STUFF

TOP STUFF

Congress passed wind energy tax credit extension with fiscal deal bill. Covers all projects with a '13 construction start.

They also extended tax credits for cellulosic biofuels, bio/renewable diesel. Cellulosic $1.01/gal credit extended through '13. Algae-based fuel now also included. $1/gal cred for biodiesel through '13. (Had expired at end of '11.) Cellulosic bonus depreciation also extended through '13.

Mid American (Buffett) to spend up to $2.5B to build 2 Sunpower (SPWR) projects in Cal. Combined 579Mw. SPWR will op, maintain. 1Q13 start, completion by '16.

Study: Colorado River flow to decline ~10% next 30 yrs.

OTHER STUFF

EIA: US wind installs 44% of all new elgen capacity in '12. NG-fired power plants 2nd at 30%.

Peter Lynch's solar portfolio up 40% in '12. Bought FSLR, JKS, WFR late Nov.

Washington State has to amend state constitution to recognize hydropower as clean energy source. Yep, crazy stupid govt.

Jordan set to get $300M from Gulf states to boost investment in clean energy. Earmarked from $5B of Gulf Coop Council fund. Jordan projects expect to produce over 125Mw clean elgen. 50-75Mw solar, 75-100Mw wind. Fund $1.25B each from Sauds, UAE, Kuwait, Qatar. Jordan got $112M loan secured by World bank in July to support 100Mw concentrated solar PV (CSP) plant. They now import 97% of their elgen (near 1/4 of GDP).

S Korea restarting 1 of 2 nuke reactors shut down over forged documents for parts. Govt wants to avoid winter blackouts. Colder than normal winter.

New Japan prime minister pledging to build nuke reactors.

Federation of Thai Industries leading investment in 120M Baht pilot 1Mw biomass gasification plant. Online yearend. Banks currently not loaning for gasification plants.

Smyrna, GA converting 10% of its 70 vehicle diesel fleet to run on biodiesel from used cooking oil collected by city workers. Expected to save over $100K/yr ($1.25/gal) with funds from fed stimulus.

US shale NG decline rate est. at 32%, up from 23% in '01. Annual replacement requirement ~22BCF/d.

High concentrations of salts, including those of radium and barium, present in flowback waters from late-end fracking, U of PA research found.

Colorado proposing bigger buffer between oil/NG fracking/drilling and homes.

Exxon doubling capacity at largest petrochem complex.

OPEC netted $1T oil revenues in '12.

Rosneft led Russian oil output to new high, up 1% to 10.37Mb/d in '12. Highest production in world. But W Siberia fields running down.

African exports to China up 6x since '00. Mostly oil. In past year China surpassed US, Europe as Africa's largest trading partner. Chinese biz invested ~$15B in Africa in '12.

China discovered ~5B tons of petrol reserves, 2.6TCM of NG, 280B tons of coal in '08-'11 in country. Reportedly.