STUFF

Estimated 70K dead in Syria so far from 2 years of war. Not to mention the rape and torture. Just to remind everyone of what's happening. And Syria's not the only place it's happening, unfortunately. And the children will take their revenge on who's creating their and their families' hell. Unless they learn how to be better than that. Good luck with that.

Back to head in the sand. Or just keeping it down low.

McCarthy said EPA not considering national low-carbon fuel standard (would help diesel, biofuels industries).

Freshwater flows, sea ice melt increase acidification in Arctic waters.

Calif recommending $2.25B fine over PG&E NG pipeline explosion.

Brazil's 11.2Gw hydropower project on hold again with indigenous peoples' occupation of 1 of 3 construction sites.

Energy Watch Group - independent scientists - conclude global peak oil (max sustainable rate of global oil production) happened last year. Also say US NG production gone about as far as it can. Predict highest level of global fossil fuel production (oil, NG, coal) by end of decade. Oil production - crude plus condensate (what can be used for transportation fuels) - on plateau since ~'05. (I declared that in '04). Estimated 40% production decline by '30. Total world coal consumption was ~4B tons/yr in '00. Will rise to 8.5B by '20 then fall to 4.5B by '40. New "tight" shale oil production to only grow a few more years, peak by '17. US max production to occur in '15. Brief top of US NG production in '12-'14. Then sharp decline before end of decade. Much of "oil" production in new TX wells actually production of NG liquids, NG condensates. (Report should spark debate, to be sure.)

ADM's ethanol plants all turned back on in 1Q13. All at 100% cap. Corn prices down lately from higher-than-expected stockpiles. (And probably '13 planting plans.)

PBF Energy (NJ) plans to boost RIN purchases this year to $160M from $60M last year. They're ~400M RINs short of E10 requirement. Plan to boost ethanol blend into 75% of their gasoline in 2H13. Now 50%.

Carbontec Energy (ND) to use sugar beet waste, other biomass to power coal nugget production facility. Biomass makes iron production near carbon neutral. 1st phase $60M cost, $50M/yr revs. 100K metric ton cap plant breaks ground 1Q14. Eventual 300K met tons/yr with $150M investment.

Celanese set to launch phase 1 of $2.5B coal-to-ethanol plant in India along with state-owned oil/gas comp.

Indonesia ready to take EU to WTO over biodiesel dumping fight. Negotiations failed. Industry expects EU to impose duties on Indonesia imports.

Costs ~$6/MCF (MBTU?) to liquify NG, ship it, regassify it. US considering exports. (Don't.)

4 US colleges, 10 US cities signed up with "Go Fossil Free" campaign to divest funds of fossil fuel stocks, bonds.

Dispersants make oil spills 52x more toxic.

~700Mw of wind power in development in ND. State now ~80% coal powered. 2/3rds exported.

Abengoa to build el-from-muni waste gasification plant in AZ. $110M. Up to 180K tons waste/yr. Up to 350 tons of gas produced/day to gen 15Mw. 23 tons/Mw by my math.

Scotland to collab with S Korea to expand tidal power effort.

India plans to close loophole before next solar power auction to stop comps from importing thin-film panels from overseas suppliers (FSLR) for projects that otherwise must be built with locally-made equipment. Bids by end of May for 750Mw. 300Mw required to use locally-made cells, panels. Govt also to extend grants up to $348M total to cover up to 30% of upfront costs.

Thai comp to build 210Mw solar plant in Myanmar.

EIB committing Eur140M to 150Mw of Austrian wind farms. (Or Australian. Could have red it rong.)

Enviro group appealing BLM decision to extend Colo oil/gas leases.

"Slightly radioactive water" leaked into Lake Michigan.

Summer power outages possible in Cal without San Onofre nuke plant: grid manager. (Could be another Enron-like ploy to milk Cal system. W's old bud - "Kenny Boy" - thingy? Antennae up.)

Solar City filed suit over size of federal grants. (All I saw on that.)

In appeal, WTO deemed Canadian clean/renew energy incentive scheme illegal. (Ouch. Illegal is harsh.)

Cal to force ships to shut off engines in port, plug in.

1366 Tech (Mass) teaming with Tokuyama (JP) for R&D deal that should boost 1366 sales after they start mass production. 1366 opened 25Mw factory this year. Success of production ramp by mid-'14 key to $150M fed loan guarantee to build 1Gw factory. Novel silicon wafer production tech.

FSLR to lay off 150 workers at AZ plant next few weeks. Restructuring global ops. ~5.2K people employed global, 1.7K in US. Most layoffs from admin. To save $30M/yr.

EC decided to recommend duties on Chinese solar panels tomorrow. Initially seeking at least 30% tariffs. Possible up to 50%. UK, Italy, Romania, Poland, Hungary, Sweden, Slovakia expressing "deep concerns", opposition to EC action.

Colo set to expand clean/ren energy in rural utilites to 20% by '20. State's el rates lower than much of US at 9.4 cents/Kwh in Feb. Ready for gov's signature.

Following in steps of 16 states, House version of MN bill sets timeline for investor-owned utilities to add solar to elgen mix. .5% of el sales by '16, 2% by '20, 4% by '25, "objective" of 10% by '30. In ADDITION to 25% by '25.

Onward and upward and out of the boxward pards. Out of the parkward. Let's make stuff better. Happy trailers.