Chu On This

Energy Secretary Steven Chu was in Des Moines yesterday.

"...I’m not here because I’m thinking of running for the presidency."

Nerd jocularity aside, Chu was doling out dollars.

He also made news with comments that the nation's car manufacturers ought to make all new automobiles able to run on E85 ethanol-blended fuel.

"...It's just a thought, I don't think you're going to get any objections in this audience."

They might rabbit, if they knew Chu believes the country should move as quickly as possible beyond corn.

What would that do to Iowa's status as the nation's leading producer of ethanol?

Chu recently made news for suggesting all the world's roofs should be painted white as part of efforts to slow global warming.

Does that make a lot of sense during an Iowa winter?

Information from the department Chu heads (DOE) clearly demonstrates that heating is a much more significant factor in energy usage than cooling.

One companies press release stated the white roof proposal reflects an incredible ignorance of new technology developed 20 years ago that makes use of the solar collected heat on the roofs and in the attics of homes and commercial building.

Chu doesn't just want white roofs, but he also wants pavement and cars white or light-colored to reduce global warming.

Chu comes across like Al Gore on global warming, and the scientific community is united in that fact, jetting in and out of Des Moines.

His "white roof" proposal was delivered in England, where Chu was spotted in one of the largest, heaviest, all-black SUVs that has ever been seen in London.

FYI; the DOE's Inspector General recently released the results of an energy audit that showed the department could save more than $1.5 million annually on energy bills if the staff just implemented the government’s own power-saving guidelines.

Wonder if Obama will fire that IG too?