STUFF

TOP STUFF

Nov was 333rd consecutive month of global temps above 20th century avg. 5th warmest Nov on record. 10 warmest Nov's occurred in past 12 yrs. Last time any month below avg was Feb '85. Last Nov under avg was '76.

IEA: Coal to come close to surpassing oil as world's top energy source by '17. Coal consumption expected to grow 2.6%/yr. (Great news, A?)

Incoming chair of Senate Energy Committee Wyden suggests DOE should stop billing utilities for nuclear waste disposal while DOE spends little to nothing on it. $750M/yr collected, fund balance now $25B.

Brazil began swaps of forest credits to push Amazon forestation.

EU granted $1.58B in subsidies to 23 clean/renewable energy projects in 16 EU countries. Money comes from cap-and-trade sales in '11 and '12. 2 biggest subsidies going to advanced biofuels projects. 3rd for German offshore wind farm. No carbon capture/storage projects. EU allowances going for 6.77 Euros per metric ton of carbon emissions. System started in '05. (Where's US?!)

IEA chief economist says energy efficiency one of "few valuable options" left for humankind to reduce CO2 emissions. He expects no global climate agreement before '20. EU's Energy Efficiency Directive went into effect earlier this month. (Where's US?!)

DC Circuit Court nixed API suit v. EPA over '10 revision to RFS mandate of fines for not blending cellulosic biofuels into gas even though there were no cellulosic fuels. Court said suit filed too late.

EPA enforcement team targeting larger, more complex cases, fewer overall.

EU won't pursue anti-subsidy case against US ethanol imports. But dumping investigation to continue, results in Feb.

OTHER STUFF

CREE reached 200-lumen-per-watt LED milestone.

Frost & Sullivan: merger/acquisition activity in N Am clean/ren sector gaining pace. Number of deals up 67% in '11. But total deal dollars down 33% to $33.4B.

US geothermal capacity additions on track to top 100Mw this year. 1 of best years in last 10. Commercial lending coming back. Up to 872Mw of geothermal projects in early stages of development looking for capital.

1st floating wind turbine in US to be tested by U of Maine engineers next summer. Real turbines will be 8x the size. Equivalent of 150 nuke plants worth of wind blowing off Maine coast. 2 nukes could power the whole state. Floating turbs can be placed out of sight from shore. 80-turb project est. online by '30.

Brazil's new 361Mw hydropower plant now online. $675M. 2 units online, 3 more in Jan.

Bulgaria president opposing proposed build of new nuke plant recommended by IAEA. Jan referendum. Now 2 1Gw units online at country's only nuke plant. 4 440Mw units shut down for years.

Sauds calling on world powers to foster culture of nuke safety, compliance with standards, transparent regulatory reporting. Fukushima ministerial conference on nuke safety in Japan last weekend organized by IAEA.

FCC pondering charging fee for smart grid meters for using broadband spectrum.

US Defense Logistics Agency chose Constellation (Exelon subsid) to provide power for 6 DC area Navy facilities. $46.8M for 2 yrs.

Yara Company (Norway) teaming with Qatar govt on Sahara Forest project. Solar power, sea water to produce food crops, freshwater, algae for biofuel.

Tala Company (Saud) teaming with Nova Global (Can) on $650M sugarcane-to-ethanol and jatropha-to-jetfuel for mideast airlines in Sudan. 156K acres.

GOP state officials urging Obama to withdraw impending rules on fracking on fed land. Argue it would cost industry too much and oversight should be with states (so they can keep their grips on donations).

Industry group sues Colo city to overturn voter-approved ban on fracking.

Louisiana LNG export terminal landed 20-yr supply contract.

Utility group urging denial of Georgia LNG export terminal project.

Canadian crude trading ~$50/bl. Refining capacity behind, crude supply up, pipeline capacity tight. West Canada Select down to $42.50 after BP delayed for at least 3 months their project to refine the Canada crude at IN refinery.

1 of US' largest unregulated utility holding comps, Edison Mission Energy, filed bankruptcy. Cited aging coal-fired power plants, coal prices.

Chevron offering $150M to settle $20B of Brazilian spill suits.

BLM leasing acreage up in '12.