STUFF

Aurora Algae got $2M Australian to develop pilot plant to produce 12-15 metric tons of algae biomass per month in 6 1-acre ponds. They plan to break ground in '14 for 250-acre facility to produce up to 600 metric tons/month, scalable to 5K acres.

NSF awarded $2M to TX A&M researchers for genetic engineering research on algae for faster biofuel outputs. Focus on genetic code for lipid production from B. braunii, transferring it into fast growing algae.

Siemens began testing world's largest wind turbine rotor - blades 505 feet.

74% of Americans say global warming affecting weather in US, up 5% from March.

Researchers suggesting climate change could vastly reduce maize and bean harvests in Central America by '20's.

Commonwealth Ed - 3.8M IL customers - shelved 1 of country's largest upcoming smart grid projects over cost disagreement.

Admin asked fed appeals court to reconsider decision to throw out rule aimed at regulating harmful air emissions that cross state lines.

Euro rush for clean E sources has far outpaced grid's ability to move the power where needed. Compounded by most E policies firmly domestic. Likely to get much worse before better.

Experts see Africa ripe for surge in wheat production.

Euro solars divided on push to penalize China for alleged dumping.

Research: CO2 emissions go up fast when econ booms, drop more slowly when it doesn't.

US, UK newspapers give climate change skepticism more clout. (Who reads them anymore?)

TVA increasingly turning to NG over coal for power gen. (NG nearing $3.50 now, coal cheaper again.)

Oil/NG comps on Monday will have to start emailing EPA before fracking. Harder aspects of rules kick in Jan '15.

Arkansas landowners sueing gas comps for alleged underground pollution.

Soap makers, biodiesel industry sparring over animal fat.

Forest Service, Coast Guard latest money challenged.

Supreme Court chose not to intervene in Chevron v. Ecuador over $18B fine for alleged oil pollution.

Admin reached 10Gw clean E threshold 3 years early.

IEA: Iraq could become world's 2nd largest oil producer/exporter by '35. But has to increase investment to $25B/y from $9B now.

Reports China govt preparing rescue package for Suntech, other major China solars.

VC funding for solar down 80% to $72M in Q3, lowest since '08. Global investment in all clean E down 20% in Q3 v. year ago. $56.6B, down 5% from Q2. Record $280B invested in clean and low-C techs in '11. Q3 solar investment $33.8B, wind $15.5B. US Q3 investment $7.3B, down 28% from Q2, down 62% from year ago.

EPA: methane in 2 PA water wells linked to Marcellus fracking by Cabot.

Paseo Biofuels and Cargill planning 40% capacity expansion at Kansas City plant. Now produces 40M gal biodiesel, 30M lbs food-grade glycerin per year. Uses soybean oil. March '13 completion.

Research team in FL examining carinata seeds as feedstock for low cost, high grade jet fuel.

Soufflet Group in France secured $145M for agri-industrial biofuels research facility with govt, institutional partners. Focus on solid state fermentation.

IBERDOLA and Vattenfall began development of 7.2Gw wind farm off Brit east coast. 1st stage 23M Euro for 2 weather monitoring stations.

Terra Firma and China Development Bank setting up $5B clean/renewable E investment fund.

Oil producing countries in Mideast and N Africa plan to spend combined $740B on E projects next 5 years.

UK shale gas industry to get boost from new tax regime.

Saudi Aramco to double their oil exports to US because large TX refinery (Motiva) reopens soon. 16M barrels more per month.

E.ON building 201Mw wind farm in IN. Vestas 1.8Mw turbines. Online by yearend. Comp's 17th farm in N America, over 2.5Gw.