Florida’s governor calls for an end to federal offshore drilling bans; more potential trouble for nanotech; and the European windpower invasion continues.

Crist alters stance on offshore drilling: Florida’s Republican governor is joining his party’s presidential nominee and President Bush in calling for an end to federal bans on offshore drilling. Charlie Crist — who has so far patterned his environmental stands on those of California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger — said Tuesday that offshore drilling should be the prerogative of coastal states, not the federal government. Senator John McCain kicked-off the drive for renewed offshore drilling in a Houston speech yesterday evening. Florida’s tourist industry has always made offshore oil and gas exploration a taboo subject in the Sunshine State, but record energy prices are making the prospect of petroleum revenues more politically attractive to coastal lawmakers. (PNJ.com)

Washington Fails Renewable Energy, Again: In more political news, Republicans in the U.S. Senate have successfully blocked consideration of a tax bill which provides $17 billion in incentives for renewable energy development. It’s the second time in a week that a GOP filibuster has prevented the full Senate from taking up the measure. Analysts say portions of the bill other than the renewable energy provision are responsible for the holdup. (Forbes)

Air Products Awarded Two Key Patents for Lithium-Ion Battery Electrolyte Salts: A Pennsylvania company has picked upa pair of key patents for next-generation lithium ion battery technology. Air Products received the grants ifor its Stabilife fluorinated salts. The high performance electrolyte provides inherent overcharge protection to lithium cells, and is designed to withstand the high temperatures expected to be generated by automotive power storage cells. (Green Car Congress)

Nanoparticles Have Negative Impact On Mussels: More potentially bad news for nanotechnology. A University of Montreal researcher says nanoparticles are turning up in wild mussels. Professor Sébastien Sauvé warns that particles of cadmium — a metal almost as toxic as mercury — are showing up in mollusk tissue samples. Mussels are sometimes used as an early warning system to gauge the level of contaminants in marine environments. (Science Daily)

EDF EN to set up new U.S. wind farm: French turbine manufacturer EDF Energies Nouvelles is the latest European windpower company to announce a big U.S. contract. North America is now the largest wind energy customer in the world. EDF EN says they’ve contracted to install a 100.5 megawatt farm in Iowa on behalf of MidAmerican Energy. (Reuters)

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