STUFF

NREL launched clearinghouse of nationwide solar data that can lower cost of investing in solar, attract new types of investors like retirement funds.

Asian Development Bank: Asia's soaring energy demands will pose major econ, climate, health risks (already are), threaten energy security, widen gap 'tween rich, poor. (Sounds kind of bad.)

New school science standards in US set to strengthen climate change ed ... Climate change curricula spurring controversy in US, UK.

USDA pouring money into drought adaptation projects.

Study: lower Mekong Basin fish and rice farm yields will drop with climate extremes.

Industry report: est. US potential NG supply up to 2,384TCF. 25% increase in last 2 yrs. Sharply higher assessments of shale gas reserves.

India OK'd fracking ... Spain northern region banned it.

FSLR buying Tetrasun (developing silicon PV tech for rooftops) from JX Nippon Oil & Energy, others. To target Japan solar mart. Tetra panel efficiency 21%. Copper electrodes (not silver) save money. Tetra in San Jose.

China National Heavy Machinery wants Brazil corn farmers to invest $20M in local ethanol plant CNHM wants to build. Would process 400 metric tons corn per day.

India oil marketing comps to pay sugar mills 77 cents/liter of ethanol. Set at 49 cents previously. They will buy 1.1M liters. (Per year, I assume.) Want to export another 1M. Mills had offered 5.5M liters.

USDA asking White House to approve 1st-ever use of feedstock flexibility program. Would allow USDA to sell sugar at a loss to ethanol makers. USDA to buy up to 400K tons for commodity insurance program. Insurance price under 21 cents per pound. Futures below that.

Over 1K Europe comps call for end to solar trade war with China.

UAE's largest power/desalination plant now online. Dh10B of money. 2Gw elgen, 140M gal (imperial) water. ~1Gw elgen to grid, rest to power desal. (Assumption.)

M&W Group (Germany) got contract to build, maintain PV solar plant, substation in Israel. 55Mw. Single-axis tracking.

Obama budget cuts EPA $296M ... Fossil fuel programs cut at DOE, clean energy favored ... DOI increase in oil/gas fees ... Oil sands "loophole" ended ... Pipeline safety boost ... USDA cut in conservation funds, boost in clean energy ... $5.4B boost for wx satts at NASA ... boost in coal fees.

Conoco scratched '14 Arctic exploration plans.

Westinghouse trying again for DOE small modular reactor grant.

Thousands of gallons of diesel remain missing in Utah.

MD governor signed offshore wind bill.

Massachusetts community's plan to dismantle wind turbines narrowly failed.