The sun, relatively quiet in flares, other eruptions since end of '11, expected to roar back this year or next for 2nd peak of 11-year "solar max" cycle. Now in solar cycle 24.
A dozen Cal farmers got $5M state grant to build demo 285K gal/y plant to convert sugar beets from 250 acres into ethanol. Europe has over a dozen such commercial scale plants. Beets have higher sugar content than corn. Commercial scale 40M gal/y plant would take 35K acres.
RFS caps ethanol from corn at 15B gal/y. Production now ~13B.
Abengoa, Bright Source Energy partnering to build 500Mw concentrated solar plant in Cal. Start by yearend, finish in '16. 3,800 acres 33% less than needed for PV solar. Abengoa operates 4 CSP units in Europe since '07. Building 1 in S Africa. Bright Source has CSP units in Cal, Israel. Building 377Mw unit in Cal.
Sempra finished 92Mw 1st phase of southern Nevada PV solar project. 2nd phase 58Mw, completion in '15. PG&E 25-yr PPA. Sempra building another 250Mw project in area, another '15 completion.
Indianapolis Intl airport broke ground on 75 acre, $35-40M, 10Mw (est.) PV solar farm. Will be largest airport solar farm in US. 30 other solar projects around city.
Billionaire enviro activist launching effort to quantify what inaction on climate change could cost US.
Report: UK govt should build resilience to climate change risks into future infrastructure.
Report: water demands of coal power plants drying up north China.
China cities helping comps launch EV rentals.
Most of world's militaries recognize climate change as threat.
OECD recommends China tax pollution.
9 months after NAS said oil/gas regulators should take steps to prevent earthquakes from drilling officials in key states ignoring quake potential in drilling rules.
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