STUFF

Pattern Energy (Cal) announced 265Mw wind project in Imperial Valley Calif the 1st to transmit el over Sunrise Powerlink, the 117-mile 500Kv line linking the Valley and San Diego. 112 Siemens turbines. Towers made in Cal, blades in Iowa, nacelles in Kan. Powerlink to eventually carry 1Gw.

Sempra US Gas & Power completed 150Mw 1st phase of PV solar farm in AZ. PG&E buying the power. Future phases could put up 700Mw more.

First Solar (FSLR) started on 139Mw solar farm in Imperial Valley. Expected completion this year.

Recurrent Energy turned on last of 4 PV solar farms to provide total 88Mw to Sacramento Muni Utility District. Investments from Google and Sun Tap Energy (formed by KKR). Recurrent now has 138Mw online of their 600Mw contracted solar portfolio.

Duke completed 10Mw solar farm in AZ.

Cedarville U (OH) building 2.1Mw PV solar array on campus. Melink Corp to build.

Largest solar farm in MN - 2Mw - turned on by Ecos Energy (majority-owned by Allco Renewable Energy). 2x as much solar capacity installed in MN in '12 than '11.

Wattner (Germany) bought 2 new solar farms in Germany. 15.4Mw total. Putting them in their Sun Asset fund. ~26M Euros.

NREL created interactive buildings, industry, transportation, el scenarios. Allows users to explore how changes in energy demand/supply can impact CO2 emissions and energy trajectory. bites.nrel.gov

U Cal Davis researchers finding cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) so far produced largest amount of chems for fuels, plastics yet. Best enzymes transplanted into bacteria's DNA. Then 3-way path built for bacteria to convert CO2 into 2,3butanediol.

Fermentalg (France) unveiled vehicle that runs on algae biodiesel with no specific adjustments. Also has optimized algae harvesting tech, capacity to increase production from lab to large-scale commercial levels.

DOE $10M for 5 biofuel, bio-based projects. $1.2M to Craig Venter Inst to develop new techs to produce enzymes to more efficiently deconstruct biomass for biofuel. $2.5M to Novozymes (NOVO) to expand capabilities to find new sources of enzymes for deconstructing biomass. $2.4M to PNNL to increase production of fuel molecules in fungi growing on lignocellulosichydrolysate. $2.4M to TX AgriLife Research to develop platform for converting lignin (compound of all lignocellulosic material) into biofuel precursors. $1.8M to Lygos to develop methods, tools to convert biomass into chems.

5 trends for '13:
1, oil majors doubling down on NG, narrowing investments in advanced biofuels;
2, US biorefinery production capacity expected to reach 38.3B gal/y, exceeding mandates by 1.2B gal, actual production expected to lag mandates by 3.7B gal;
3, renewable biodiesel continues to spearhead advanced biorefinery scale-up, should account for over 50% of build out in '13;
4, muni solid waste, waste industrial gas projects will continue to gain traction globally;
5, feedstock sustainability concerns will continue to erode biofuel mandates.

Frustrated by hurricane response, NY gov seeking more state power over utilities.