STUFF

DOE: $14.3B of wind power installs in US in '11 brought total to almost $100B since early '80's. Congress Joint Committee on Taxation found the wind Production Tax Cred will amount to $1.36B of tax savings - savings - tax SAVINGS - per YEAR between now and '15 if kept. AWEA estimates the tax break (2.2 cents/Kwh) helps leverage $15.5B/yr in private investment. (And they can't get that passed. Oy.)

Suntech (STP) to supply ~100Mw of solar panels for 2 projects by consortium led by Mainstream Renewable Power in S Africa. Design, construction by Siemens. Online in '14. Among 1st projects under S Africa program targeting 1.45Gw of solar by '15, 8.2Gw by '30.

Yingli Solar subsid supplied 25Mw of PV modules to AZ farm.

In survey of ~800 CEO's around world over 1/2 regard energy and raw materials costs as major threat to their growth. 7% jump up from last year. Most pronounced in developing countries in Asia, Africa.

China playing role in building 306 hydropower projects in 70 nations. Near half planned in SE Asia.

Serbia plans to increase incentives for small hydro, cut FITs for wind, solar. Hydro up to 30Mw, up from 10 now. Subsidies to go up ~1/3 to between 10 and 13.7 cents/kwh. Wind FIT to be reduced to 9.2 Euro cents from 9.5. Solar to be cut 30% to 16.25 EU cents.

Georgia to expand energy cooperation with Europe.

UK Energy Secretary: Scotland independence threatens to raise Scots' power bills. Billions of pounds needed to switch to clean energy will be borne by Scots instead of spread across Britain. Independence referendum in '14. Scotland spokeswoman said UK needs Scotland's clean el to meet its own clean targets and keep lights on. Scotland goal total clean E by '20.

Statkraft, Norway's biggest utility, to invest ~$113M for 66.7Mw onshore wind farm in Scotland. Early '14 finish. Enercon (Germany) turbines.

UK to make biz report emissions on just el and gas to shave $437M off costs of carbon reduction program. Reporting on 29 fuels original proposal.

Africa Development Bank loaning $115M to Kenya for power line between Kenya and Ethiopia to transfer power from hydropower plants. 1,068km 500Kv DC line and converter stations. Power capacity up to 2Gw. '17 finish.

Fed appeals court appears to be inching toward finding EPA's '12 cellulosic biofuel requirements unlawful.

Propel Fuels (Cal) got $11M in equity capital and secured $10M more in debt finance to continue build out of stations offering biofuels with conventional gas. Over 200 stations planned next 2 yrs. Currently in Cal, Wash State.

US Steel Canada teaming with Union Gas and Pond Biofuels to test algae production from CO2 emitted from Ontario power plant. Pond plans to use LEDs to supply enough light for algae growth in winter months.

Japan comp signed MOU with Cambodia for producing ethanol from cassava. Hopes to sell 200K kiloliters of eth/yr by '20's.

Brazil tech center investing $38.5M in 3M liter/yr cellulosic eth plant to be located at sugarmill next yr. They say their tech enables extra 30-50%/yr of eth production.

Argentina has finally complained to WTO over Europe allegedly blocking imports of its biodiesel.

TX oil and gas regulatory agency updating rules on fracking.

PA Superior Court panel to allow 2 newspapers to press for unsealing records in lawsuit against 4 NG comps and state's EPA over fracking.

EU looking to intro regs to control UK's fracking plans.

US universities likely to take 2nd look at conflict of interest guidelines as scrutiny increases over oil and gas industry funding academic research.

E mails show BP lied to authorities about Gulf oil spill.

Huge increase in shale oil production from Permian Basin - west TX - coupled with lack of pipeline in area has created bottleneck forcing down region prices. EIA says production of 1.29Mb/d in '07 could grow to 2.3M by '22. Similar probs in Bakken Shale (ND) and OK's midwestern pipeline hub (WTI price). Permian producers losing out on $1.2B of profits. (So. Why don't they build pipe? Or just ship it by train? What's up with that?)