, or Mardi Gras, on Feb. 5.—Gold PricesLONDON (AP) - Gold opened in London Thursday at a bid price of $923.10 per troy ounce, up from $920.85 on Wednesday.—Japan MarketsTOKYO (AP) - Japanese stocks rose Thursday as reports that a troubled U.S. bond insurer had closed an investment deal helped to ease concerns about the subprime loan crisis. The Nikkei stock index rose 247.44 points, or 1.85 percent, to close at 13,592.47 on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. The index shed 0.99 percent the day before.—Dollar-YenTOKYO (AP) - The dollar fell against the yen in Asia Thursday amid anxieties about U.S. bond insurers and continuing fallout from the subprime mortgage crisis. The U.S. dollar was trading at 106.46 yen at 2:50 p.m. Thursday, down from 106.95 yen late Wednesday in New York. The euro fell to $1.4879 from $1.4898.

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The first step toward responding to our state’s energy challenges is realizing they exist. The high price of gasoline, rising utility bills and the fact that Idaho imports the majority of its total energy needs leads to a general conclusion - the time is now to act!But there is no need to panic. There are numerous emerging opportunities presenting themselves to help meet our energy needs into the future. Energy-related developers are showing significant interest in Idaho. Proposed projects include nuclear, natural gas generators, wind, geothermal, biomass, methane digesters, pump storage hydro, interstate pipelines and transmission. And there is innovative activity to convert methane from dairy waste into pipeline-quality natural gas. Regarding transportation fuels, development of biofuels is expanding and more service stations are offering ethanol and biodiesel to Idahoans. There clearly is an interest in developing energy resources to serve Idahoans. When we focus on big-ticket items, there are five interstate transmission projects, three natural gas pipelines and two nuclear generation ventures that are exploring options here. This represents more activity than we have seen in decades. But why now? The reason for all this potential new supply is simple demand. We have seen tremendous growth, and our ability to manage it with the existing energy infrastructure is nearing capacity. It is time to build. And as a state, we have to be prepared to accommodate those projects that are economically feasible and cost-effective. Collaboration is under way among state, federal and local units of government to coordinate our efforts as these projects move forward. We cannot allow projects to fail because we lacked the ability to deal with them appropriately. As we confront our energy needs, we also must accept that factors beyond our control limit our options. A case in point is the impact that greenhouse gases have on our choices for generation resources. People can and do argue both sides of the science, but Wall Street has essentially settled that argument for developers. Investors simply will not risk their money on carbon-emitting resources. We already are feeling that impact in Idaho. Idaho Power and Rocky Mountain Power each had previously proposed building coal-fired generators in Idaho. Both utilities have scrapped those plans. They simply cannot build them until costs associated with greenhouse gases are resolved.So what can we build? Based on greenhouse gas realities, and the fact that renewables such as wind, solar and geothermal are not yet ready to meet our large-scale needs, our resource options are limited to the three “N’s” nuclear, natural gas, or nothing. Each of these options carries baggage. Nuclear is carbon-free, but concerns over waste and safety require our attention to overcome. Additionally, completion of a nuclear plant is 10 to 15 years away. Nuclear offers long-term solutions, but does not resolve our short-term requirements. Natural gas facilities are low-carbon emitters, but they expose utilities and customers to volatile fuel prices. And if we do nothing, our energy plan would likely need to include scheduled rolling blackouts.There clearly is no silver bullet. That is one of the reasons Gov. Butch Otter placed the 25 by ‘25 initiative under the Office of Energy Resources. The goal is to have 25 percent of Idaho’s energy provided by renewable resources by the year 2025. This challenge represents a tremendous opportunity to explore all renewable options and their financial viability. Additionally, it enables us to examine the role that carbon trading can play in pushing projects to fruition. Ultimately, the 25 by ‘25 initiative allows us to thoroughly investigate possible energy resources. We want to avoid stomping on innovation before it has a chance to bloom.There is something each of us can do. Through energy efficiency, conservation and demand-side management we can control the size of our energy bills and reduce the burden on our existing infrastructure. If you want to do your share, go to your utility’s Web site and explore some of the options that exist. You also will find some cash incentives there that could make your choices a little less expensive. The cheapest energy is the amount we do not consume. Working together, we can meet our energy needs. Paul Kjellander is the director of the state’s Office of Energy Resources.

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The top business news from The Associated Press for the morning of Thursday, Jan. 31, 2008:Investors Want More Interest Rate CutsWASHINGTON (AP) - Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, criticized last year for being too tentative in cutting interest rates, has shown he can act boldly. But the Fed’s two aggressive rate cuts in the past eight days have left investors demanding still more. That may be a sign of how much trouble the economy is facing, with many analysts contending that the country is flirting with a recession and may, in fact, already be in one.—House, Senate at Odds on StimulusWASHINGTON (AP) - The Senate is set to begin voting on dueling economic aid proposals, as senators rush to add jobless benefits and tax rebates for high earners, the elderly, and disabled veterans to a House-passed package. Senate Democrats and some Republicans are teaming up to tack $32 billion onto the House measure with a bill that would send rebates of $500-$1,000 to all but the richest taxpayers. Families also would get $300 for each child. Senators could begin voting as early as Thursday in hopes of completing the package by week’s end.—Starbucks Axes Sandwiches As Part of FixSEATTLE (AP) - The scent of ham, eggs, cheese and bacon will soon stop competing with the aroma of coffee in Starbucks stores as hot breakfast sandwiches become the first casualty of the company’s battle to win back customers. The sandwiches, which will disappear by this fall, boost a typical store’s annual revenue by $35,000, so pulling them off the menu will cost at first. Chairman and Chief Executive Howard Schultz said that proves the company isn’t letting the soft economy distract it from committing to big changes that will pay off over the long haul.—Amazon Expects Sales to Rise in 2008SEATTLE (AP) - This year isn’t looking quite as sweet for Amazon.com shareholders as 2007. Despite a possible recession in the U.S. economy, the Web retailer said it expects sales to rise briskly again in 2008. But the gains won’t translate as readily to bottom-line growth. “A lot of old Amazon bears are going to be growling,” said Tim Boyd, an analyst at American Technology Research.—Sony Quarterly Profit Rises 25 PercentTOKYO (AP) - Sony reported a 25.2 percent jump in profit for the October-December quarter Thursday as its PlayStation video game business stopped losing money after six straight quarters of losses. Profit at the Japanese electronics and entertainment company climbed to 200.2 billion yen ($1.88 billion) for the fiscal third quarter from 159.9 billion yen the same period the previous year.—Super Bowl’s Big Day for TV, Pizza SalesNEW YORK (AP) - Super Bowl Sunday may be the biggest day of the year for football fans, but it’s also a big day for people who sell big screen TVs, recliners and pizza. Yes, some sports fans are willing to pay thousands of dollars for a TV just to watch the game. Jim Ferrero, of Yardley, Pa., has done so twice.—Cost Cuts Push Lenovo Profit Up 198 Pct.BEIJING (AP) - Lenovo Group, the world’s No. 4 personal computer maker, said Thursday that profit in its third fiscal quarter rose 198 percent and forecast strong sales this year despite a possible U.S. economic slowdown. Driven by strong sales and aggressive cost-cutting, profit for the three months that ended Dec. 31 was $172 million, or $1.93 per share, on revenue of $4.6 billion, Beijing-based Lenovo said. That was below the average $253.5 million expected by analysts polled by Dow Jones Newswires.—Market Turmoil Felt in Central EuropeWARSAW, Poland (AP) - It took years for Andrzej Solyga to muster the courage to invest in mutual funds. But in June 2007, at the urging of a friend, the Polish sculptor invested 200,000 zlotys ($82,000) in a fund that had been earning rich returns of 50 percent a year, joining a growing number of small investors in Europe’s post-communist countries who finally succumbed to the lure of booming stock markets.—$50M Grant Will Finance Plant ResearchPHOENIX (AP) - A collaboration of botanists and computer scientists is being awarded a $50 million federal grant to conduct research into plant biology with an eye toward resolving global problems related to agriculture, environment and energy production. The five-year National Science Foundation grant announced Wednesday will pay for research on topics such as climate change, development of biomass energy, and agricultural land use, said foundation Director Arden L. Bement. The University of Arizona is leading the project.—Mardi Gras Means Money in New OrleansNEW ORLEANS (AP) - That happy, singsong sound heard on Bourbon Street is trickle-down economics at its best as hundreds of thousands of Carnival season visitors spend themselves silly before Fat Tuesday. The city’s tourism industry, getting back on its feet after Hurricane Katrina, is counting on a big weekend crowd to fill restaurants and hotels leading up to Fat Tuesday, or Mardi Gras, on Feb. 5.—Gold PricesLONDON (AP) - Gold opened in London Thursday at a bid price of $923.10 per troy ounce, up from $920.85 on Wednesday.—Japan MarketsTOKYO (AP) - Japanese stocks rose Thursday as reports that a troubled U.S. bond insurer had closed an investment deal helped to ease concerns about the subprime loan crisis. The Nikkei stock index rose 247.44 points, or 1.85 percent, to close at 13,592.47 on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. The index shed 0.99 percent the day before.—Dollar-YenTOKYO (AP) - The dollar fell against the yen in Asia Thursday amid anxieties about U.S. bond insurers and continuing fallout from the subprime mortgage crisis. The U.S. dollar was trading at 106.46 yen at 2:50 p.m. Thursday, down from 106.95 yen late Wednesday in New York. The euro fell to $1.4879 from $1.4898.

Related posts

• AP Executive Morning Briefing
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• US scraps futuristic coal plant
• US scraps futuristic coal plant
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• US scraps futuristic coal plant
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• Letters to the Editor
• Homeowners feel heat in West coal boom

The first step toward responding to our state’s energy challenges is realizing they exist. The high price of gasoline, rising utility bills and the fact that Idaho imports the majority of its total energy needs leads to a general conclusion - the time is now to act!But there is no need to panic. There are numerous emerging opportunities presenting themselves to help meet our energy needs into the future. Energy-related developers are showing significant interest in Idaho. Proposed projects include nuclear, natural gas generators, wind, geothermal, biomass, methane digesters, pump storage hydro, interstate pipelines and transmission. And there is innovative activity to convert methane from dairy waste into pipeline-quality natural gas. Regarding transportation fuels, development of biofuels is expanding and more service stations are offering ethanol and biodiesel to Idahoans. There clearly is an interest in developing energy resources to serve Idahoans. When we focus on big-ticket items, there are five interstate transmission projects, three natural gas pipelines and two nuclear generation ventures that are exploring options here. This represents more activity than we have seen in decades. But why now? The reason for all this potential new supply is simple demand. We have seen tremendous growth, and our ability to manage it with the existing energy infrastructure is nearing capacity. It is time to build. And as a state, we have to be prepared to accommodate those projects that are economically feasible and cost-effective. Collaboration is under way among state, federal and local units of government to coordinate our efforts as these projects move forward. We cannot allow projects to fail because we lacked the ability to deal with them appropriately. As we confront our energy needs, we also must accept that factors beyond our control limit our options. A case in point is the impact that greenhouse gases have on our choices for generation resources. People can and do argue both sides of the science, but Wall Street has essentially settled that argument for developers. Investors simply will not risk their money on carbon-emitting resources. We already are feeling that impact in Idaho. Idaho Power and Rocky Mountain Power each had previously proposed building coal-fired generators in Idaho. Both utilities have scrapped those plans. They simply cannot build them until costs associated with greenhouse gases are resolved.So what can we build? Based on greenhouse gas realities, and the fact that renewables such as wind, solar and geothermal are not yet ready to meet our large-scale needs, our resource options are limited to the three “N’s” nuclear, natural gas, or nothing. Each of these options carries baggage. Nuclear is carbon-free, but concerns over waste and safety require our attention to overcome. Additionally, completion of a nuclear plant is 10 to 15 years away. Nuclear offers long-term solutions, but does not resolve our short-term requirements. Natural gas facilities are low-carbon emitters, but they expose utilities and customers to volatile fuel prices. And if we do nothing, our energy plan would likely need to include scheduled rolling blackouts.There clearly is no silver bullet. That is one of the reasons Gov. Butch Otter placed the 25 by ‘25 initiative under the Office of Energy Resources. The goal is to have 25 percent of Idaho’s energy provided by renewable resources by the year 2025. This challenge represents a tremendous opportunity to explore all renewable options and their financial viability. Additionally, it enables us to examine the role that carbon trading can play in pushing projects to fruition. Ultimately, the 25 by ‘25 initiative allows us to thoroughly investigate possible energy resources. We want to avoid stomping on innovation before it has a chance to bloom.There is something each of us can do. Through energy efficiency, conservation and demand-side management we can control the size of our energy bills and reduce the burden on our existing infrastructure. If you want to do your share, go to your utility’s Web site and explore some of the options that exist. You also will find some cash incentives there that could make your choices a little less expensive. The cheapest energy is the amount we do not consume. Working together, we can meet our energy needs. Paul Kjellander is the director of the state’s Office of Energy Resources.

Related posts

• Paul Kjellander: Governor’s initiative gives Idaho a chance to switch to more use of renewable energy resources
• Paul Kjellander: Governor's initiative gives Idaho a chance to switch to more use of renewable energy resources
• Paul Kjellander: Governor's initiative gives Idaho a chance to switch to more use of renewable energy resources
• Paul Kjellander: Governor's initiative gives Idaho a chance to switch to more use of renewable energy resources
• zembly Provides Social Context for Web Development
• Wikia details plans for search rival to Google
• Fiften years of the web
• Bags packed for doomsday
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The first step toward responding to our state’s energy challenges is realizing they exist. The high price of gasoline, rising utility bills and the fact that Idaho imports the majority of its total energy needs leads to a general conclusion - the time is now to act!But there is no need to panic. There are numerous emerging opportunities presenting themselves to help meet our energy needs into the future. Energy-related developers are showing significant interest in Idaho. Proposed projects include nuclear, natural gas generators, wind, geothermal, biomass, methane digesters, pump storage hydro, interstate pipelines and transmission. And there is innovative activity to convert methane from dairy waste into pipeline-quality natural gas. Regarding transportation fuels, development of biofuels is expanding and more service stations are offering ethanol and biodiesel to Idahoans. There clearly is an interest in developing energy resources to serve Idahoans. When we focus on big-ticket items, there are five interstate transmission projects, three natural gas pipelines and two nuclear generation ventures that are exploring options here. This represents more activity than we have seen in decades. But why now? The reason for all this potential new supply is simple demand. We have seen tremendous growth, and our ability to manage it with the existing energy infrastructure is nearing capacity. It is time to build. And as a state, we have to be prepared to accommodate those projects that are economically feasible and cost-effective. Collaboration is under way among state, federal and local units of government to coordinate our efforts as these projects move forward. We cannot allow projects to fail because we lacked the ability to deal with them appropriately. As we confront our energy needs, we also must accept that factors beyond our control limit our options. A case in point is the impact that greenhouse gases have on our choices for generation resources. People can and do argue both sides of the science, but Wall Street has essentially settled that argument for developers. Investors simply will not risk their money on carbon-emitting resources. We already are feeling that impact in Idaho. Idaho Power and Rocky Mountain Power each had previously proposed building coal-fired generators in Idaho. Both utilities have scrapped those plans. They simply cannot build them until costs associated with greenhouse gases are resolved.So what can we build? Based on greenhouse gas realities, and the fact that renewables such as wind, solar and geothermal are not yet ready to meet our large-scale needs, our resource options are limited to the three “N’s” nuclear, natural gas, or nothing. Each of these options carries baggage. Nuclear is carbon-free, but concerns over waste and safety require our attention to overcome. Additionally, completion of a nuclear plant is 10 to 15 years away. Nuclear offers long-term solutions, but does not resolve our short-term requirements. Natural gas facilities are low-carbon emitters, but they expose utilities and customers to volatile fuel prices. And if we do nothing, our energy plan would likely need to include scheduled rolling blackouts.There clearly is no silver bullet. That is one of the reasons Gov. Butch Otter placed the 25 by ‘25 initiative under the Office of Energy Resources. The goal is to have 25 percent of Idaho’s energy provided by renewable resources by the year 2025. This challenge represents a tremendous opportunity to explore all renewable options and their financial viability. Additionally, it enables us to examine the role that carbon trading can play in pushing projects to fruition. Ultimately, the 25 by ‘25 initiative allows us to thoroughly investigate possible energy resources. We want to avoid stomping on innovation before it has a chance to bloom.There is something each of us can do. Through energy efficiency, conservation and demand-side management we can control the size of our energy bills and reduce the burden on our existing infrastructure. If you want to do your share, go to your utility’s Web site and explore some of the options that exist. You also will find some cash incentives there that could make your choices a little less expensive. The cheapest energy is the amount we do not consume. Working together, we can meet our energy needs. Paul Kjellander is the director of the state’s Office of Energy Resources.

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The Malaysian government may appear to favour the use of the ODF (OpenDocument Format), with plans to adopt the standard in its ICT deployment, but Microsoft has been able to convince a growing number of Malaysian IT companies and independent software vendors (ISVs) to incorporate OOXML (Office Open XML) into their offerings.

Developed by Microsoft, OOXML is a close rival to the ODF, which is championed by open-source vendors and major IT houses such as IBM and Sun.

ODF has a first-mover advantage, having gained certification from the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) while OOXML is still seeking approval from the global standards organisation.

Microsoft’s document format, however, had received a much-needed boost when European standards body Ecma International ratified it in December 2006.

Microsoft’s latest success story in Malaysia comes from Tradenex.com, the IT arm of the Federal of Malaysian Manufacturers which represents over 2,000 manufacturing and industrial service companies.

Familiarity breeds adoptionTradenex.com last month launched nexCONNECT, an electronic business collaboration platform that links suppliers, distributors, logistics and financial institutions via the web. The Microsoft .Net-based system will incorporate OOXML as one of its standards.

The platform is targeted at small to medium-sized enterprises with limited budget and IT capabilities to invest in leading-edge technology to support their business.

“This will allow users to interact with nexCONNECT in the familiar Microsoft office environment [encompassing products such as] Microsoft Windows and Microsoft Office 2007, that they are so used to, with the aim to simplify its usage and adoption,” said Soon Koi Voon, chief executive of Tradenex.com, at the recent launch of nexCONNECT.

Asked why OOXML was preferred over the ODF, Soon said the decision was based on commercial realities. He estimated that over 90 percent of companies ran their operations using Microsoft Office and the Windows platform.

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The three- to five-year plan is “in alignment with [China's] long-term economic, societal and environmental goals,” according to a statement from Cisco. The company began investing in China in 1994 and already employs more than 2,300 staff there, in divisions ranging from sales to research and development and manufacturing.

“Today’s announcements underscore both China’s strategic importance to Cisco’s global operations and the broad range of growth opportunities presented by the China market, particularly as an innovator in the next wave of the internet’s development in collaboration and Web 2.0 technologies,” said Cisco chief executive John Chambers in Beijing.

The company will establish its first global “green” technology centre in China, where it will research energy efficiency, emissions reductions and the reduction of electronic waste.

However, Cisco will have its work cut out when it comes to improving China’s environmental footprint. A report from the Netherlands Environmental Assesment Agency in June estimated that China’s CO2 emissions rosenine percent in the past year, compared with 1.4 percent in the US.China produced 6,200 million tonnes of CO2 pollution, compared with 5,800 million tonnes from the US.

One reason for China’s massive CO2 emissions is that companies in the West have effectively exported a great portion oftheir manufacturing to the region, according to Greenpeace. “The only thing corporations were interested in was the price of labour,” said Greenpeace UK executive director John Sauven recently. “This trend kept the price of our products and inflation down, but at the cost of soaring greenhouse-gas emissions in China. In the long term, this policy has been a climate disaster. It’s the downside of globalisation.”

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The company on Monday is expected to announce that it has acquired an 11-person start-up, Virtual Ubiquity, that has built a free web word processor called “Buzzword”. Financial terms were not disclosed.

The move expands Adobe’s collaborative software services and steps up its competition with Microsoft and a host of other web application providers, including Google.

Adobe also is scheduled to announce a service, code-named “Share”, that allows people to invite others to view and access documents stored by Adobe. Documents can be embedded inside a web page as well. The service, which is still in testing mode, will offer users 1GB of storage for free.

Adobe executives are scheduled to detail these initiatives at its Max 2007 developer and designer conference, which starts on Monday in Chicago.

Microsoft, meanwhile, is expected on Monday to detail its own document collaboration service, Office Live Workspace, a free online tool for viewing, sharing and storing Office documents online.

In other Max announcements, Adobe plans to release the beta version of its desktop video viewer, Adobe Media Player, which is now being used by CBS, PBS and Yahoo to distribute multimedia content with advertising. Adobe Media Player version 1.0 is due in the first half of next year.

The technology underpinning these applications is Adobe’s Flash Player and AIR (Adobe Integrated Runtime), software that lets web applications run offline. The programs were written using its Flex development tool.

The company’s strategy is to assemble a series of collaboration products and services on top of its development platform, said Erik Larson, director of marketing and product management at Adobe. Buzzword will complement its existing online services, Adobe Connect and Create PDF, he said.

“Our focus is on document collaboration around a lot of different kinds of documents,” Larson said. “There is a lot that can be done with the Adobe platform, and there are still unrealised promises.”

Larson said Adobe will focus on online collaboration of “high fidelity” documents, or those that appear the same on-screen and when printed out.

The plan is to make these applications free for paid premium services to businesses.

Rick Treitman, chief executive of Virtual Ubiquity, said his company decided to use Adobe developer technologies because they were better than other available programming methods. Adobe invested in the company last year as part of a venture fund set up to promote applications on Flash and AIR.

What sets Buzzword apart from other online word processors is the pagination; it allows people to get an accurate view of how a document will print out as the document is edited. It also has the ability to embed graphics, track changes and organise files.

“Flex and Flash were the means to where we want to go. No-one else realised how powerful it was as a virtual machine,” Treitman said.

During the Max keynote address on Monday, Adobe executives are expected to show off other rich internet applications written for Flash or AIR.

One of those will be an AIR version of Pronto, an email application from CommuniGate Systems that is expected to be released next spring when AIR 1.0 is available.

John Doyle, CommuniGate Systems’ vice president of business development, said Adobe has the wherewithal to build a line of compelling and simple-to-use rich internet applications that could lure businesses away from Microsoft Office.

“If anybody has the financial strength, the market reach and the track record of making very good applications, it’s Adobe,” Doyle said. “They’re able to overnight ship applications through Flash to browsers that will be accessible by 96 percent of the users in the world. That’s huge.”

IBM last month introduced a beta version of Lotus Symphony, a set of traditional desktop applications that the company is offering as a standards-based alternative to Office.

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