Valero (refineries) agreed to use all cellulosic eth from proposed Mascoma $350M plant in Mich. Valero will invest $50M. GM also investing. Mascoma asking for DOE guarantees. Plans to use paper, wood waste to make cellulosic ethanol. Could be 1st commercial scale plant, online by '13. Jeeze Leweeze, can't we go any faster than that?
2/3rds of fed oil/gas drill permits sat idle in '10. Less than half the avg wells/year on public lands in past decade. Low NG prices a factor. Aps for permits good for 2 yrs.
Hu-Obama summit in DC next week. MLK Monday. What's the haps there going to be, huh?
U of Tennessee has genetically modified tobacco to give off phosphorescent "glow" when plants under stress. We hope that can be transferred to plants WE CAN EAT. Though, we might be cautious there.
EPA revoked Clean Water Act permit for Spruce No.1 coal mine in W.Va. Mountain top strip mine wanted to dump the waste into the river. Mine would have been largest in history. Hope still alive for local residents.
Day after ITT split in 3, Marathon split into refining and explore/produce. They refine 1.1mbpd. 5th in US. Spinoff from US Steel in '02, if we remember.
EPA granted 3-yr GHG exemption for facilities that burn wood chips, other biomasss to gen el. Takes effect in July. Members of Congress put pressure on EPA to "ease up". "Tree scraps, if not burned, decay and emit methane". "Biomass emits more GHGs than coal". The issues are challenging ("me").
Solaria (builds crsytal Si panels) CTO: "aside from (FSLR), no bankable thin film." Solaria's panels 14% efficient using 2x lensing (already working on 3x). Photovoltaics replaced by optics. 20-30% more efficient with trackers.
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