STUFF

DOE preaches energy conservation, efficiency. But not practicing what they preach, their IG says. Like installing variable-speed drives on air-moving equip at Oak Ridge Lab to save $53K/y by spending $7K. Or installing fans to move air to even bldg temps to save $15K/y for $1,400 investment. Agency could save > $6M/y at least.

Oak Ridge and nearby Y-12 site also failed to determine whether heating, lighting systems operating as intended. Some meters not functioning and managers didn't notice - for 5 years.

Tokyo El president urges nuke future.

Romney says he believes the world is getting warmer and "humans play a role in that warming". Obama agrees.

Guangzhou wants license plate auctions, lotteries to halve number of cars on roads.

Europe opened inquiry into Gazprom trade practices. Russia supplies ~1/4 of Europe needs. Gazprom warned tax hikes may delay NG projects.

Most developing countries aren't planning cleaner E: study. Most use coal, diesel. New database of 60K power plants worldwide, emissions data going back to '04.

Methane reserves cover > half of Antarctica.

Australia, Euro carbon trading systems to link up.

Researchers: global temps may exceed safe levels without more carbon reduction pledges.

Beached whales in FL, Scotland.

New pipeline project seeks outlets for Utica (OH) shale gas.

Trans Canada tweaking Keystone XL pipe route to avoid sensitive Neb terrain.

FERC chairman urging Congress to act on threats to grid, pipelines.

Hurricane Isaac tarball debris being tested for link to BP spill.

Moscow police arrest Greenpeace drilling protesters.

China accelerating response to US solar tariffs. Ministry of Commerce could make prelim finding as soon as Nov, 8 months before deadline, on their complaint US manufacturers dumping polysilicon.

Morgan Stanley, 2 equity funds buying another $150M stake in China hydropower comp. Funds will expand comp's hydro cap to  > 1GW next 2 years from > 650MW now. Same parties also invested $150M in comp in '10.

Eqypt's Prez urging Syria regime to go.

DOE announced 5 new Sunshot research projects that could lower costs of PV and CSP solar techs. Total $3.7M.

Researchers from Argonne, IL Inst of Tech and U of SC successful in synthesizing, characterizing monodisperse gold-core, silver-shell nanoparticles using biotemplate with potential as water soluble catalyst for converting biomass - dead trees, branches, stumps, yard clippings, woodchips, muni solid waste - into fuels.

Calif gov signed bill into law that elims all funding to corn-based ethanol producers after July '13. $6M to redirect to other renewable/clean energy. Anything but corn-based.

Iran, N Korea signed tech cooperative deal. We sure like to see that.

juwi (Germ) JV with Austrian utility Verbund (already 90% clean/renewable E) to develop German wind farms - 21 turbines for 86.1MW. Installs in 1H13. 5 turbines to be 7.5MW Enercons, largest now on market.

Indian govt to invest $4.1B by '20 to encourage EV, hybrid sales.

Central bankers from Jackson Hole can't understand why econ isn't growing with all the stimulus. Let me guess. The Prez of USA is African-American. Repubs don't like it, big biz doesn't like it. And Repubs in Congress, as we know, said they will obstruct everything until this Prez is gone. What a way to govern. Racist. A disgusting chapter in history considering 10M $50K/y jobs would cost $500B/y. The govt should just have hired them all like back in the depression. To build stuff. And how much cash is big biz sitting on? Trillions. Here and abroad. Disgusting. Disgustingly racist. Kadaffy had more popular support in the end than US Congress does now. It's just shameful.

Well, on that note, happy trails, pards.