STUFF

DOE: average operations/maintenance costs for wind power is ~2.5 cents/kwh.

Glacial melt in Patagonia has sped up drastically in recent decades by at least a factor of 10: new research findings. Sea level now rising ~ 1 foot/century. Most scientists expect the rate to accelerate in coming decades.

Vestas unveiled their new 7MW offshore wind turbine. 190-yard rotor diameter. Prototype to be ready next yr, production start in '15. Siemens expected to start production on their new 6MW direct-drive turb in '14. Vestas sticking with gears.

Schneider El to buy VA-based Lee Tech (designs, maintains, optimizes data centers). '10 revs $140M. Datacenters ~ 2% US el use, but some utilities capping the power they can buy. Last week, Schneider bought an Indian comp that specializind in cabling for $112M and a consulting and E mgmt firm a few days earlier for $268M. And 2 bldg mgmt startups in France in Dec.

Coal prices hit all-time high last week of $130/ton on the backs of Japan's E needs to replace the nukes, increased demand from India and coal mine damages from Australia's flood.

Goldman Sachs forecasting corn reaching $8.60 in coming months. Some analysts talking of running out of corn stocks prior to next harvest.

IEA: OPEC will reap $1T in export revs this year for 1st time if crude stays abv $100.

New oil/gas strike in Barents Sea may be Norway's biggest discovery in 10 yrs. Up to 250M bls.

Mex oil exports dropped >14% in Feb to 1.23mbpd.

And over 2/3 of offshore leases in Gulf of Mex are idle: Interior Dept. Potentially 11B bls/50tcf. And 45% of onshore oil/gas leases inactive. Saving the last of our stash until oil hits $200?