STUFF

Report: Europe's coal demand to drop 26% by '20, they say.

Last week's planned auction of drilling leases in Cal postponed. Monterey tight oil (fracking). Deposits est. at 15B bls.

China's top power producer recently started construction on 16 large power projects without Beijing approval.

Saud forecasts world oil demand to rise ~1Mb/d this year to over record 90Mb/d.

India Supreme Court approved commissioning nuke plant built by state-owned Nuclear Power Corp with Russian help. (Um, the Russian comp that built Chernobyl? I hope not prophetical.)

IEA: NG consumption in Europe not likely to increase much in near future. In some countries at 10-year lows from modest population growth, increased efficiency.

Drought may slow fracking ops in S TX.

Indications oil found in Israel-occupied West Bank. Israel may be quietly exploiting with horizontal drilling.

Alberta announced oil sands production up 10% in '12 to 1.9Mb/d. Will double to 3.8M by '22.

Canada National Resource Council, Canadian Natural Resources Ltd, Pond Biofuels to build $19M facility in Alberta to convert GHG emissions from oil sands ops into biofuels using algae. Completion in '16.

Maine legislature approved bill to ban ethanol blends in state if 2 neighbor states do same.

Study: investing in capture of methane emissions from palm oil effluent to reduce GHG emissions 80%, improve econ return of mills. (We shall see.)

Scotland OK'd Samsung to build 7MW offshore prototype wind turbine. To test new designs.

Lebanon says prelim surveys show offshore NG reserves 30TCF. 46 firms qualified to bid on 1st round of exploration. Production could start in '18.

DOE plans to spend $20M for research on methane hydrate deposits (deep ocean).

China to attempt to cap coal production at 4B tons/yr by '15. (Why? They'll just import more anyway.)

Pacific Ethanol (PEIX) shareholders approved reverse stock split to get back over $1/share. To replace every 5-15 shares with 1. (Usually selloff.)

Dynamic Fuel - JV between Syntroleum (SYNM), Tyson Foods - to reopen biodiesel plant in Louisiana by July. Idled in '12. New catalyst expected to increase yields up to 88%, increase revs $13M.

Wealthiest man in Africa said he's secured $4.25B in loans to help kick start Nigeria refinery biz. Country now imports most if its petrol products.

Indonesia extending ban on tree clearing.

Falmouth Mass zoning board of appeals declared 2 town-owned wind turbines a nuisance. 4-1 vote.

Innergex partner - Mi'gmaq communities - was allocated 150Mw for wind power project in Quebec. Quebec allocating 800Mw for new wind projects.

Solo Power to shed 33 more jobs, auctioned off equipment in Cal, struggling to survive.

IL Rural El Co-op broke ground on 500Kw PV solar project. Fall finish. $1.8M. $500K from IL Dept of Commerce, Econ Opportunity and grant through Renewable Energy Biz Development Program. Also pursuing USDA grant. Co-op also has wind turbine. Will have clean energy at 14% of peak demand.

S Korea to launch scheme to cap ~70% of its GHG emissions. Could result in Korean carbon price reaching $90/ton of CO2, highest in world. Linked schemes with Europe-Australia and Calif-Quebec to be in existence when their scheme starts in '15. Korea national target 30% below biz as usual emissions by '20. (While N Korea threatens to attack US, allies with nukes. What a world.)

Reliance Power 100Mw solar thermal plant in India should start up month late because state failed to lay water pipeline in time. $383M project.

Airbus, Air Canada, Biofuel Net Canada to study renewable jet fuels together.

Mitsui (Japan) buying 20% stake from GDP Suez in Brazil 3.75Gw hydro project. ESBR to build, op. Full production expected in '15. $8B. 50 turbines. Brazil Development Bank, other banks in on finance. 2 other comps each own 20%.

Massive efficiency gains hidden in cellphone networks: study. Bandwidth, speed, cost was buildout interests. Now energy efficiency. Energy use could be reduced 90% by '20 v. '10 levels. Despite volume increase of 88x in US, Europe, Japan.

Boston latest city to order large commercial, residential bldgs to report annual energy, water use.

Bloom Energy raised $130M equity round.

Armstrong Clean Energy Fund made 1st investment in Thai solar portfolio.

Asian Development Bank mulls $40M Azerbaijan biomass investment.

Energy expert predicts PG&E may not be able to compete with residential solar soon. PG&E residential rates now 31-35 cents/Kwh. Same prices that caused solar revolutions in HI, Australia. "By '22, could reach 54 cents."