The greening of the U.S. President

It's been a conspicuously green week for George Bush.

The U.S. President visited an enzyme company and spoke on a panel about cellulosic ethanol yesterday, and met with alternative fuel automobile makers in Washington today.

While these events are carefully managed for maximum PR value, particularly when it comes to visuals and ten-second radio and TV sound bites, we thought it would be interesting to take a look at what was said and done that cameras and mics didn't necessarily rebroadcast.

Equally interesting were those things the President said that contradicted experts in the industry.

Mr. Bush, like all politicians, is most interesting when he strays from his script.

Here's the Chief, in his own words:

"Listen, I just had a fascinating discussion. First, I'm dealing with some entrepreneurs, people who believe that there is a market developing for automobiles that will use high technology batteries to - for people to be able to motor back and forth from work."
-President Bush opening his press conference today after meeting with Phoenix Motorcars and makers of four other alternative fuel vehicles

"The reason why I've asked them to come in to see me is because I want to make sure that the goal I set by reducing gasoline usage by 20 percent over a 10-year period is a realistic goal."
-Later in the press conference, raising the question of how clear Mr. Bush was on the viability of his goals before he set them last month (see the Cleantech Group's Bush beckons for biofuel)

"I call upon the Congress to fully fund my request for alternative sources of energy."
-From today's press conference. Digging behind the rhetoric in his government's latest budget, Bush was found to be actually asking only for $60M in new money specifically allocated to renewable energy, a rounding error by Washington standards (see Greentech industries feel slighted by new U.S. budget). Democratic lawmakers want to allocate billions to alternative energy. (see Senators pledge to reinvent energy in America and Renewables to get funding at expense of oil industry)

"Doesn't it make sense to be able to say to our farmers, grow what you can grow so we become less dependent on oil? I like the idea of a President being able to say, 'Wow, the crop report is in, we're growing more corn than ever before, which means we're importing less oil from overseas.' It's an exciting time to think about that our farmers not only are going to grow what we need to eat, but it's going to grow what we need to run our automobiles."
-In opening remarks yesterday at enzyme maker Novozymes in Franklinton, North Carolina. If Mr. Bush is under the impression that the country's food and fuel needs can be met by American agriculture, industry experts disagree with him. For instance, see Corn ethanol crisis looming, says watchdog.

"Look, here's - I just told you the goal. The goal is for the United States to be - to diversify away from old, old ways."
-Gratuitous Bush-ism.

"I happen to believe that if you're concerned about the environment and want to deal with renewable sources of energy, that we need to pursue nuclear power. Those power plants emit zero greenhouse gases. It doesn't require any hydrocarbons from overseas to run those plants."
-While most industry experts acknowledge that nuclear will continue to play a part in America's nuclear future, there are better cards to play than simply greenhouse gas reduction and energy security. For instance, see the Cleantech Group's column Nuclear power is particularly green energy: get used to it.

Yesterday's session in North Carolina at times seemed like an extended infomercial for Novozymes, with speaker after speaker, including a researcher from NREL, waxing rhapsodic about the company's products in facilitating cellulosic ethanol.

Yet to Novozymes' credit, the company's work has helped bring about a 30-fold reduction in the price of enzymes.

Bush ended the visit by thanking "the good folks at this important company for letting me come by to say hello," and asked "for God's blessings on the United States of America."

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