STUFF

Head of TEPCO stepped down. At least he didn't go with hari kari.

Ahmadinejad to lead next OPEC meeting. That should be entertaining.

ESLR must repay incentives: Massachusetts. ESLR down another 10% today.

US thunderstorms in last 3 yrs cost $13B/yr in damage. ~$10B insured. 9/11 damage was $18B (to insurance comps).

FERC approved 12.6% return on equity for $6B Atlantic Wind Connection "backbone". One hurdle lept.

Deforestation rising sharply in Brazil's Amazon. Indonesia, though, approved forest clearing moratorium.

GM to boost Volt production.

Shell to build world's largest floating LNG platform to produce LNG from offshore Australia gas fields. Korean shipyard to build. With the hold filled, will weigh 6X largest aircraft carrier. 4 football fields long. Gas will be cooled with ocean water (from 150 meters deep). Gas shrinks 600X. Platform designed to withstand worst cyclone.

Solar 3D working on solar "microcell" at nano scale, using optics. Theoretically 25% efficiency. Sounds like CPV numbers already being built.

Humanity already has scientific, tech, industrial know how to solve carbon/climate problem over next 50 yrs. But we need carbon (CO2) priced at $50-100/ton.

Solar Reserve got $737M DOE loan quarantee for 110MW solar thermal plant in NV. Mirrors focus sun on tank of molten sodium, potassium salts heated to >1k F. Gets closer to 24-hr power. NV Energy to buy the power. Solar Reserve also hoping to build 150MW plant in CA. The 2-decades-old solar thermal plants in CA's Mojave haven't missed one hour of peak output in their lifetimes. Solar Reserve tech from UT's Pratt&Whitney RocketDyne. Developed, tested at Solar Two in CA desert in '90's. But it comes in @ $8.40/W. That's nuts. PV with batt storage would give 2X the size at 20% less. Why, DOE? Why? Campaign contributions, perhaps? Why in the hell can't we just do this smart?

And may I say have a swell weekend and great judgement day, pards.