If the Iowa Utilities Board approves it, an expansion by a major wind energy producer in Iowa will nearly double that state’s wind power generation capacity.
According to this story on RenewableEnergyAccess.com, MidAmerican Energy wants to add 540 megawatts of wind energy production.
“In addition to the environmental benefit of adding new wind energy production in Iowa, customers of MidAmerican Energy will continue to benefit from electric rate stability,” said Greg Abel, president of MidAmerican Energy Holdings Company.
MidAmerican currently runs 323 wind turbines at three sites in northwest, north central and west central Iowa, generating 459.5 MW of electricity. That’s enough power for about 144,000 homes.
“Iowa has become a national leader in wind energy not through mandates, but by offering incentives and utilizing a cooperative approach involving utilities, lawmakers, regulators, equipment manufacturers and even schools,” said Iowa Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal of Council Bluffs. “This is one more major voluntary project that will help Iowa maintain its leadership position on renewable energy.”
Iowa Governor Chet Culver wants to see the amount of wind energy in his state double again to more than 2000 MW.
New Mexico is the latest state to adopt a biodiesel standard as Governor Bill Richardson signed into law a measure that requires all diesel sold in the state to have at least a five percent blend by 2012. State vehicles would have to use 5% biodiesel by 2010. 
Among the states where lawmakers have taken up similar standards is Missouri. The state Senate approved a bill that would require all diesel fuel sold at retail in the state to be a biodiesel blend.
“Every city bears responsibility for taking local action to address our global climate crisis, and vehicle emissions are a major source of greenhouse gases,” said Mayor Newsom. “When it comes to the use of alternative fuels, renewable energy sources and greening our city fleet, San Francisco is demonstrating leadership and commitment on every front.” 
“The city of San Francisco departments have announced various strategies using biodiesel to reduce air pollution and greenhouse gases, and to use local resources to produce biofuels,” said Randall von Wedel, a biochemist representing the National Biodiesel Board (NBB) in state regulatory affairs, based in the San Francisco area. “We are grateful to Mayor Newsom for his initiative,” said von Wedel, “and we hope that San Francisco will serve as a model for other large cities on how to make a difference in reducing air pollution, greenhouse gases and dependence on petroleum fuel.”
The vice chairman of General Motors says converting automobiles to ethanol is “entirely realistic.”
Scientists have used an SDSC supercomputer to help improve cellulose conversion to ethanol. 
Top international experts meeting in Rome last week agreed that bioenergy could be a positive force for rural development 
The latest update from explorer/environmentalist Will Steger comes from Earth Day (this past Sunday) on Baffin Island in the Canadian Arctic. As you might remember from our previous posts, Steger is leading a team of three other explorers and educators and four native Inuits on a four-month-long, dog-sled expedition across the island.
“This is basically Ground Zero for global warming. It’s being played out to a large degree in the sea ice. As the ocean warms from the carbon dioxide blanket effect heating the globe, heat goes into the ocean. Because of this, we’re getting later freeze-ups.”
Kansas City consumers can follow in the footsteps of the IndyCar® Series and make a choice at the pump for energy independence and cleaner air. E10, a blend of 90 percent gasoline and 10 percent ethanol, will be available for $2.14, the average qualifying speed for the Indy 300 at Kansas Speedway, on Thursday at two locations in the greater Kansas City metropolitan area and #17 Team Ethanol Driver Jeff Simmons will be signing autographs.
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EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson calls the nation’s first comprehensive Renewable Fuels Standard, or RFS, “a hat trick – it protects the environment, strengthens our energy security, and supports America’s farmers.”