STUFF

From "Freedom's Forge" (I recommend): It took $183B of 1940-45 dollars to produce the US arms for World War II. US GDP in '45 was $231B. We've come a long way, pards.

Venzuela refinery explosion tightening refining capacity even further. Cal plant still down, a midwest and 2 east coast refineries. And then plants will shut down to convert to winter fuels.

Exergy Dev Grp subsid Big Blue Wind Farm to build 36MW project in MN. Gamesa 2MW turbines with new blades designed for low-wind sites. Online by yearend.

372MW - 233 1.6MW turbines - to be going up on west TX wind farm involving 110 landowners covering 50K acres. Stephens Wind Farm construction to begin later this year, completion by Nov '13. Another 17-turbine west TX farm on track for completion late this fall by Wind Tex Energy.

Phillips 66 2-yr partnership with Cal startup Solarmer Energy and S China U of Tech has come up with most efficient polymer-based organic solar cell yet. Thin, flexible, also far less expensive to make. But far less efficient - 9.31% - than silicon cell and less than thin-film cells on market. 12-15% will be commercially viable. But it also degrades far more quickly than silicon, so shorter life span. Solarmer originally licensed the tech from UCLA.

MD govt launched effort to limit extended power outages like those of recent months. But solutions could take significant costs and trade-offs. June 29 outages affected 1M households, lasted avg 38 hrs in Baltimore and 21 folks died of heat-related illness over 9 days.

Cedar Rapids to activate a landfill methane to el and heat project. $3M upfront cost, though wells and pipes already in that flare the meth. About 10-yr payout. Will gen ~1.6KWh. And the heat will heat Resource Recovery Center bldg to save $90K/yr of propane costs.

Researchers at American Chem Society in Philly: zinc phosphide, copper oxide have broken records for both el current and voltage achieved by thin-film solar. Eventually could produce el at costs approaching coal.

Camp Lejeune building multiple solar farms to gen 10MW. "Anywhere we can put it in."

Install of ~4K solar panels - 972KWh - on hangars at San Rafael airport (Cal) expected to be finished end of Sept. $3M project to feed power to grid. Began early July.

Toole Army Depot (Salt Lake City) broke ground on $9.6M solar project. Will produce 30% of depot's el.

1 of 3 silos that hold coal ash at WV coal plant fell apart. Plant going offline Sept 1. Built in '52, silos ~'60.