STUFF

US clean energy investment reached $260B in '11, topping China for 1st time since '08.

Commonwealth Ed (IL) starting $2.6B, 10-yr smart grid. Half of cost in upgrading transformers, substations, wires. Sensors can analyze 1,500 pieces of info every 2 sec.

EIA cut estimates of Marcellus reserves. EIA-I-O.

NHTSA closed Volt investigation, declared EV's safe. Toyota new tech can make hybrids, EV's without rare earths.

Chesapeake slowing NG exploration because of glut. See, here's the thing. We could have cheaper energy but the companies can't produce and ship the stuff (NG) without losing money. At least here in US. Demand has to come up. Way up. Utilities, trucking and maybe even trains. But cars are where the volume is. But we'd be better off with every coal plant converting to NG. For starters.

MiaSole has laid off maybe 30% of workers, say sources, and needs more funding.

NG prices in US have fallen 24% in last 8 trading days to 10-year lows. Closed Friday at $2.34.

Iran backed off Hormuz threat. US carrier passed through straits today.

China growth reportedly 9.2% for '11 v. '10's 10.4%.

Western sanctions on Syria have cost them $2B since Sept.

US and China govt prelim estimates of climate change effects paint a very trying picture.

Shell to spend $1B on deepwater oil exploration off Nova Scotia.

Iraq will be able to raise its oil export capac from south terminals by 900kb/d when new mooring is tested this week. Tanker loading possible by the 31st. When all stages complete, export capac to be up 5mb/d. Read that again. 5mb/d.

US Virgin Islands to lose 2k jobs next month when 1 of world's largest refineries shuts down.

World Bank urging developing nations to plan for major slowdown in global growth this year. Got that, pards?

Egyptian NG supplies to Israel resumed on limited basis after 2-month shutdown.

Bulgaria says Chevron can't frack there.

POET postponed plans for $4B ethanol pipeline from midwest to east coast.

Germany saying no more imports of food products for biofuels and said US causes corn price rise all over world. Well, someone's standing up to it.