Dow Chem, Solazyme announced joint venture to develop transformer insulation fluid out of algae. 20M gal in '13, 60M by '15. 500M gal dielectric fluid sold/year. Algae from gene-modified microbes that feed on sugar in fermentation kettles. "Green lightning" I just called it. Last year, US Navy ordered 150k gal algae jet fuel from Sola. IPO in the works.
Yesterday, Monsanto invested in Sapphire Energy, who wants to grow gene-mod algae in open ponds.
Alta Devices got another $72M from plethora of VC's. Developing very thin layers of gallium arsenide for solar PV. Aiming for 30% efficiency @ module costs of <50 cents/W. 23 patents, 11 PhD's. One of founders discovered photonic crystals.
Bridgelux says silicon LEDs 2-3 years from market. Could cut bulb cost $7.50 or more. Gallium nitride LEDs "grown" on silicon wafers instead of sapphire or silicon carbide. Still making them in the US but being courted from abroad.
NatGas still holding @ 3:1 price advantage over oil in equivalent energy.
'07 National Petro Council study: ~60% of E produced is lost from poor insulation, gas guzzlers, suboptimal power plants, etc.
India's coal reserves "vastly overstated". Imports set to grow to 142M tons from 83M this year.
Saudi econ $430B GDP. And 44% of Eqyptians live on less than $2/day.
Vaya con Dios pards.
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