STUFF

TOP STUFF

Sasol (S Africa) plans to build 1st NG-to-fuels plant in US in Louisiana. Will be 2nd largest plant of kind in world after Shell's plant in Qatar. Cost $11-$14B. 96K bls/day capacity.

ENI (Italy) made new NG discovery offshore Mozambique. Added 6TCF to reserves. Region ranked 3rd in world of oil/NG discovered last year behind Santos Basin, Brazil and Iraqi Kurdistan.

Pollution levels in 70% of Asian cities examined exceed even most lax of several targets set by WHO.

Canada ranks worst on climate change among developed countries.

Asia-Pacific energy investments matched US for 1st time.  Global Oil/NG spending expected to set records next year. N America expected to stay flat.

Norway put development of 1st planned offshore wind farm (350Mw) on hold, company citing lack of political support.

India released goal of 9Gw grid-connected solar power by '17. 8x current capacity. 1.6Gw next year.

OTHER STUFF

EPA sent final air standards for soot to White House review.

NOAA offering endangered species protection for 66 coral species affected by climate change.

Biofuels industry told EPA it's outdated emissions model overestimates GHG's associated with ethanol production.

Study: climate models overestimate CO2 absorption by plants, soils.

EPA spproved ethanol made from grain sorghum.

Ohio drillers falling short of state official's '12 well expectations.

U of IL researchers located bacterium in a garbage dump they think can breakdown cellulose and hemicellulose.

MIT has new chip with possibility to generate el from 3 sources - solar, heat and motion - simultaneously. Alternative to batts.

Brazil injunction against Chevron overturned.

Yemen military attacking tribesmen responsible for oil pipeline sabotage.

EDF (France), Europe's biggest power producer, to extend life of 2 British nuke plants 7 years. Ops till '23, at least. Advanced gas-cooled reactors.

Valero refinery accident in Tenn. 1 dead.

Some of top projects with new ARPA-E $130M: $2.6M for Yale research into use of low-temp waste heat for elgen, and difference in salt content in water streams for elgen through pressure-retarded osmosis or reverse electrodialysis. Another $2.3M to Texas A&M and eNova for waste heat projects. Metal hydride to produce flow of high-pressure H, gas compressor powered by waste heat.