STUFF

CSUN Q1 came in weak. They and other Chinese solars - CSIQ, JASO - still in long downtrend. But. China recently doubled their planned solar installs. Europe, though, continuing to cut back growth. And US uncertain with recovery funds drying up, other incentives due for expiration at end of year.

Enel Green Power started on a 200MW wind farm in Kansas. PPA from TVA. Using Vestas 1.8MW turbines. $350M.

In '10, Europe installed 12.5GW of solar PV. 1st time solar installs beat wind. May be closer to 14GW solar, tho, when Italy's #'s are fully processed.

Monetary history: every 50-70 years, there's a major shift in the reserve currency of the world. '15 will be 70 years for US/Bretton Woods.

Canada National Energy Board released report on Horn River Basin (BC) shale gas. ~78TCF reservoir, >2X previous estimates.

Kenya gearing up their oil industry. 36 oil blocks leased, 32 exporatory wells drilled, 900km pipeline, but just 1 refinery built in '63 (year of independence), to be updated by '13. They can't keep up with internal demand growing 10%/y. E. Africa has been searched before. Always the last place comps go, 1st abandoned when prices fall. But has 10% of world oil reserves, uses 3%. All of Africa has as much oil as Russia (~120B bls). Plus shale oil. Expected to produce 12-15mb/d by '15.

Treasury's "1603" cash grant program for clean E projects from Recovery Act will probably not be extended at the end of this year. But cash incentives are 2X as effective as tax credits and cost ratepayers significantly less.

Global installed offshore wind projected to increase from 4.1GW this year to 70 GW by '17.

Ontario's coal power plants will be decommissioned in next 3 yrs. 2.1GW of contracts signed for new wind projects, aps for 6.7GW more. 1.6GW already installed. Also new hydro and solar projects.

60% of Greeks pay no income tax. Personal income tax ~14.4% of total tax receipts (43% in US). They ran deficit last year equal to >14% of GDP (US very close to that).

Philly Fed's latest manufacturing report showed a plummet from 18.5 to 3.9. May make QE 3 more likely when QE 2 phases out this summer.

Gamesa signed agreement to deliver 2GW of wind turbines over next 5 yrs to India.

Maine gov proposing eliminating requirement of 1%/y growth thru '17 of clean E elgen. Requirement enacted in '07. They say it will save consumers $42M by '17. Maine rates 12th highest in US.

DOE: >1,800 EV chargers installed under Recovery Act.

Thin-film epitaxial silicon solar cells a potentially cheaper substrate than bulk silicon cells.

Billions (?) more in damage from weekend tornados. 75% of Joplin destroyed. Jeeze leweeze.