Do you remember that prior to the climate change conference this past December, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) declared that greenhouse gases endanger human health? I heard it!

This means that, at anytime, the EPA can declare greenhouse gases – including C02 – are harmful to human health, and it could impose penalties.

The U.S. Congress is now getting ready to pass climate change legislation. Whatever they pass, our electric utilities will likely be penalized for emitting C02 – whether they burn fossil or biofuel.

This is why I ask: “What if the EPA designates C02 a dangerous gas? What is Plan B? Plan C?”

I’ve also been noticing that Europe and now the East Coast of the U.S. are slowly coming to the conclusion that biomass is not C02 neutral. In fact, they are finding that it could be as harmful as coal as far as C02 emissions are concerned.

It turns on if it is used for collecting and burning waste branches and rubbish, instead of trees. It also has to do with how long the rotation of new trees takes. Hu Honua is planning to burn eucalyptus trees, which might put it in the EPA’s gun sights. Organizations need to be out in front of these issues.

To be clear, I am in favor of PV, wind, algae and biofuels for transportation. What I am talking about here, though, is “base power” for electricity. “Base power” is the largest part of the electric utilities’ usage.

I also believe that each grid needs to find its own solution. I am mostly talking about the Big Island grid.

Which brings us back to this Lloyd’s of London white paper I just wrote about here. The world has changed and yesterday’s decisions may not be applicable to tomorrow’s reality.

It is no secret that I believe that geothermal moves us out of the line of fire.

I believe that the changes coming upon us, as the Lloyd’s of London analysis points out, are serious and will take place before any geothermal event.

We will soon find out who our true leaders are.