September 13, 2010 News

ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

White House Says No Thanks to Solar Panels http://ecocentric.blogs.time.com/2010/09/10/energy-the-white-house-says-no-thanks-to-solar-panels/

Some CO2 Emissions Permits Don’t Sell in Northeast Auction http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-09-10/some-carbon-dioxide-emissions-permits-don-t-sell-in-u-s-northeast-auction.html

ENERGY POLICY

Governor Freudenthal Says Wyoming Laws Limit Implementation of EPA Tailoring Rules http://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/wyoming/article_7061e8a4-bd5c-11df-a201-001cc4c002e0.html

The US Power Sector is Changing, Even Without a Climate Bill http://www.reuters.com/article/idUS50377401020100913

COMPANY NEWS

Rocky Mountain Power Identifies 800 MW of Geothermal Resources in its Service Region http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2010/09/800-mw-of-geothermal-resources-identified

SAIC Selected to Help Build San Emidio Geothermal Project in Nevada http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/saic-awarded-22-million-contract-to-help-build-geothermal-power-plant-102763479.html

August 4, 2010 News

ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Tilting with Wind Turbines—A Legal War Slows Industry Growth http://www.nytimes.com/cwire/2010/08/04/04climatewire-tilting-with-wind-turbines----a-legal-war-sl-96612.html

ENERGY POLICY

Sierra Club and States File Challenges on EPA’s Tailoring Rule for Greenhouse Gases http://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2010/08/03/03greenwire-sierra-club-states-file-challenges-to-epas-tai-24900.html

Why 2 Million Promised Green Jobs Couldn’t Sell a Climate Bill http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/greenspace/2010/08/why-2-million-promised-green-jobs-couldnt-secure-a-climate-bill.html

COMPANY NEWS

USEC Reports Second Quarter Results http://www.marketwatch.com/story/usec-reports-second-quarter-2010-results-2010-08-03?reflink=MW_news_stmp

USEC Submits Update to Loan Guarantee Application http://www.marketwatch.com/story/usec-submits-update-to-loan-guarantee-application-2010-08-03?reflink=MW_news_stmp

Brigham Announces 53,000 Acre Expansion in Williston Basin http://www.marketwatch.com/story/brigham-exploration-announces-approximate-52800-net-acre-expansion-in-its-williston-basin-acreage-position-initial-montana-bakken-results-and-north-dakota-bakken-completions-2010-08-03?reflink=MW_news_stmp\

GM Takes Equity Stake in Bright Automotive http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/general-motors-invests-in-lightweight-hybrid-maker/

Uranerz Acquires Powder River Exploration Data from Excalibur http://www.marketwatch.com/story/uranerz-acquires-extensive-drill-data-for-powder-river-basin-area-2010-08-03-9450?reflink=MW_news_stmpiinvest

Brown Dogs and Lithium Batteries

I used to have a brown dog--a chocolate labrador retriever, but that is not what I am talking about today. Now "Brown Dog" refers to about a dozen Democratic Senators who are balking at a climate bill before the November elections--in particular what a carbon cap would do to utility costs for their low-income residents. Today's Politico article notes that none of the Democratic "fence sitters" are even up for election this year, but have grave concerns about what impact an emissions cap or carbon tax might have on their local economies. Harry Reid, as described in the Washington Post article that follows, is looking to broker some sort of compromise with an alternative bill the week after next.

Interesting spin also in the in the CNN and Christian Science Monitor articles on the US EV battery business. Is the US government over-investing in too many battery plants such that when they all come on line, they will flood the market with batteries? By that time, will there still be federal money available to keep them all alive? Another set of unintended consequences when the government tries to tinker with business. I am also amused that Obama made a visit to a battery plant that received over $150 million in federal grant money, but is owned by LG Chem, a Korean company. Yes, there will be US jobs created in Michigan, but in this case, any profits will be headed out of the country. Do we really "catch up" in the battery technology race when we are only subsidizing our Asian competitors?

TRADITIONAL ENERGY

Natural Gas Outlook: Storage is 10.7% Above Five Year Average http://www.cattlenetwork.com/Natural-Gas-Outlook--Working-Gas-Storage-10-7--Above-5-Year-Average/2010-07-15/article_babycalfhealth.aspx?oid=1160536&fid=VAN_Tronix_Reports

BLM to Begin Decisions on Backlogged Wyoming Oil and Gas Leases http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5js1V3ivAl-XHNGURo5IfIVXBf2qgD9GVPTVG0

ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Obama Sees EV Battery Prices Down by 70%: LG Chem Forecasts 50% Decrease by 2015 http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN1521310320100715

EV Project Expands to Texas http://www.marketwatch.com/story/the-ev-project-expands-to-texas-2010-07-15?reflink=MW_news_stmp

Is the US Battery Business for Real? http://money.cnn.com/2010/07/15/news/economy/obama_batteries/

Why is Obama Putting so Much Stock in Battery Technology? http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/2010/0715/Why-Obama-is-putting-so-much-stock-in-battery-technology

ENERGY POLICY

Ethanol Group Backs Phase Out of Subsidies if Money is Used to Install Blender Pumps for E85 http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN1521158720100715

"Brown Dogs" Complicate Climate Plan http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0710/39830.html

Reid to Offer an Energy Bill the Week of July 26 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/07/15/AR2010071505891.html

COMPANY NEWS

Salares and Talison Announce Merger and CAD$40 Million Private Placement http://www.marketwire.com/press-release-canada/Salares-Lithium-Talison-Announce-Merger-Create-Worlds-Largest-Lithium-Production-Company-TSX-VENTURE-LIT-1290982.htm

BP Buying out Verenium Biofuels Business for $98 Million http://blogs.forbes.com/energysource/2010/07/15/bp-verenium-biofuel-ethanol/

Trouble Meeting RPS Standards and Other News

Recently there have been calls to allow California utilities buy more renewable power from outside the state and to buy renewable credits to meet RPS standards. The reasons are clear in an article today, from the LA Times, which reports that California utilities are having a hard time meeting the current 20% RPS goal by year end. The reasons are many and are described in the article. California is such an interesting case, as a large economy reliant on power imported from neighboring states, but its situation is not unique. States in the Northeast are also finding it a challenge to meet RPS standards on in-state generated alternative power. Will these RPS standards force California to abandon its ban on new nuclear power to achieve its goals, or will it continue to rely on other states for its energy destiny?


TRADITIONAL ENERGY

Uranium Bottoming as China Stockpiles 10,000 Tons from Cameco http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-07-11/uranium-bottoming-as-china-stockpiles-10-000-tons-from-cameco.html

Interview with T. Boone Pickens http://money.cnn.com/2010/07/12/pf/pickens_energy_stocks.fortune/


ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

California Utilities Struggle to Meet RPS Requirement http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-clean-power-20100710,0,3083534.story

ENERGY POLICY

Group Proposes North Dakota Energy Policy http://www.kxnet.com/getArticle.asp?ArticleId=601226

Squandering the Stimulus http://www.americanthinker.com/2010/07/squandering_the_stimulus.html

New Rules in Massachusetts Set Bad Precedent for Biomass http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/10/business/energy-environment/10biomass.html?_r=1&src=busln

Climate Bill Would Not Add to Deficit As Long as Carbon Credits Are Sold to Utilities to Raise Money http://www.brighterenergy.org/13504/news/legislation/climate-and-energy-bill-would-not-add-to-deficit/

COMPANY NEWS

Idaho Power Signs First Large Solar Agreement http://www.tradingmarkets.com/news/stock-alert/idhoo_idaho-power-signs-first-large-solar-energy-agreement-1033116.html


Southern Cal Edison Won Approval to Buy 500 MW Renewable Power http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN0823039820100708