LETTERS Colone: ‘Microgrid’ Would Use 90% Renewables To the Editor: Dennis Higgins of Otego, once again misstated the content in an early January opinion piece published in this newspaper, which I entitled, “Is a tri-gen municipal microgrid an answer to boosting local energy?” Mr. Higgins is obviously a pretty smart guy, who must know a lot about energy, but struggles with reading the word “biomass.” He said, I “never mentioned” biomass in my original article. For the record, below is…
Online home of The Freeman's Journal and Hometown Oneonta
Advertisement
Opinion - Page 239
Energywise, We Can Have It All: Natural Gas Now, Renewables Later The Otsego County Chamber board and president deserve a heartfelt “thank you” for having the vision and courage to host the “Energy Summit.” Speakers from New York and Pennsylvania talked about fossil fuels and renewables including biomass, ethanol, electric cars, wind, solar and geo-thermal. At the end of the day, it was clear that, although promising for the future, renewables are not currently capable of replacing or offsetting our…
LET’S GET SOME OF STATE’S $1.5B IN GREEN AID It’s Time To Seize Energy Future Locally The local energy debate shows little sign of dying down. On the one side are opponents of any further development of fossil fuels, including natural gas, and on the other side are advocates for expanding the natural-gas infrastructure in our area in hopes of luring new industrial development. Most people, however, are somewhere in the middle. National polling suggests that majorities now see…
At Summit, Gas, Green Advocates To Go Mano A Mano To the Editor: The Otsego County Chamber of Commerce Energy Infrastructure and Economy Summit will be held at the Otesaga Hotel in Cooperstown on Thursday morning as this edition of Hometown Oneonta comes off the press. The Chamber’s goal is to have a full discussion on energy options for Otsego County, each option discussed according to its merits.…
LETTERS Professor Demurs: ‘Well-To-Wheels’ Efficiency Twice As Great In Electric Cars To the Editor: In his Jan. 24-25 column, former DEC Commissioner Mike Zagata makes an argument that is theoretically interesting but falls apart when you look at the actual numbers behind it. Zagata compares electric cars to conventional gas-powered vehicles and points out that, while electric cars are responsible for lower carbon emissions during the driving part of their life cycle, it’s more energy intensive to manufacture them. This…
Yum, Yum – Raccoon! A number of years ago now we mentioned in the column that each year in Danville, Ohio, not far from where we now live, the Lions Club holds a raccoon dinner. This year, according to the local newspaper, the dinner will be held on Monday, Feb. 4. In addition to the raccoon entree, for which almost 500 pounds of raccoon are prepared, the dinner will include mashed potatoes, dressing, raccoon gravy, mixed vegetables, and cake as…
Around State, ‘Microgrids’ Require Gas From Fracking To the Editor: In his recent response about a microgrid for the railyard, Albert Colone faulted me for not giving him credit for a source of energy that he never mentioned in his original article: biomass. Then he asks who, besides me, would not like that? Well, the hundreds of people who vigorously opposed and ultimately defeated a proposed wood-burning power plant in the railyards a few years ago would probably say, “No…
Like So Much At Hartwick, First Master’s Makes Sense While the term may bring art and poetry to mind, “liberal arts” encompasses literature, philosophy, mathematics, social sciences and, yes, physical sciences – chemistry, biology, physics. Hartwick President Margaret L. Drugovich knows this, and knows that her college’s science programs prepare students to compete at the highest level.…
ISSUE & DEBATE Planned Parenthood Hails, Right To Life Decries Passage Of Reproductive Rights Law ►FROM PLANNED PARENTHOOD Today the New York State Legislature moved our state forward with milestone legislation securing our reproductive health care and rights. In the face of constant federal attacks and a new anti-Roe majority on the U.S. Supreme Court, Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Assembly Speaker Carl E. Heastie led their houses in passing legislation keeping essential reproductive health care in our hands,…
County Must Explore Fresh Thinking On Energy To the Editor: Dennis Higgins of Otego took a few pot-shots at my opinion piece which appeared in Hometown Oneonta and The Freeman’s Journal. In my piece, I wondered if an Oneonta Municipal Microgrid System might help expand local energy generation and availability in helping alleviate the limitations on our current energy capacity. I threw it out there as a question to try and stimulate some discussion for the good of more…