STUFF

Senator Graham to block DOE nominee confirmation until he gets commitment for facility in SC to turn weapons-grade material into nuke power fuel.

Tesoro plans to boost West Coast rail capacity to move more crude.

China solar PV demand down 23% in 1Q13 to 6.2Gw. Europe's PV demand est. 2.7-3.2Gw this year.  Japan will be strongest in 1H, US should pick up in 2H. "Rest of world" to provide 2.5-3.6Gw of demand.

Asia Development Bank providing $85M to solar unit of Thailand's Electricity Generating Public for 3 solar plants, total 57Mw.

Taiwan planning subsidies for biogas power gen at local govt level (landfills, probably). Aps for 65-500Kw projects.

Clenergy - a China-Australia JV - to develop 300Mw of solar plants in China for $625M through '15.

Southern Cross Renewable Energy Fund contributing 1/2 of over $9M investment in H storage tech project. The VC fund established under Australia's $100M Renewable Energy VC Fund Program. Matching funds from Softbank China VC.

India filed charges with WTO charging US with same trade restrictive practices that US accuses India of. Dispute over domestic content requirements for clean/renewable energy projects.

420Mw wind farm in Australia reached full capacity in March. $1B project.

CK Solar Korea to install 300Mw solar plant in Pakistan. $900M cost, '16 completion. 1500 acres already procured by govt.

AGL Energy (Australia) to build AUS$200M, 50Mw CdTe solar plant in Australia. FSLR modules. '15 open.

Energy Australia, Origin Energy together control over 1/2 of Australia's el mart. Stopped signing PPAs for clean/renew energy projects. National election (Sept) politics.

Solar City New Zealand, Panasonic New Zealand partnering on 131Kw solar system to power desalination plant on Nauru (world's smallest republic).

India avg peak demand exceeds supply by over 10Gw, ~8%. Estimate capacity needs to reach 960Gw by '31-'32 to support 9%/yr GDP growth. 37Gw of new gen cap needs to be installed per year to meet that.

S Africa metal workers pension funds to invest $109M on clean/ren energy projects. Expecting pow gen shortage this winter.

Anonymous donors have been coming forward to fund solar projects at schools, universities, municipalities across US.

Heliac (AZ) launching microalgae production platform. "Volaris." A "game changer". Flex tech to produce specific customer needs. 20-acre commercial scale facility to open in Q3. Expansion to Indonesia to begin later this year. Mars family main investors. Not yet profitable for biofuels. To sell products and systems.

Iowa farmers earning 40 cents/bushel premium on Enogen (Syngenta) corn. Replaces need for alpha amylase enzyme in ethanol production.

Black Gold Biofuels (NC) opened recycling facility for restaurant wastewater. Cleans up water, recovers oils for biofuels.

U of Exeter (UK) team, with Shell support, developing method to make bacteria produce diesel on demand. Special strains of E coli. Almost identical to conventional diesel.

Stricter sustainability requirements - water, bird biospheres - hampering Europe biodiesel trade. Especially in Germany.

Saud's shale gas hopes dashed due to lack of water.

GM says plug-in "Spark" has 82 mile range. 119 MPG equivalent. Full refuel in 7 hrs on 240V charger. Soon capable of 20 min charge for 80% refill.

Drax (UK) got $115M loan to convert UK's largest coal-fired power plant to biomass. Total project funding ~$815M Pounds. Initial switch of 3 of 6 units to burn wood pellets next 3-4 yrs.

Conergy (Germany) started up 4.5Mw UK solar power plant for Lightsource Renewable Energy.

Intl Finance Corp (World Bank unit) to lend up to $50M to Acme Solar Energy (India) for 25Mw PV solar plant in Madhya Pradesh.

Fisker to face lawmakers after failure to make DOE loan payment. (Another media circus?)

Judges upheld EPA air permits for Shell's Alaska operations.

DOI set August lease of 21M acres in western Gulf of Mex.

AEP's coal use growing as NG prices stay up over $4.