STUFF

U Cal Irvine, Lawrence Berkeley research: rise in temps speeds release of CO2 from soil in forests. Activity increases among microbes that eat topsoil, exhale CO2.

Study has found human activities that produce GHG's have driven warming in upper ocean over past 50 years.

China could be underestimating C output by 20%.

SWest leading US in warming: report.

Oil comps in ND reported >1K accidental releases of oil, drill wastewater or other fluids last year. State regulators acknowledge many more illicit unreported releases.

AONE's breakthrough - new chem could permit creation of simpler, lighter, longer-lasting batt packs that don't require systems to heat or cool.

TX turning to desal to counter drought.

Oil industry groups sueing EPA over cellulosic requirements. I guess we knew that was coming.

Solar provided 10% of Germany's elgen in May. Up 40% yoy from '11. >1M systems now installed. In all of '11, solar 3% of elgen, up 60% from '10. Total deployed now 22GW. 1Q12 deploy >3x yoy - 1.8GW - to beat subsidy cuts. In '11, Germans got ~20% of elgen from clean E.

EIA says US solar power production ~1,800GWh in '11, up 50% from '10. But only systems >1MW and some system operators don't know they have to report. End of  '11, US @ 4.45GW installed solar. 1.8GW installed in '11.

NRDC: G20 nations have seen 600% increase in clean E investment since '04. EU highest, then US, then China. Total elgen from wind, solar, geotherm, tidal/wave in '11 in Bkwh: US 112, China 67, Germany 56, India 23, Italy 19, France 16, UK 15, Japan 11, Indonesia 9, Mexico 7. '11 share of elgen from same sources: Germany 11%, Italy 6.2%, Indonesia 5.7%, UK 4.2%, France 2.8%, US 2.7%, Mexico 2.6%, India 2.4%, Australia 2.2%, Turkey 1.9%, China 1.5%, Japan and Canada 1%. Total G20 clean E investment in '11: $160B. China $50B, US $44B, Germany, India $10B,  Brazil $8B, Spain $7B, UK, Canada $5B. 1Q12 investment: China $8B, UK $6.6B, India $1.5B, Mexico $1.4B, US, Brazil, Spain $1B.

Bank of America announced new 10-year, $50B enviro biz initiative and new goals to reduce their own enviro impact.

S. IL U research successfully produced biofuel from non-edible part of corn kernel using available commercial tech - fractionation. Separation of bran from cellulose. 1 of biggest challenges of ethanol industry.

Novozyme's CleanStar Project in Mozambique - ethanol stoves and ethanol - can't keep up with demand. 200 sold, 3K on order. Surplus cassova on island converted to ethanol. Competing with $153M/y charcoal market that's doubled in last 3 years.