STUFF

Atlantic Wind Connection announced plans for 1st phase of offshore wind power transmission spine. 189-mile segment from off Jersey City to south of Atlantic City. Est. cost $1.3B.

Norway needs new power lines to allow it to double hydropower capacity, boost el exports. Country now gets 99% of its el from hydro. Produced 146Twh last yr, exported 18Twh. 29Gw installed hydro capacity. Capacity could be boosted 5-10Gw. Another 10-20Gw could be harnessed from pumped water storage facilities.

IRENA set goal to double global clean energy capacity by '30. Now ~15% of energy mix. Installs will have to increase 110-150Gw/yr. China announced intent to become full member.

French president called for investment in clean energy at World Future Energy Summit in Abu Dhabi. French Energy Minister signed deal with Masdar (Abu Dhabi) for cooperation with French clean energy comps.

Sauds to form company to buy power from clean/ren power generators, cover cost differences between purchase and sale prices.

Abu Dhabi National Energy Comp (Taqa) bought minority stake in India comp developing 100Mw hydro run-of-river plant expected online this yr. Plans to buy all of comp later. Taqa 75% owned by govt. Also buying 50% of Minnesota wind project from French comp, investing $12B in 17Gw coal power generation project in Turkey.

LA launched FIT (feed-in tariff) to help switch to solar power.

China looking to curb vehicle emissions to combat record smog levels.

Maine looking to block ethanol blends higher than 10% in regional ban.

Vinerna (Brazil) investing $354M for cereal feedstock ethanol plants. 1st in country.

Indonesia pushing harder for domestic palm oil biodiesel use.

Seaweed-based ethanol tech getting boost in Vietnam.

Portugal researchers looking at carob waste pulp as biofuel feedstock.

MIT engineers developed new polymer film that can generate energy from water vapor. Film made from polypyrrole, polyol-borate. Polymer connected to piezoel material to power nanoel devices.

Lawrence Livermore started incubator to accel development of innovative energy techs. Access to some of world's most powerful computers. 6 applicants selected. To work on problems in oil/NG exploration, grid operational planning, improving energy efficiency and advanced ICE's.

Electric Gen Auth of Thailand signed deal with Laos counterpart to invest in power and related sectors in Laos. Strong protests in Thailand against power plant construction prompting country to buy more el from Laos.

Colo enacted some of most stringent laws on oil/NG ops in US. Comps required to test up to 4 nearby groundwater wells before and after drilling. Only 2 states have groundwater programs. Colo 1st to require post-drilling samples. (That's the whole point, isn't it? Sometimes it's hard to believe what the news is.)

Range Resources "never caused any impacts" on water wells outside Ft Worth. The driller says testing results provided to EPA show methane levels consistent with historical water quality in region.

EIA expects Brent oil prices to fall to avg $105/bl in '13, $99 in '14. WTI should fall slightly next 2 yrs.

Dynegy (TX) completed $1B of enviro upgrades at 4 IL coal plants last month. Over 100 coal generation units mothballed in US since '09. Dynegy settled with EPA in '05 over these plants. In next year, Edison Intl's Midwest Generation, Ameren have promised to invest $1B each to clean up their 9 IL coal plants.

Coal ash at 3 MD landfills to be cleaned up. $2.2M in penalties to be paid.

Tata Power (India) seeks to add 1.6Gw to 4Gw coal plant to sell power in open market.