Consumers are bellowing for relief from near-record high gasoline prices. Congress is acting. But the prescriptions offered by the two political parties are at odds. One side is arguing that there needs to be a significant increase in fuel efficiency standards while the other is saying that more domestic oil supplies are the answer. Conciliation will be the key. Each position is valid although neither is absolute. And beyond that framework, the promotion of new research and fuel diversity is essential. Energy is the fuel that generates global production. As such, oil is now the predominant source of energy because the technology is available to not only use it for a wide variety of reasons, but to also get it from point to point. Other energy forms must surface, not just in the auto industry, but in the power sector as well.

While Americans are talking about clean air and fuel diversity, a lot of policymakers are speaking about energy reliability and the mechanism by which such power is delivered to homes and businesses. Among the hottest topics is the "smart grid." That term refers to the use of high tech gadgetry to monitor power outages and control energy usage as well as the management of supply and demand so as to maintain dependability. The smart grid would allow operators to see the system in its entirety and to act in such a way so as to avert trouble spots and re-route power before there might ever be a blackout. And if the network were to become overburdened, the means would exist to send signals to grid operators and subsequently to end users to curtail consumption.

ESCANABA - Two recommendations on Escanaba's energy supply options will be made to city council, the Electric Advisory Committee (EAC) decided Wednesday. One will be to hold off on building a new power plant here while the other is to look into upgrading the existing plant and/or buying power to meet the city's needs.

Nearly all 50 states rely on the National Electrical Code (NEC), published as a standard by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), as the code they use to regulate electrical installation in new construction and renovation projects. The NFPA recently published the 2005 version of the NEC, which is enforceable in all states and municipalities that adopt it. Several provisions in the new Code affect lighting, including lighting control panels, metal halide fixtures, and disconnecting fluorescent fixtures prior to servicing.

Federal regulators have given the thumbs up to one of the largest natural gas pipeline projects in recent years. The so-called Rockies Express-West line will carry gas supplies from the Rockies through the Midwest and into the eastern United States. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) says that the greenfield project will help offset production declines in other areas of the country. The time appears to be right to build pipelines and to move that gas from the Rockies to the Northeast. Natural gas is a lot cheaper in the Rockies than anywhere else. And since the Northeast needs new supply and more dependable storage, the gas companies are providing a valuable market need by building the pipeline.

The editorial buzz on newswires this month was full of commentary about two rulings issued by the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday, April 2, 2007. The Court handed environmentalists some hope, which some pundits called "the most important environmental decision in years." They could become historic decisions that affect your bottom line, because electric utility costs will likely go up.

Dear Jim: I listened to Al Gore on television, and he mentioned new CFL light bulbs for homes. Can I use these in existing lamps, and how much electricity will they save? Is the light quality acceptable? -- Gayle H.

Dear Gayle: Compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) have been available for many years. Over the past several years, their prices have dropped considerably and their light quality is much better. Today they are much more commonly used in existing lamps and in new designer lamps.