courant.com: Broadwater: Floating Folly: "RISING DEMAND FOR ENERGY IS NOT INEVITABLE[emphasis added]. SINCE THE 1920S, IT HAS BEEN A BASIC GOAL OF 'GROWTH MACHINES,' A TERM COINED BY SOCIOLOGIST HARVEY MOLOTCH IN 1976 TO DEFINE POLITICAL MACHINES COMPOSED OF CORPORATIONS WHO PROFIT FROM INCREASED GROWTH (OFTEN THROUGH THE MANIPULATION OF LAND, BUILDINGS AND ENERGY) AND THE GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS WHO WORK WITH THEM. ...
A 2006 report by Synapse Energy Economics found that existing land-based LNG terminals (including Bear Head in Nova Scotia and Canaport in New Brunswick, now under construction in eastern Canada and expected to begin deliveries in 2008) can meet present and future demand for imported gas in the northeastern United States. The authors argue that gas demand may actually decline through better management of existing resources, including storage facilities to help meet peak winter demand, as well as increased use of renewable energy, such as solar and wind.
As the price of gas rises, renewable energy becomes a more attractive investment. Promoting energy efficiency through buildings with better materials, orientation, insulation and sun control can also lower demand.
Because global energy corporations make no profits from renewable resources or conservation, Broadwater demonstrates just how committed pro-growth energy corporations are to increased consumption of imported LNG. ...
As New York and Connecticut face off against TransCanada and Royal Dutch Shell, the floating gas barge proposed for Long Island Sound provides a perfect example of how global energy concerns pervade everyday life. Energy policies already adopted by the states of New York and Connecticut prioritize renewable energy and conservation, while FERC favors supply for increased consumption.
The conflict is an important test of where the United States' energy future is headed."
