Mark Templeton, the new director of Missouri's Department of Natural Resources, presented a sort of "state of the state" address this morning, in which he cited some good news and bad news about Missouri's progress in energy conservation, security and use of alternatives.
First, the good news:
First, the good news:
- Missouri is home to the Ford Escape Hybrid, which is manufactured in Ford's ClayCoMo plant in the Kansas City area. That plant rolled out its 100,000th Escape Hybrid just last month.
- A UK company, Smith Electric Vehicles, recently announced it would build a new plant in Kansas City at the old TWA hangers. Smith has enjoyed success in England manufacturing plug-in electric fleet vehicles, and plans to do the same with the Kansas City plant.
- Missouri is home to many great engineering firms and called these companies "a tremendous talent ... to take some of these great (energy) ideas and make them practical."
- Rockport, Mo., population 1,300, is the first community in the state to be completely powered by wind.
- Recently, 140 businesses in Springfield have signed a sustainability pledge. It's a positive signal that "Business leaders right here in Missouri realize it's time to engage on these issues," Templeton said.
- In terms of energy efficiency, Missouri ranks a dismal 45th in the nation. But Templeton is ready to make lemonade from this lemon. "To me, it shows we just have a tremendous opportunity to do more with energy efficiency," he said. "There are many things we can do in this state, even with the low energy costs we have now, that could have immediate payback."
- An even worse ranking: Missouri holds the penultimate spot -- 49th in the nation -- in terms of the use of renewable energy. Here, too, Templeton sees some bright spots. Missouri is 18th or 19th "in terms of wind potential." As for solar energy: "On summer days we actually get as much solar radiation as Florida does." Templeton also sees potential for biofuels.
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