STUFF

TOP STUFF

'12 was hottest ever in contiguous US. 55.3F avg topped '98 by 1 full degree. Over 34K daily high records set. 6.6K record lows.

Brit researchers lowered their 5-yr temp forecast.

Internet a growing source of GHG emissions, comparable to airlines: report.

EIA: US crude production avg 6.4Mb/d in '12. 800K above '11. Largest annual increase since birth of US oil industry in 1859.

CEO of API: N America could become self-sufficient in liquid fuels in ~12 yrs. But warns govt not to raise taxes on oil comps or impose new regs on fracking or refineries. Also optimistic admin will approve Keystone XL.

Neb state agency report: Keystone XL would involve "minimal" risks to state's overall environment. Also says oil sands crude no more corrosive than light crude. (Other experts differ.) Governor to soon approve pipe. State earlier rejected. Parts of pipe already going forward in ND, other areas.

Fire shut down TX nuke reactor.

NYU study: BPA may be linked to early indicator for kidney, heart disease.

NY Times slammed US, Euro biofuel policies for creating hunger in Guatemala.

EIA: US NG prices to rise slightly in '13-'14.

OTHER STUFF

Chinese hydrodam builder Hanergy bought MiaSole (Cal), a thin-film solar maker. Hanergy bought thin-film solar unit of QCells (Germany) in Sept. They now have 6 thin-film solar factories and 3 more in construction. Reportedly bought Mia for $30-120M. Investors (mostly VC's) had put in over $550M. Mia factory 160Mw/yr production capacity.

FSLR bought Chilean solar comp.

JASO started mass production of 5" high-efficiency monocrystalline solar modules.

Yingli prelim tally '12 solar module shipments over 2.2Gw. Record high, up 37% over '11.

Solar installs continue to grow in Germany despite subsidies cuts.

On Dec 29, wind power in France covered record 10% of country's el demand. For all Dec, wind met 4%. '12 avg was 3%. End of '11, total wind capacity 6.8Gw. Target 25Gw by '20, including 6Gw offshore.

First Wind (Mass) wants to increase portfolio of projects 50% or more, using fed tax credit extension. Now ops 980Mw in 6 states.

Mitsui (Japan) to buy 50% of EDF's $399M, 164Mw wind farm project in Mexico.

Invenergy (IL) got $500M investment from Canadian fund for minority stake in 13 operating wind farms. 2 in Canada, 11 in US. Total capacity ~1.5Gw.

Finland hydropower comp majority owned by govt got 12-yr $26M loan from Nordic Investment Bank to build new 25Mw dam. '16 completion. Comp ops 20 hydro plants, total capacity 1.14Gw.

Cisco teaming with AT&T on home energy management with wireless control panel.

UPS, USPS teaming on new way to measure carbon footprint of transportation and delivery ops.

Russian wildlife conservation project to generate carbon credits for Germany. I didn't look further, but seems a little odd.

Cardinal Ethanol (Ind) may reduce or cease production due to corn shortage.

India biofuel board to set up cashew apple-based biofuel pilot plants.

DOE awarded TX A&M $2.3M to study how to convert lignin into biofuel.

UK researchers find delaying flowering in miscanthus can boost production 50%.

Green Fuel in Zimbabwe re-started ethanol production after govt approved E5 blending.

Iran added 2 new NG-fired power plants totaling 650Mw for $367M. They're world's 14th leading el producer: IEA. 1st in mideast. 67Gw. Target 70Gw by yearend.

DOI, Coast Guard to review Shell's Arctic drilling problems.

Ukraine to work toward coal gasification with $3.65B 19-yr credit line deal with China Development Bank. Wants to reduce NG (Gazprom) use ~4BCM/yr, saving up to $1.5B. 4 investment programs. Their coal market could grow to 10M tons/yr. Coal slurry fuel 30-70% cheaper than NG/oil. Not that bad GHG emissions.