STUFF

TOP STUFF

Market closed again today, of course. 1 hell of a storm. Oil steady over $85. Europe markets were up despite Greece. Asia markets flat and mixed. Wall Street hoping to open tomorrow. Old backup power systems exposed at NYC hospitals. US gasoline supply seen at '90 low. Sandy costs probably to top $20B. Katrina was > $100B. Home prices in 20 US cities increased by most in 2 years. Sandy shouldn't have impact on US GDP. Germany's jobless rate increased for 1st time in 3 years.

Gazprom to spend $25B on 3,200km NG pipeline to Vladivostok and $14B to develop its E Siberia NG field (1.3TCM). Gaz and Japanese energy comps also to build LNG plant in Vlad for 10-20M tons/y capacity by '20.

China Development Bank gave $1.6B loan to Sky Solar Holdings for project development. Solar cell/module makers garnered almost $49B from '10 to last quarter. Finally, attention to projects.

World's 1st flight on 100% drop-in biofuel by National Resources Council of Canada in a Falcon jet. Previously, only 50% blends. Used industrial non-food based oilseed from Agrisoma.

EU to spend ~$900M to build world's most powerful lasers that could destroy nuclear waste and provide new cancer treatment. Extreme Light Infusion project. 2 lasers to be built in Czech Republic and Romania, research center in Hungary.

Water injection intro'd to GOM deepwater wells. Chevron started on Tahiti wells. Expecting extra 10 years of production.

US National Research Council said large scale algae biodiesel production - as it is now - uses unsustainable amounts of water, energy, fertilizer (including CO2, nitrate, phosphate). GHG emissions from algaediesel may not even be lower than from petroldiesel. NRC says continue research on large scale algae.

Tokelau to become world's 1st country (administered by New Zealand) 100% powered by clean/ren energy. Solar and biodies from coconut to gen 150% of island's el demand. Will eliminate $820K/y for imported diesel oil.

S Africa just discovered price fixing collusion among oil majors. Said it dates back to the '80's. Um, we were calling it out during our Watergate special congressional in '74. Chevron, Shell, Total, BP subsids named. 10% of total annual biz fines proposed. BP, Shell apparently will try to brazen it out. S Af's Sasol and Australia's EnGen also named.

OTHER STUFF

Hoard of gold coins from Roman Empire era found in Britain while 700M tons of gold lost (?) at sea.

US imports ~1.45B bls of oil a year from OPEC lately.

Iran banned export of 50 goods. Sanctions biting.

50Mw biomass plant not to be built in Mass. Can't meet new state regs. Woody biomass plants must be 50% efficient for 1/2 renewable energy credit, 60% for full cred. Regs just doubled requirements.

Punjab Biomass Power planning 96Mw of ricestraw-fired power plants by '17. India estimates potential >17Gw of power from burning crop waste. 3.3Gw already built.

Scotland bus/coach operator boosted biodiesel blend to B30 from B5. Cuts GHG emissions 22%. 950 vehicles.

Petrobras pulled out of $3.5B, 1,300km ethanol pipeline being built by 6-comp JV. Petro had 20% share.

Zeachem completed 250K gal/y cellulosic ethanol biorefinery in OR. Production of acetic acid, ethyl acetate starts by yearend. Ethanol later. $25M from DOE's Integrated Biorefinery program. Local biomass feedstocks include wood, wheat straw.

Iranian defense minister said they no longer have plans to choke off Hormuz. Words are only words. Sanctions hurting?

Trans Canada, unit of Petro China (Phoenix Energy Holdings) to develop $3B oil pipeline to ship oil sands crude to Edmonton. PC expects 400Kb/d from its projects.

EDF Renewable Energy dedicated 140Mw Pacific Wind, 143Mw Catalina Solar project. 1 of largest wind/sol hybrid projects in US. Power going to SDG&E under 2 PPA's. SDG&E now up to 343Mw clean.

SE Asia's largest wind farm - 103Mw - to start ops in Thailand next month. Wind Energy Holding. Goal 1Gw by '20. 45 turbs this farm. Betters 33Mw in PI since '05 for SE Asia title. WEH doing another same sized farm. This one built 300 meters ASL. Getting wind @ 8 meters/sec +. Sea level turbines not doing as well.

Toyota Prius best selling vehicle in Cal.

MidEast, N Africa region needs to spend $250B on power sector - power gen, transmission, distribution - next 5 years to meet demand. Power capacity to increase 7.8% - 124Gw - per year. 380M folks growing 5%/y. Iran will require 20% of total.

Ribbon cutting for 400Mw wind farm in Limon CO. NextEra Energy Resources. GE 1.6Mw turbines. 45-mile 345Kv line. Brings Xcel Energy (PSC of CO) wind energy on CO system to 2.2Gw. NextEra total capacity now ~975Mw.