STUFF

Polysilicon avg spot price at decade low $22/kg. Down 56% yoy.

Light Tech Institute in Germany starting 4 years research program on organic (plastic) solar cells. Want 10% efficiency. Euro 4.25M from German ministry of ed and research. Low-cost printing/coating processes. Gravure printing, screen printing, slot-die coating, spray coating in roll-to-roll process.

5 of biggest wind turbine makers shut out of Brazil's market after failing to meet local content requirements of at least 40% of parts from Brazil. Their wind installs may near triple this year over '11 to 1.7GW. 5th largest global wind market now. Local content requirement rises to 60% later.

Coskata switching from biomass to NG, to raise $100M in NG-oriented private placement.

US, Australia signed naval advanced biofuels tech co-op agreement.

US to provide AVAV drones for Kenya.

EPA to review new standards for mercury, soot, other emiss for handful of proposed new coal power plants.

This year's April-to-June water flow into Lake Powell, upper Colorado R. was <1/4 of last year and 1/3 of '08, '09 and '10. And those were dry years.

Indonesia substantially raised its geothermal FITs, govt calling it a "crash" program. Seeking many GWs of geotherm and other clean E. In past decade, Indo has become net importer of oil. Geo FITs to range 10-20 cents/KWh. Current "renewables" supply 5-6% of E mix now. Existing target 17% by '25, will probably go to 25%. Currently 1.2GW of geo, 3rd in world behind Calif (3.1GW) and Philippines (1.9GW). They want to add 3-4GW by '14 (but expect only 375MW), and want to see 10GW by '25. Other targets: 2GW solar PV by '14, 300MW wind by '14, 1.3GW of new hydro by '15 and 400MW of new biomass by '15.

Former FSLR CTO instrumental in FSLR's ramp up now with Pelion Tech. They want to supplant lithium batt mart with magnesium-based tech born at MIT. Launched with DOE support. Magnesium-ion batts potentially 3x power of lith-ion. Mag mining, not surprisingly, dominated by China. 2nd is Russia. But it's 4th most common element in earth and prevalent in most regions. Comp may first tap into consumer devices. Let's get some American magnesium mines going.

Near-drought conditions impacting Marcellus drilling. Susquehenna (sp?) water rights suspended.

Branson wants to meet with Chu, Obama on integral fast reactor tech. GE-Hitachi has it. IFRs use plutonium and uranium waste in traditional reactors. I don't know what the hell is the holdup.

Abengoa (Spain) to invest $120M in JV project with Silvernet (Canada) to build 2 steel dust recycling plants in Turkey. Combined 200 ton capac. 110K tons/y conversion of steel dust into 80K tons of Washed Waelz Oxide, rich in zinc. Online 2H14.

Sun-reflecting chems to be sprayed into air above NM in geoengineering experiment.

Italian PM proposing relaxing offshore oil ban to raise potentially $18B.

Siemens deal with DONG for 300 6MW offshore wind turbs to be installed in UK waters '14-'17.

Celanese deal to advance devel of synthetic fuel ethanol products with Indonesia state-owned E comp. Ethanol from coal @ $1.50-2.00.

Kandi (KNDI) bagged largest single EV order to date. 20K EVs for Hangzhou's EV leasing program. Local utility to fund charging and batt-swap network and will pay for batts, financed by customer charges. Batts will aid in grid stabilization. August start, fully operational by end of '13. KNDI will get ~$6,800 per vehicle and expect 70 cents/sh more gross profit - '13 to double '12. China govt goals 500K EVs by '15, 5M by '20.

WNDEF got their $78M cash grant for 120MW wind farm completed last year. But $12M less than applied for.