STUFF

TOP STUFF

Pike Research: private funding for EV comps drying up fast. Comps will be forced to exit market unless acquired on not-so-good terms. Most investment in '13 expected to flow toward batt component development. Cost of quick-charge stations likely to keep installs down, so will keep EV market down. VW, BMW to intro 7 new EV models in '13. German EV market expected to more than double in '13. E-bike sales in N America est. to grow over 50% in '13 to over 158K. Global market to grow to over 33M in '13. With cheap NG, interest in E trucks to decline.

25% or more of the energy in NatGas expended during process of liquifying it. (We don't want big LNG market/exports.)

Enhanced oil recovery market set to go from $3B in '05 to $1.3T in next 3 yrs. Solar-powered EOR cheaper, more effective than NG, CO2 or chem processes. EOR extracts remaining 2/3 of well reserves. Solar EOR can produce 16% more oil from "played out" well than NG (no fuel cost nor NG pipelines/other shipment to site). Glass Point Solar has enclosed trough CSP 300Kw project in Cal, another project close to completion in Oman. Seeking to expand to Kuwait, Bahrain.

EPA released progress report on fracking, but holding off on reporting effects on drinking water until '14.

OTHER STUFF

FNVRF (Finavera) to sell 300Mw Brit Columbia project portfolio for ~$40M. They maintain 10% share in 105Mw wind project.

210Mw wind farm now online in ND. 3Mw Siemens turbines.

Phase 1 of IN wind farm completed. 200Mw for $400M. Phase 2 to be 100Mw. Phases 3 and 4 to be 800Mw.

EDF Renewable Energy turned on 161Mw wind farm in TX. Siemens 2.3Mw turbines. 15-yr PPA with Excel Energy subsid.

Alliant Energy subsid turned on 100Mw Iowa wind farm. Cost ~$235M.

Alstom testing 6Mw offshore wind turbine off French coast. Exclusive supplier to consortium that will install 1.4Gw of wind power off France. No gearbox in turbine.

A JV and Sunpower (SPWR) subsid announced 2 South Africa solar projects totaling 33Mw. 1 already started build, other in weeks. 2Q14 completion.

Colo PUC rejected 100Mw solar plan for Xcel Energy. No more large scale solar farms through '18.

DOE's Joint BioEnergy Institute discovered enzyme to boost sugar in plant cell walls. Will help make cellulosic biofuels cost competitive.

Philippines considering raising biodiesel blend to 5%.

S Western El Power, an AEP unit, began ops at 600Mw pulverized coal-fired plant in Ark. 1st type of generating unit to burn at higher temps, requiring less coal, lowering emissions. Low sulfur coal.