I'm over at Case right now, wifi'ing from the Student led energy meeting at Nord Hall. I just learned GE will make over $ billion this year from their wind turbine business, which they bought fire sale from Enron, and the presenter, a Case professor (Prof. Phil Taylor, Physics, Case) confirmed GE uses their clout and legal aggressiveness to constrict the US industry (note, for scope reference, building wind turbine towers is the second largest use of steel in Germany, after automobiles). Also interesting, while there are no import duties and tariffs to import fossil fuels, there are high importation costs for solar and other alternative fuel technologies.

Really excellent presentation and presenter. One slide he showed illustrates federal spending for alternative fuel programs over the years, which have been wiped out since a bubble, after the 70's fuel crisis. This professor is proud to have solar panels on his home (and he showed his fuel bill to illustrate the benefit), and he drives a hybrid car.

Another interesting subject an economics professor (Gary Murphy, REI) has proposed is a program for Cleveland for car sharing - a fleet of cars made available on a pooled use basis (as an alternative to everyone owning their own cars). They want to get this program going here (it is successful in SF, for example) - interesting idea.

Now another professor (Tom Zawodzinski, Exec. Dir., CAPI,
Case) is talking about Case strategy developing fuel cells and how that would compliment the car sharing idea.

An attendee from all the last three alternative fuel related Case meetings (Phil Lane, Analog Motors of East Cleveland)  is now talking about biodiesel, which is another opportune subject for Case students (and this session is largely designed for engineering students).

Consider from this message a few things. First, I'm in a meeting real time sharing important information with the outside world - and recording important content for future reference - and the meeting is not being recorded or filmed and despite being full of students no one else here is using a PC or even pen and paper to keep notes - all this talk is lost and gone when the session ends - no knowledge management except this message. That is a serious problem - a huge waste of resources and potential. Note, the discussion has raised many actionable opportunities that will be lost. We need action.