I just found this announcement from September 18 dealing with a comprehensive energy plan for the state of North Dakota. on Gov. Hoeven’s web site.  The plan is called Empower ND and covers everything from wind power to lignite coal and everything in between.  A 14-member energy policy committee is in charge of the very things I was thinking about a week or so ago!  Guess I don’t have to worry too much, but now that I know about the committee I’ll be keeping an eye on what they do. 

Some of those things may be beyond my grasp initially, but North Dakota is a great state for learning new things.  When you’re really eager to learn things, the people here are willing to share

Some interesting facts from the news release:

Four years ago, North Dakota had only two small ethanol facilities and no biodiesel facilities. Today, existing and planned facilities will produced ½ billion gallons of ethanol and 85 million gallons of biodiesel annually.

Four years ago North Dakota produced less than 1 MW of wind power. Today, current and projected projects will produce up to 900 MW of wind power.

New major CO2 capture and sequestration projects are in development.

The oil industry is producing 123,000 barrels a day, near record production.

Four major projects are underway as a result of the state’s Lignite Vision 21 program, including potential power plants in South Heart and Gascoyne, a coal liquefaction facility in McLean County and a combined-use energy plant in Spiritwood.

It seems to me that the energy in North Dakota isn’t all about what goes on the electrical grid or powers our cars.  It’s as much in the people here (and what they can do) as anything.