STUFF

ABB pulled its $20M investment in GreenVolts, a concentrated PV solar startup. Solar panels biz is losing money for awhile.

NIPSCO to begin $246M emissions project at IN coal plant next year. To tackle sulfur emissions. Also $510M scrubber project well under way at another plant. Regulators gave OK for surcharges to customers to cover costs. Also planning $200M to bring stations into EPA compliance on mercury, other toxins. And $500M more for 100-mile high-volt line in IN, near all of cost to be borne by other utilities that get power through Midwest grid.

CBO says EV incentives to cost $7.5B next 7 years. But unlikely to have much effect on gas consumption or GHG emissions. Can we get more GHG reduction and less reliance on foreign oil with this $1B/y than this program? What can you do with $1B/y? Maybe we should have a contest.

Centinela Solar Energy, a member of LS Power Group, awarded Fluor a contract to build, op a 170Mw Cal solar project. To be 1 of 1st major projects to tie into new Sunrise high-volt line. Fully online mid-'14.

N Maine Community College commissioned new $1M biomass wood boiler to heat most of campus and gen el. Replacing fuel oil. Will save $43K/y in utility costs, 47K gal/y of fuel oil. 900Kw unit. $500K fed grant. College invested $3M last few years on E efficiency.

Lack of transmission lines preventing SW US solar potential. Let alone other areas in other countries around our world. In NM, 18 utility-scale solar projects in pipeline last year. None in '10. But major transmission projects still in permit phase. Much of US transmission infra needs replacement by '30. By '15, industry expected to spend $66B on improvements. NREL says by '50, clean E could provide 80% of US elgen. You know, if we're going to borrow > $1T/y anyway, we ought to put it into highest and best use. I like the vision of a clean green USA. Let alone the end of war. That's just me.

IKEA plugged in uno mas 940Kw solar rooftop in New Haven. Their 32nd US system. 590M Euros committed worldwide. Connecticut's largest solar array.

Apricus Solar doubling China manufacturing plant capacity. Solar hot water, hydronic heating products. $1.5M. Online 1Q13.

US wind power tax credit cost $12B this year. $12B. 2.2 cents/Kw for 1st decade of wind farm ops. Fossil fuels got $4B? Maybe we should bring wind credits back year by year, but don't just go from $12B to nothing and throw people out of work and businesses into bankruptcy. If I'm reading things right. Thinking clearly. Big assumption. Facts right?

> 1K folks already working on offshore wind E in SC. But no blades spinning yet.

Abe Lincoln gave speech in Bloomington IL referring to power of wind as "an untamed, unharnessed force". Today a wind turbine stands over 36 stories high at a community college just north of where he spoke those words. And if that doesn't hit your gut, well, then you're not much of an American. The college turbine was a $5.2M project. $950K DOE grant, $512K IL grant. Rest financed with bonds to be paid off with energy savings.

PPL Montana mothballing 154Mw coal power plant April '15. Can't afford $38M upgrade. Uses low-sulfur Powder River coal. Began ops in '68.

New ACCCE analysis shows new EPA rules will shut down 16 coal power plants in VA. 2.5Gw. 204 across US. 31Gw. Equivalent to Ohio elgen capacity. So far, announced coal plant retirements 3x EPA prediction. Politics? No war on coal. War on pollution that kills and overheats the globe.