Roads, Bridges, Water, Power Grid, Health

Pat Wood III, principal of Wood3 Resources, and Jesse Berst, managing director of Global SmartEnergy.com, spoke about energy infrastructure at the NGA Natural Resources Committee Session
Energy Infrastructure: Vital for a 21st Century Economy.

It's the final day of the of the National Governors Association (NGA) winter conference.

Governors, as CEOs of their respective states, heard about ideas from fiscal health of their home turf to a strong focus on infrastructure needs, transportation, foreclosure issues, and renewable energy development.

Last night, President Barack Obama hosted a formal dinner for the governors at the White House. The President stated he thinks it's "important that all governors work with Washington to help repair the economy."

Governors heard from notables, including Dr. Frank Luntz, CEO of The Word Doctors, who presented findings from a recent national poll targeting Americans' attitudes around infrastructure investments. T. Boone Pickens, founder and chairman of BP Capital Management, demonstrated for governors his strategy for reducing America's dependence on foreign oil through new infrastructure investments. Finally, CEO of Exelon Corporation John Rowe highlighted the utility sector's perspective on energy infrastructure investment in the context of efforts to reduce greenhouse gases.

The complete "An Infrastructure Vision for the 21st Century" PDF is available online.

"Strengthening Our Infrastructure for a Sustainable Future" is an initiative by Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell, who serves as NGA chairman.

"From roads, rails and bridges to the electrical grid, water treatment plants, broadband networks, schools and hospitals, infrastructure makes modern life as we know it possible," said Vermont Gov. Jim Douglas, NGA vice chairman.

Founded in 1908, the NGA is a public policy organization, comprised of the governors of the 50 states, three territories and
two commonwealths. For more information see www.nga.org.

Sustainable Energy, GE Strategies

"The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time" - Thomas Edison, born Feb. 11, 1847

"Ecomagination" is GE's sustainable business strategy (renewable energy, water services, and clean tech) and the division is healthy and growing.

Steve Fludder, vice president since Oct. 2008, is featured in a Fast Company interview.

"GE has, historically, reinvented itself around opportunity. Eco touches on everything that we do, from energy, to oil and gas, aviation, transportation, health care. It's a fundamental redefinition of GE for the future . . . " - read the interview online, here.

General Electric corporate is Fairfield, Connecticut. The company operates through four segments: GE Capital, Energy Infrastructure, Technology Infrastructure, and NBC Universal.

Trivia: Edison General Electric merged with Thomson-Houston Electric Company to form General Electric.

International Shipping CEO, CMA Commodore

Capt. Wei Jiafu, president and CEO of China Ocean Shipping (Group) Company (COSCO) has been named as the Connecticut Maritime Association (CMA) Commodore for 2009.

The award will be presented to Capt. Wei on March 25, at the annual CMA conference and trade exposition in Stamford.

The CMA mission is to provide a platform for the "development and growth of the international maritime and trade industries." The annual conference, held each March in Stamford, is the premier shipping gathering in North America.

Former CMA Commodores include Ole Skaarup, Jacob Stolt-Nielsen, George Livanos, Phil Loree, Thomas Moran, Gregory Hadjieleftheriadis, Helmut Sohmen, Gerhard Kurz, William O’Neil, Richard du Moulin, Per Heidenreich, Mark Saverys, Frank Tsao, Stelios Haji-Ioannou, Peter Georgiopoulos, C. Sean Day, Torben Jensen, Morten Arntzen and John Fredriksen.

COSCO was founded in 1961 as the pioneer of international shipping in China; together with the re-construction of national transportation resources on February 16, 1993, China Ocean Shipping (Group) Company (COSCO) has grown into a $17 billion corporation. COSCO Group now owns and operates more than 800 modern merchant ships.

Get There. How. Where. Why.

Each January, more than 10,000 transportation professionals from around the world (representatives of federal, state, and local government agencies; universities; and industry) get together in Washington, D.C., and talk about ways to move people and goods.

This year, all those who register in advance for the Transportation Research Board (TRB) annual meeting, Jan. 11 to 15 can access some 1,900 papers online.

Representatives from more than 65 countries attend the annual event, the single largest gathering of transportation practitioners and researchers in the world.

Innovative Ideas Applied, Rail Riders

See the potential in a wheeled "rail rider" that can be propelled by leg power on rail?

In the United States, rail riders roam unused rails, once granted permission, mostly for pure recreation. Many riders build their own rigs and some include a battery on board for quiet operation. There are organizations that have been granted access such as in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire, where "11 miles of track are kept in great condition by The Cotton Valley Rail Trail Club."

(The majority of rail bike and rail riders - like good hunters - seek permission to use trackways. Yes, there are others who take the risk of meeting a train if using a "live" railway, hence there is controversy.)