STUFF

Sempra Energy (SRE) has $15B cap spending progrom to roll out next 5 yrs.

Weather (Wx) records only started w/ accuracy in 18th century. Widespread, high accuracy temp readings started mid 19th century. Global coverage in 20th century. Still not perfect. Too few wx stations in Africa, e.g. And that's just temps. Tree rings, water body and glacier sediments help to cover gaps. NOAA, U of CO leading effort to compile atmos variability 1871 to 2008. Using DOE puters. 6-hour readouts. Arctic warming in (19)20's and 30's included. Seafaring logbooks going back millenia to enter into the puters.

DOE backing KiOR, a TX comp, to the tune of $1B loan guarantee for 4 small plants to turn wood chips into oil. "Re-crude". Can be blended into gas/diesel. Chips heated w/ controlled amount of O w/ catalysts. If we recall, $571M loan guarantees recently to Coskata, Enerkem, Diamond Green Diesel to produce fuel from waste.

Shell postponing drilling off AK, citing uncertain fed permits. Not one exploratory well drilled. $3B invested in acreage, tech, etc. Even fed scientists believe it could be 2nd largest oil/gas reserves after Gulf of Mexico. Beaufort Sea. AK pipeline nearing point of econ losses if not more oil forthcoming. Are they ready to clean up an oil spill in the Arctic?

China could be giving the US a "back in your face" with projections of their world-leading coal emissions by '35.

China R&D investment to eclipse Japan this year. Well, their GDP did last year. US @ $400B. 2.4% median global rate. China's been increasing 10%/yr for the last 10. They did invent paper, right? Fireworks? Walls? They'll be ~$154B in '11. Japan $144B. US 6th in % GDP. Who is 1 through 5? Barrack wants 33% increase of energy RD&D to $8B/y. I bet Republicans oppose that. To me it's the question of wanting to lead or, at least, compete with the rest of the world. Or not. The deficit didn't matter to Republicans when they were in power. Why does it now? Course, Obama plan is to take some of the fossil subsidies to add to E RD&D.

Obama's plan yesterday was to increase buildings' E efficiency 20% over next 10 yrs. Tax breaks, grants, loan guarantees. $40B/yr savings potential. Getting after 20% of E use.

Global bioplastics market to surpass $11B by '15. $2.7B in '10. 32% growth/yr.

DOE awarded contracts to Morgan Stanley, Shell Trading and George Warren Corp for 984k bls of heating oil from NE Home Heating Oil Reserve. 1st such sale as part of initiative to convert current 2M bls heating oil reserve to cleaner ultralow sulfur distillate. Delivery from Hess terminal in Perth Amboy. DOE gets ~$113M in the deal. Next sale notice on the 7th.

UN International Year of Forests. Last year was biodiversity. Happy New Year China. Year of rabbits. Red eyes, big ears and plenty of predators.

Happy trails friends.