STUFF

Canada to end '10 with 750MW new wind capacity. $1.7B invested. I get over $2/w. And wind gives electricity ~ 1/3 of time.

Western Washington U. research could cut solar cost to 10% of current. Plastic polymers with special dyes take in photons, then transport via silicon chips to electricity. More efficient also on cloudy days. 3-yr $1M NSC grant to develop. $1M over 3 for project that could cut solar cost 90%. Hm. What if we make that $100M?

Adjusted projection: China to add 108-132GW wind by '20. Not so much as previously projected. UK target increase of 28GW by '20. 50/50 offshore and on. Even though actual wind costs $6/w we go forward (1/3 capacity actual generation).

US still has 22% of global manufacturing. 12% US GDP. $1.6T. 3rd exporter behind China, Germany. 8% globe's market share. US doubled manufacturing since '83 (even in inflation-adjusted $). With 26% fewer workers. US manufacturing workers 50% more productive than workers in the 11 next-best nations. USA!

Silicon recipe: 2.8 tons quartz, 1.4 tons coal, 2.4 tons woodchips into furnace yields 1 ton silicon. More or less.

Algae is 50% oil by weight.

Nuke world elgen (electricity generation) now 370GW - 14% of total elgen.

Chevron/Solar Millenium 1GW solar plant in Calif to cost $6B plus. It's that plus, ladies and gents, that may be starting to go nuclear. First elgen will be produced in '13. Parabolic trough tech. Must begin build before end of yr for 30% fed money. BLM last hurdle, to rule end of Oct the wurd.

Since '08, clean E/enviro's lobby has been outspent by fossil lobby over 7:1.

World GDP ~$70T. Amazin, A? What do we spend it on?

'05 housing - US - totaled $21T in assets. mortgage debt ~$15T. How much lost so far? We're probably totally even steven. Or even a little under the water.

To get 50% reduction CO2 by '50, world needs to invest ~ $800B/yr on clean E, efficiency, etal. Good news. We are. But 50% redux is bare minimum, allowing for 2-3 degree (C, I assume) increase, assuming no synergistic addition.

Energy storage market $1.5B in '10, est. $35B by '20.

Chinese solar products cost ~1/3 less than the costliest like Germany's Schott.

So far in Sept, DOE has awarded ~$180M for energy R&D. Good start.

US House has approved Rural Energy Savings Progress Act for $5B of fed loans for energy efficiency. Goes to Senate.

China making 1/2 of world's solar panels, wind turbines.

Gold quadrupled against all world currencies since '00. Whom do you thank? Bin laden? Bush? Republicans? Obama?

US-based Amprius says it has batteries to store 2x as much as anything now on market. Nano silicon electrodes. Silicon, in theory, can store 10x as much as carbon. But Si tends to swell and crack. "Already 80 EV makers in China" "Faster than we thought". O, did I say US-based?

China may force foreign automakers to share EV tech for access to China market. That's just biz in'it?

UK study: biofuels from plant and muni solid waste could supply 65% (24B gal.) of Europe gasoline supply by '20.

Happy trailers y'all. S'all I got.