EARLY STUFF

TOP STUFF

NY Times axed environment desk. Repeating. The NY Times axed the environment desk.

Homeland Security: 40% of 198 cyber attacks on US infrastructure in '12 targeted energy sector.

Overfishing has reduced Pacific Tuna stocks 96%: report.

NASA launched new Earth-observing satellite.

Ontario phasing out entire coal power fleet.

3 Euro nations donating $180M for forest protection.

Jerusalem shut down by rare snowstorm.

Study linked high food costs to biofuel mandates. Huh.

Report: 1/2 of world's food goes to waste. (Well, that could be another reason for high food costs. You think?)

China warning folks to stay indoors as Beijing smog worsens.

OTHER STUFF

Study: efforts to address ag runoff failing to improve Iowa's lakes.

NY county banning BPA for cash register receipts. (Wash your hands after handling receipts.)

Oregon county to vote on GM crop ban.

AEP financing dried up for OH solar project.

Apple has wind energy storage patent. Converts friction from rotating blades into heat. Stored in low-heat fluid (mercury, ethanol). Transferred to "working fluid" when wind lulls, brought to boil for steam.

China making progress connecting idle wind farms to grid. 25% idle in '11. Could fall to 10% this year. Country plans to add 49Gw clean energy this yr.

Scientists warning against India dam-building binge.

US EcoGen (FL, MO) agreement with FPL to provide 180Mw of elgen from Eucalyptus biomass via synchronous steam turbine generators. Plans for 3 power plants for $900M. 4th $300M plant would deliver 64Mw. FPL says would save customers $167M over 30 yrs. (What, some over $5M/yr? Not a big deal. But, something.) Metrics: BTU's/acre/yr or tons/acre/yr. 10K acres/power plant, 4-yr harvests. $900M for 180Mw. About same as offshore wind these days. 2x+ onshore wind. More than solar.

Citrus waste to ethanol gaining attention in FL. Otherwise used for low-value cattle feed. FL has ~5M tons waste/yr. Could produce 60M gal ethanol/yr. Viable @ $120/bl oil.

Poll: Americans wary of pollution risks from fracking.

Turkey overtaking Norway as Europe's biggest oil driller.

Shell hit with multiple EPA air violations from Arctic offshore drilling.

Alaska state tax factored into Shell's rig move before grounding.