STUFF

Study: Arctic glaciers headed for thaw.

BP CEO: US will be 99% energy independent by '30.

Intl team of chemists discovered an existing material can separate CO2 from waste streams at power plants, drilling sites more cheaply, more efficiently than current tech. (More on this later, I'm sure.)

Repub mayor of Lancaster, Cal wants to mandate solar on new homes. Says "no greater crisis facing world today" than global warming.

Despite recent snowstorms, US' severe drought profile barely changed.

Scientists beginning to quantify impacts of brown carbon on atmos.

EU rejected Poland's challenge to carbon permit allocation.

MD Senate panel quashed fracking ban.

$25B Canada oil project closing in on financing.

US shale oil boom crippling Nigeria oil exports to US.

New global solar power generation capacity to rise ~14% this year to over 34Gw. Avg est. of 7 analysts surveyed by Bloomberg. 4.4% growth in '12 (Italy and France cut subsidies, demand fell).

Prices for silicon-based solar panels fell ~20% to 79 cents/w in past 12 months. Dropped 50% previous year. China expects 10Gw of new solar projects in China this year, 3x last year. Stagnant prices to cut annual industry revenues to projected $75B from $77B.

Polysilicon prices fell ~43% in past year to $16.39/kg. Will probably recover to $20-25 this year. (Reported on more polysi production capacity coming online in recent "Stuff". More panel producers to make their own polysi.)

Cal researchers got $350K USAF grant to better organize enzymes on electrodes to create nano devices that more efficiently convert chem energy of sugars, complex carbs into el. 1 objective to create novel anodes for enzymatic biofuel cells.

Green Biologics (UK) awarded 185K Pound Sterling grant from UK agency to engineer novel bacterial host for biobutanol production. Total project cost 492K.

New analysis of NG production potential of Barnett shale sees declining production through '30 and beyondo. It peaked in '11-'12. Ramp up started in '99. Reached just under 2TCF/y. Projected 1.5TCF in '20, .8TCF in '30. Forecast cumulative 44TCF recoverable reserves. Studies of 3 other major US shale gas basins by yearend.

UK providing 3-yr, $15M plan to back mining, oil/gas projects in Afghanistan. Est. $1T of untapped mineral wealth. Royalties, taxes could reach $3T. "Saudi Arabia of lithium." But mining law to attract foreign investment recently rejected as "too generous" to West. China in the hunt too. $3.4B contract to build copper mine and $6B railway to go with it. Should enter production next year. (Um, what did China do to get rid of AlQaida or Taliban? Ah, that's the way it goes. Do dah. But I've herd lately that China's sovereign surplus is gone. Could that be?)

Cal sits atop more shale oil and shale gas - Monterey - than any other state. By far. Enviro laws hold up development. 15.4B bls recoverable crude oil. (Bakken 3.6B)

EIA: US has 25B bls in proven unconventional shale oil (deposits locked up in rocks deep underground). 2,552TCF potential NG resources exist (that's 100 years at present use). Shale gas comprised 23% of all NG production in '10. Projected 46% by '35.

DOE awarded $27.2M to consortium led by Phycal to develop system to produce biofuel from microalgae cultivated with captured CO2 from fermentation of cassava production for ethanol. Also sugar boost for algae production from cassava process. GE a partner. Pilot farm in Oahu.

Coke, Dell, Facebook, Hertz to offer EV charging at work.

Ford to accel waste reduction effort.

Report: plant retirements, wind integration triggering surge of grid upgrades.

New report found holes in scientific integrity efforts at US agencies.

NC legislation targets EPA air pollution tests on human subjects. (Hell, just go to Beijing.)

Bipartisan bill intro'd in Congress to exempt farms from EPA oil spill regs. (Do that oil industry math.)

DOE approved Tesla's (TSLA) accelerated loan repay plan.

Mich won't allow tax credit transfer for A123 (AONE). (Nope, not now that AONE's Chinese.)

Dunkin Donuts moving toward enviro healthier pastry. (How 'bout the coffee?)

China may sell nuke reactors overseas this year.

88% of pump gas prices determined by oil price: Tillerson on Rose.

Final thought: did NASA put thermometers on moon in '69? Is the sun heating up or is it our GHG's making it warmer?