STUFF

Amount of CO2 in atmos jumped too much in '12. Very unlikely global warming can be limited to another 2 degrees Farenheit. New fed figs. Jumped 2.67 PPM since '11. Total now just under 395 PPM. 2nd highest rise in carbon emissions since records began in '59. '98 was tops - 2.93 PPM added. More coal burning plants in developing world. Oceans, plants took in less CO2 than avg. '00-'10 avg just under 2 PPM. Under 1 PPM/y in '60's.

China putting $40B into developing shale deposits.

Flurry of bills to allow climate change denial to be taught in public schools have been moving through state legislatures. (Fine. As long as both sides presented fairly, people can make up their own minds.)

Clean/renewable energy comps to get smaller checks from Treasury 1603 grants because of sequest. 8.7% reduction in 30% ITC. Expected cut of 7.6% in Oct. Final grant amount now 27.4%, not 30.

Report: climate change behind Australia's extreme weather.

S Korea to begin carbon trading in '15.

Study: volcanic emissions can have cooling effect on globe.

India govt projecting continued dependence on coal.

Salazar: budget cuts threaten American Native Nations' oil/gas development.

Conoco CEO pushing US crude exports as path to energy security. (?!)

Columbia onshore drilling projects ramping up, sees Caribbean drilling start in '14.

High taxes putting Russia's top spot in oil production in jeopardy.

NG prices hit 7-yr peak in UK. (Supply weeks from running out.)

US had $1.63B clean energy trade surplus with China in '11: Pew Research. $8.5B total exchanged. $6.5B in solar products, $913M US surplus. Over $1.1B of  smart meters, LEDs, advanced lith-ion batts, EVs, other energy efficiency products for $571M US surplus. Wind power industry $923M of trade, US $146M surplus. (That was '11.)

Suntech (STP: China) has $575M of bonds maturing March 15. Maybe has 1/5 of money needed to cover. US hi-tech vet Susan Wang taking over as chairperson, replacing founder. Beijing bailout expected in exchange for major ownership.

RWE (Germany's 2nd largest utility) to cut clean/renewable energy investment by half next year to reduce debt, counter falling earnings. To spend ~$652M/y on clean/ren in '14 and '15, down from 1B Euros this yr. Will seek to sell its smaller biomass power plants. Runs counter to govt plans to replace nuke power with clean/ren. RWE will stick with offshore wind but go "1 at a time".

Renewables Global Futures Report 2013 shows total energy system costs in some scenarios to be roughly equal for clean/ren-centric and fossil-centric cases. Future of clean/ren depends on finance, risk-return profiles, biz models, investment lifetimes, other econ, policy, social factors. 138 new clean/ren projects in 4Q12 for $86.1B. 157 projects for $79.2B in 3Q12.

Price Waterhouse Coopers report reveals institutions doubled energy sector investment in '12 over '11. Some projections of annual investment in clean/ren by '20 $400-500B ($260B in '11). Some projections in coming decades $300B- $1T/yr.

Total production (crude, NG liquids, bitumen) by world's 5 major oil comps down over 25% since '04. Over 10.7Mb/d to ~8M in '12.

DOE: sequester threatens cleanup of leaking nuke sludge at Hanford. (Really.)

Locusts in Israel. (I know.)

Propel Fuels, Solazyme (SZYM) say sales up 35% at Propel stations offering Soladiesel in B20 blend in 30-day pilot trial in Cal. 92% of folks more likely to buy the algae-derived fuel. 40% would pay premium. Solazyme expects to have 550K metric tons production capacity by '15. $1B of revenue. Also offtake agreements with Dow Chem, Qantas. NREL says 20% blend outperforms ultra-low sulfur diesel 10-30% in total HC's, CO and particulates.

German researcher says increased planting of trees like eucalyptus, willow, poplar near urban areas for biofuel can lead to human deaths from increased ozone.

Sri Lanka banned ethanol inports to keep afloat 2 ethanol-from-molasses mills appropriated by govt last year.

St Lou's Lambert 1st US airport to use bio-based de-icer.

EIA says now is time to drop fossil fuel subsidies. ~$4B/y. Domestic oil production soaring, petrol and coal sector profits rising rapidly.

Ports in N Europe switching to NG to power ships. EU target to cut GHG emissions from shipping to 40% of '05 levels by '50. (A little time left.) Swede, Dutch comps jointly investing $155M in LNG terminal in Gothenburg.

Utility sustainability practices leading to better bottom lines. Power sector needs $2T for capital expansion next 20 yrs.

Indy Motor Speedway to build 9.6Mw solar farm NE of track (turn 3?). SunWize Tech to start in May.

US Geothermal got balance of Treasury grant of $11.8M for Nevada project. Developing project in Guatemala.

US Ex-Im Bank to loan $28.6M to expand Honduras wind project by 12 turbines to 126Mw. Gamesa equipment to be made in US.

Pristine Sun got loan from Panasonic for 50Mw of Cal solar projects. Half this yr, half next. Avg ~1Mw each project. Total cost up to $150M. PG&E to pay avg 13 cents/Kwh.

BLDP signed agreement with VW to advance development of fuel cells for demo cars. 4 yrs for C$60-100M. BLDP up 58% today.