STUFF

Shell not to return to offshore Arctic this year. Conoco says their '14 plan on track.

Japan to begin restart of nuke power plants that pass new safety stds expected to be adopted as early as July.

AFL-CIO calling for expanding US oil/gas pipeline system. Didn't mention Keystone.

Citigroup: solar industry will boom globally, challenge cheap NG. Shell says solar may be world's top energy source by '70, NG by '30. They got out of solar 4 years ago.

Sequestration threatening output of important data for weather outlooks, wildfire risks, drought forecasts and long-term understanding of climate change.

Military looking to trim budget with energy efficiency, conservation.

EPA zeroed out '12 cellulosic ethanol requirements. (Duh. there was no production. So, maybe no fines for refineries?)

Obama to speak soon on climate ... China moving close to clean energy targets ... Chu, Bloomberg made moral case to address climate change at ARPA-E conference ...

Report: investment in smart grid tech grew steadily last year.

Australia reefs could be severely damaged sooner than expected.

GOM crash sends oil spewing from shuttered well.

Japan shies away from oil-linked LNG prices. Eyeing US exports.

EIA released map indicating spread of commercial scale cellulosic biofuels production. Details growth of sector from 20K gal capacity in '12 to 5M in '13. Expecting 250M by '15. Original '07 target was 1B gal in '13.

India reintroduced wind power subsidy, announced low-cost loans for clean energy in budget. Wind subsidy $147M. Will help add 400Mw in coming FY. Loans for next 5 yrs. India plans to add total 3Gw clean/ren in next FY.

EIA says water resources available for hydropower in Cal could be significantly higher in '13. Pacific NW projected to be at norm to below.

FSLR back on top on CdTe thin-film solar cell efficiency. 18.7%, taking back lead from GE. But translates to 13-14% efficiency at module installed level.

Calif Lithium Battery signed licensing agreement with Argonne for anode material for high-energy lithium batts. Commercial-scale production planned by '14. Energy density ~3x current production. Claim 70% less cost to produce.

Corn futures rising on expectations next crop may be as bad as last. Supports ethanol futures. Tightens discount to gasoline.

EU research: degraded land available for biofuel feedstocks far less than previously thought. May be only 140M-2.6B acres v. 800M-3.5B.

As of  '12, Ghana proven oil reserves ~660M bls, most offshore. Recent Eni find raises that ~20%. Production ~120Kb/d, at least, expected this year.

Georgia completed Black Sea Transmission Network connection with el substation. Work in Turkey nearing completion. Both countries may join into Euro Net (ENTSO-E). Georgia built 292km transmission line. 1st country in region with DC switching unit installed. Siemens install. 500/400-220Kv substation, DC switch unit cost 159M Euros. Euro Investment Bank helped with 80M Euros. Greater stability of Georgian elgen system, reduced el losses, ensures el transit from neighboring countries.

MD regulators say state utilities must improve reliability.

Brazil el prices spiking recent months from lower rain levels affecting hydropower. Spot prices in SE hit 305/Mwh v. 42 last year.

Scot govt, Highlands and Islands Enterprise providing $4.6M to Euro Marine Energy Center in Orkney to install extra test site for wave power generation. Scotland also to provide 1.1M Pounds for project to study capability of offshore support ships for maintaining wave, tidal machinery. Govt says up to 1/4 of Europe's tidal resources, 10% of wave resources in Scot waters.

Toho Titanium, JX Nippon, JNC ended polysilicon venture. Intl glut of solar panels. Set up in '08. Factory closes March '14. Planned to produce 4.5K metric tons this year.

Analysts warning markets biased against clean energy: Bloomberg New Energy Finance. 7 major financial regs appear to be dissuading investors from backing clean energy investments that require high upfront bucks. Financial system " institutionally fossilist".

Windpower developers ditching steel met towers for aluminum for cost savings.

Philly region poised to become 1 of US' leaders to foster energy efficient bldgs.