STUFF

EC investigators made "unannounced inspections" of BP, Shell, Platts in inquiry into potential oil price manipulations.

Natural catastrophes in US generated $35B in privately insured property losses in '12. $11B more than average over last decade. Most insurers agree with scientific consensus that burning fossil fuels is main culprit of global warming. New insurance institute supports a carbon tax to combat it.

Biz group programs lowering local emissions without mentioning climate change or global warming. Cleveland Chamber of Commerce to launch program to help businesses get loans for energy efficiency retrofits. Salt Lake City Chamber promoting "clean air" to reduce gasoline use.

Cal governor proposing to borrow $500M from cap-and-trade revenues to help balance state budget. Brown also calling fracking "fabulous opportunity".

Researchers developing system to auto predict power outages during large storms.

Spring of '12 was warmest, earliest in US history. (Just a good news thought: this US spring much cooler, later, less flooding, less tornadoes - anecdotal observation.)

Power industry pressure blocking TX bill supporting home solar panels.

Solar City (SCTY) suing Treasury Dept. Alleging comp received less than expected from now defunct 1603 program. $8.1M less for just 2 projects. SCTY, subsidiaries filed for $400M.

Bio Amber closed its IPO. $80M raised. BIOA.U on NYSE until June 10. Trading down ~20% already.

Biodiesel added $15B to soy oil revenues '06-'12. Raised soy price 74 cents/bushel. Soy oil for biodiesel  670K lbs in '05 went to 4.1B in '12. US soy oil use in food aps fell 3.6B lbs in same period.

U Cal researchers boosting oil production in tobacco for biofuels. 3-yr, $4.8M ARPA-E project "PETRO". Oils akin to those from algae.

Bio Fuel Net Canada signed deal with Air Canada, Airbus to help find most promising biofuels for av.

ePure asked EC to see if EU customs legislation properly applied in Finland. Evidence indicates ethanol blended with gasoline from US for EU market will be classified as ethanol blend with much lower import duties than denatured ethanol, creating unfair market situations, circumvention of import duties.

dynaCERT (Canada) making gains with HydraGen. Boosts fuel efficiency for heavy truck industry. Advanced electrolysis uses distilled water with potassium hydroxide electrolyte to produce dry H gas for injection into engine.

US gets 40% of its uranium from Russia, Russia "influenced" nations with "Megatons to Megawatts". Ends in Dec. Russia will be free to sell its U on open market. Prices will probably go up. (URRE one possible play.)

IEA: Africa's oil demand to grow faster than rest of world next 5 years. 4%/yr growth v. 1.2% forecast for rest of world. LNG expected to see largest increase in demand. Africa crude refining cap 3.47Mb/d. New refinery planned in Nigeria. Industry now running at 60% of cap.

Washington Gas Energy Systems to finance, own, op 434Kw solar array on capped landfill in Mass. Completion in June. Will help power all town's govt facils, street lighting, schools.

National Nuclear Security Admin awarded Siemens unit contract to build US govt's largest wind farm (Not GE. Huh.) 5 2.3Mw turbines for Pantex plant in TX. To save $2.9M/yr. 20-yr contract. Will gen over 60% of power demand of Pantex complex.

Apex Wind Energy (VA) increasing amount of turbines at $336M project in Ind. Construction start before yearend. Will still be 200Mw farm. Smaller turbs to reduce noise.

Eurus Energy Holdings (Japan) - JV between Toyota unit, TEP - to build 115Mw solar farm in N Japan. July start, online late '15. ~$480M.

Hanergy (China) bought Engersa (UK) to expand into UK residential solar market. Their 3rd acquisition outside China in past year. Bought Mia Sole in US, Q-Cells in Germany. LDK Solar, HSOL also snapping up overseas peers to gain market, tech. Hanergy says they have 2Gw of thin-film solar manufacturing cap. No risk of EU silicon solar tariffs.

Project developer: Chilean solar will be limited by grid issues.

E-CL got permission for Phase 3 of 309Mw Chili wind project.

JCM Capital to invest in 100Mw of Japan solar.

Suntech partial deferment for $541M bond payment.

SMA Solar EUR5.8M loss in Q1.

EBRA considering EUR68M loan for 120Mw Polish wind farm.

US Senate passed bill 83-14 authorizing new lock, dam, levee, enviro restoration spending.

High-level job vacancies at EPA.

US House bill would open up RFS to NG.

GAO: decision makers fail to consider climate change in infrastructure design.

Indian Point reactor to op with expired license.

Study: young Americans driving less. (Probably can't afford to.)

States chafing at TSLA plan to sell directly to customers.

Cocaine, BPA taint Minn lakes. (I know, where the hell is the coke coming from?!)

China ministry OK'd nation's largest hydropower dam.