As we approach a new year, I want to spend some time on the blog this week talking about my New Year’s Resolutions.

Only these resolutions aren’t about losing weight or eating better (though I should probably try to do both of those, too). Instead, my resolutions will be ways that I believe I can make a difference. All of us can make a difference in our own way. But we have to have a plan to get there.

My plan for 2011 includes doing my part to end this nation’s addiction to foreign oil. We can’t continue to fund tyrannies in the Middle East. We need to develop energy solutions right here in the United States. I believe we need more domestic oil and gas production. But I also believe we need more renewable energy solutions. I’m going to step up my commitment to biomass energy and it all starts with a big announcement after the first of the year. So get ready…change is on the way!

Last week we ended our series on the challenges facing Texas by discussing renewable energy.  This week we’ll begin a new series by focusing exclusively on this vital issue facing our state and our nation.

With America importing more and more of its oil from overseas, it’s long past time to expand our renewable energy programs here domestically.  And the good news is we are already starting to do it.  This week, I’ll be discussing renewable energy and some important new developments that my company is involved in.

So check us out this week!

Today we continue our series on surprising facts about the BP oil spill:

http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/gulf-of-mexico-oil-spill-facts

And today, rather than focus on the result of the oil spill, we’re going to focus on the cause. And the cause is our reliance on oil. Here are some interesting facts:

“30 percent: Percent of the nation’s oil production derived from the Gulf of Mexico. (Source: E2 Wire)

1 billion: Number of gallons of oil spilled into the oceans each year, Gulf of Mexico spill notwithstanding. (Source: Union of Concerned Scientists)

137.8 billion gallons: Amount of gasoline Americans consumed in 2008, down 3% from 2007. (Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration)

19.5 million barrels: Amount of oil consumed in the United States per day.”

Isn’t it time we started getting serious about alternative energy?

This week I’ll be in Moscow, Idaho checking in on the research that my company, Advanced Trailer, has been conducting with the University of Idaho.

As readers of this blog know, I believe the Advanced Trailer is perfect for biomass. The trailer can be used to transport, dry and store the wood chips that fuel biomass energy. This has long been the missing link in biomass–how to move, dry and store. But no more. The Advanced Trailer has revolutionized biomass. And biomass is about to revolutionize America.

Check in this week for more about the Biomass Revolution!

Summer time is fast approaching. That means it’s time to hold onto your wallets as gas prices will soon be rising:

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/tx/6992974.html

This is a good time for our blog to return to the subject of energy policy in this country. As I’ve often said, every time we fill up at the pump, we are putting money into the pockets of dictators in the Middle East. Can’t we do better than that?

We can and we’ll talk about it this week on the blog!

Today the Biomass Conference and Expo ends and I’m on my way back to Texas.

But the cause of biomass goes on.

It goes on because the stakes are too high not to invest in biomass. We can’t continue to fuel our economy with foreign sources of oil. It’s bad for our economy; it’s even worse for our security. We need domestic sources of energy and we need them now. That’s why I’m so excited that the US government is doing so much to promote biomass. Just this week, you might have seen this in the news:

“The US Departments of Energy (DOE) and Agriculture (USDA) jointly announced up to $33 million in funding for research and development of technologies and processes to produce biofuels, bioenergy and high-value biobased products.”

http://www.sustainablebusiness.com/index.cfm/go/news.display/id/20273

Biomass is the future. Biomass is the answer.

One of the reasons that gas prices are going up is that oil is a depleting resource. For decades, we’ve been drilling for oil here in the United States. As a result, we have less of it and more need to rely on foreign oil.

That’s why it’s more important than ever that we look to sources of energy that are here in the US and that are renewable. My favorite example is biomass. Biomass is essentially fueled by burning wood products. And we have plenty of wood products in America. In fact, we will always have plenty of wood products in America.

So why would we import oil from the Middle East when we could generate energy from biomass here in the United States?

Today we wrap up our series on rising oil prices with a solution.

Instead of leaving ourselves vulnerable to so many variables–foreign imports, speculation, value of the dollar–why not develop new sources of domestic energy? It’s a proven fact that the energy market is not a truly free market. And our use of foreign oil only empowers those in the Middle East who are not our friends.

What if we invested in renewable energy sources like biomass, solar and wind? These sources can be re-produced. And even better, they can all be produced right here in the United States.

Ronald Reagan said that America is the “country of tomorrow.” Let’s prove it by finding tomorrow’s energy sources today. That’s the real solution to high gas prices.

A simple rule of economics is the law of supply and demand. When there is too much of a product and not enough need from the consumer, the price goes down. So why are gas prices going up?

http://www.reuters.com/article/GCA-Oil/idUSTRE59R3SL20091028

As I have often written on this blog, the oil market is not a truly free market. It doesn’t follow the law of supply and demand. As the article notes:

“Oil prices have risen in recent weeks as the global economy has shown signs of rebounding….Still, demand for gasoline, diesel and other fuels suffered as businesses and consumers tightened their purse strings, more than halving margins at plants that process crude oil.”

First, I’m not sure the economy is really rebounding. We now have unemployment of 10%. I bet those who are unemployed don’t think the economy has rbounded. Second, with businesses and consumers spending less on gas, why are prices high?

Because the oil market doesn’t respond to market pressures as it should. What can we do about it? We’ll close out our week-long series by discussing that question tomorrow.

Today we are continuing our series on the rise in gas prices. Another major factor is the declining value of the dollar:

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5i4_q7DtiEHvUTVNlJoaJ9ufkd1kgD9BJMHB80

As the article notes:

“…prices are on the rise and it is the crumbling U.S. dollar that is sending them there. The dollar has lost more than 15 percent of its value since March. Because crude is bought and sold with dollars, investors who hold euros or other currencies that have strengthened against the dollar can essentially buy more crude with less.”

So to fight high gas prices, Washington needs to strengthen the dollar. And that means lowering taxes, lowering spending and getting the economy moving again.

But since Washington isn’t doing much of that, the dollar is likely to continue to be weak…and gas prices will continue to be high.

This week the blog is focused on the rising cost of oil. What can explain this since peak drive season is gone, demand is down and inventories are up? In a word: speculation.

http://www.investmentu.com/IUEL/2009/October/oil-prices-heading-higher.html

As the article notes:

“With the perception that the U.S. economy is finally moving out of the doldrums, all the hedge fund and speculative money that has sat on the sidelines for months is finding a home in the oil market. Depending on which report you read, world demand for oil is expected to pick back up, and this is adding fuel to the fire.”

In other words, speculators are guessing that the economy is coming back and therefore are pushing prices up. That’s crazy. Why should we pay more at the pump just because some speculators think the economy may or may not be improving? Shouldn’t the price of gas be based on facts, not forecasts?

When it comes to oil, the facts often don’t matter.

This week we’ll be blogging about the rising gas prices. Why are they on the way up?

http://www.pennlive.com/news/patriotnews/index.ssf?/base/news/1256420408258870.xml&coll=1

As the article notes, there really are no reasons why the price at the pump should be high.

“There haven’t been any destructive hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico shutting down or destroying offshore drilling rigs, as was the case last year at this time. The peak summer driving season ended weeks ago. There’s plenty of crude oil in storage, too. It’s at above-normal levels for this time of year.”

So why are gas prices high? We’ll be talking about that all this week.  Check back on the blog each day to find out more.

As readers of this blog know, I am not a fan of big government. However, I do favor government incentives to help the private sector to create economic solutions. And I have especially supported the administration’s efforts to encourage biomass. It seems to be working already:

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2010026290_apwabiomassplant.html

“Officials like an Olympia man’s proposal to build a plant in Longview that would turn wood waste into a hot gas to generate electricity and produce ethanol. The state Department of Commerce selected Marc Rappaport for a $1.5 low-interest loan from federal stimulus money. And The Daily News of Longview reports the Cowlitz PUD lists his plan at the top of several possible biomass projects.”

This project would not have happened with the federal stimulus money.  So when it comes to biomass incentives, I say that this is money that is well spent and will produce big results for our country.

In recent weeks, I’ve written on this blog about the need for renewable energy. But actions speak louder than words. So this week we’ll provide updates on what our company, Advanced Trailer, is doing about it.

As you know, our company has developed the Advanced Trailer for Biomass, which has the ability to dry, store and transport the woodchips that fuel biomass. This week, we’ll have three big announcements about how our company is partnering with major universities to build the future of biomass.

So check in the rest of this week for breaking news on the Advanced Trailer for Biomass!

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Want to know why the time has come for alternative energy? Because the time for oil may have already passed:

http://www.orato.com/business-career/the-economic-importance-of-peak-oil

As this article notes, we may have already experienced peak oil:

“In 1995, several scientists applied Hubbert’s method with current data, coming up with a revised peak oil date of between 2004 and 2008. Modelling with alternate data sets has placed peak oil as early as 2000, and no later than 2011. Peak oil will be reached in the next couple of years if it has not already, with drastic consequences for the world economy and society unless there is a major shift to alternative energy sources.”

I’m an optimist. I see the end of the oil era as the beginning of a new era of alternative energy. Besides, for national security reasons, we have to begin using less oil from the Middle East.

And the best part is, we are fast approaching the day when we won’t need oil because of wind, solar and biomass. We have the resources. We have the technology.

But do we have the vision to see a future fueled by renewable energy?

Last week, the United States government did something very smart: it decided to bet on the future.

The Energy Department and the Treasury Department announced they would begin accepting applications for some $3 billion set aside to fund renewable-energy projects:

http://www.nasdaq.com/aspx/stock-market-news-story.aspx?storyid=200907311245dowjonesdjonline000770&title=us-government-accepting-applications-for-renewable-energy-funds

As the article notes:

“The departments estimate that they will distribute at least $3 billion in financial aid to about 5,000 bio-mass, solar, wind and other types of renewable- energy production facilities.”

Before now, the government has offered tax credits and loan guarantees for renewable energy projects. Now, it’s offering cash. And why not? Renewable energy is the future. And that future is already beginning.

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As we continue our series on the economic downturn of 2008, we need to discuss one of the most important factors of all: the price of oil.

Since the industrial revolution, fuel has been the key ingredient powering our machines and our transportation.  Quite literally, our economy is greased by oil.  So in the summer of 2008, when oil reached nearly $150 a barrel, it didn’t take long before that started to impact other sectors of the economy.  In my opinion, it’s no accident that about this time increasing numbers of people began getting behind in their mortgage payments.  When you’re paying $4 a gallon at the pump in order to drive yourself to work, money gets tight.  And the already deteriorating housing market began to deteriorate even more.

But 2008 was part of a pattern.  If you have a minute, take a look at this website for a graph showing the spikes in oil prices over the years:

http://www.wtrg.com/prices.htm

Notice that every time there was a huge oil spike there was a bad economy: 1973 and 1979, for example.  This shouldn’t come as any surprise.  As a simple rule: when oil is heading north, the economy is heading south.

We learned that lesson again in 2008.  And it’s another reason why before this recession is over, we will have to deal with energy policy in this country.

And so I ask the question: Have you been keeping up with the price of oil over the past four months? Do you know what it is today? It’s going up and at a concerning rate. The “green sprouts” that we hear economists talk about in the news are weeds growing in the economic garden. Tune in on Monday and see how selling new cars and $20 oil will play a role in the turnaround.

Yesterday, I wrote about the news that oil had dropped a bit.  Today
comes news that OPEC will do everything it can to push it back up
again:

http://www.reuters.com/article/GlobalEnergy09/idUSTRE5513BW20090602

Since the 1973 Yom Kippur War, Arab states have used oil as a
geopolitcal weapon.  OPEC wants us to use its oil resources to make all
of us dependent.

As the article notes:

"'The price will go to $80-$90 maybe at the beginning of 2010,'"
OPEC's Abdullah al-Badri told the Reuters Global Energy Summit.

"'I don't think the price will go down... By the end of the year
we'll see $75. $80-$85 is possible -- not with the demand we see at
this time, but if demand picks up month after month, then maybe we'll
see this price.'"

I ask the question again: how long are we going to let groups like
OPEC have this kind of power over our energy policy?  It's time for a
change.  It's time for biomass.