STUFF

EC, China settled solar dumping case. Set minimum price of 74 cents/w for Chinese panels. 25% lower than what they were selling for last year. No tariffs. Euro panel makers vowing to sue EC to void the deal.

Bitumen, oily vegetation leaking at Alberta oil sands facility for months now. 176 bls of bitumen spilled, 800 bls of oily veg.

Research team began injecting 1K tons of CO2 underground to see whether it can be permanently stored. (How long will it take to know if it will be "permanently" stored?)

Study: traditional climate models neglect important soil carbon factors.

Huge dark spot on Sun's north pole region. (Anything to do with US midwest new cold records this month? What's the temps on Mars, Moon, space station? Where's the reporting? NASA?)

Scientists puzzled over changing rates of emissions from thawing permafrost.

Study: Oregon river's peak snowpack to drop over 50% from global warming.

Reuters cut climate coverage 50% in '12. New editor.

Fish, Wildlife Service rejected AK's proposal for seismic testing for oil/NG in ANWR.

US govt antitrust probe into fracking services.

Limited study found contamination in Barnett Shale water wells. (Only takes 1 bad operator, mistake.)

ND approved $58M to aid oil patch infrastructure, security.

Samsung, UK comp to develop $28M energy storage project in England. Samsung lith-ion batts for up to 10Mw. "Only green tech without subsidies."

Report: Europe's transport sector sluggish in adopting biofuels. Near 14.4M tons of oil equivalent in '12 used, up 2.9% from '11.

New solar-powered homes in Japan 30% of total market in '12. Over 370Mw installed. 13% in Cal in '12.

Congress working on bill to halt Iran oil exports completely. No more exceptions.

Syria evolving into 3 states. Assad regime in west, rebels in east, Kurds in Nwest. (Should be a new Kurdistan.)

Chinese oil production up 172Kb/d 1H13 to 4.18M.

Total paying near $700K/d for new ultra-deepwater drill ship offshore Africa.

Oil resources estimate in Falklands raised to over 3B bls from 2.1B.

EIA: OPEC nations excluding Iran earned near $982B in '12 from net oil exports. Up 5% over '11.

Energy use by oil/NG drilling, production equipment in W TX outpacing capacity of region's power grid, raising el prices.

About half of China's rivers have dried up since '90. Those remaining mostly contaminated. Severe pollution affects 75% of rivers, lakes. 28% unsuitable even for ag. Coal can't be mined, power stations can't run without water.

China banned construction of govt bldgs next 5 yrs.

So far, 6 universities, 16 cities, 11 religious institutions agreed to divest fossil fuel comps assets.

Fukushima operator announced plans to release radioactive water into Pacific. (It's already been leaking into ocean for a long while.)

Central Maine Power to give up to $15K to a few selected organizations to lease or buy EVs. To eval different options, EV use.

National Grid (UK) to invest $5.5B plus in current FY. Plans 1.3-1.4B Pounds/yr investment in US transmission, infrastructure upgrades, new customer connects.

AMEC to build 28Mw of solar for Dominion.

Kyocera JV targets 70Mw more of Japan solar installs by '15.

Libya needs billions of dollars of investment to kickstart clean/renewable projects. (They have oil to sell, what's the prob?)

Appeals court upheld $105M fine against Exxon for NYC water contamination.

DOE audit found cost-share "excessive" for $100M EV grant.

BMW offering rental deal to EV buyers.

Fuel spill in BC killing fish.

Oil spill affecting Thai beach resort area.

German utilities burning more coal.