October 14, 2010 News

ENERGY POLICY

EPA Approves E-15 for Cars and Light Trucks built in 2007 Model Year or Newer http://biofuelsdigest.com/bdigest/2010/10/14/e15-ethanol-approved-in-us-for-2007-model-years-critics-supporters-react/

COMPANY NEWS

First Solar to Build New US Plant http://www.thestreet.com/story/10888727/1/first-solar-adding-500-mw-600-us-jobs.html?cm_ven=GOOGLEN

IKEA Adds Solar Power to Eight California Stores http://content.usatoday.com/communities/greenhouse/post/2010/10/ikea-solar-panels-california/1

Strathmore Provides Roca Honda Permitting Update http://www.marketwatch.com/story/strathmore-updates-roca-honda-new-mexico-uranium-development-project-2010-10-13?reflink=MW_news_stmp

October 5, 2010 News

TRADITIONAL ENERGY

PPL Pushes for US Supreme Court to Consider River Bed Ownership Suit in Montana http://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/montana/article_e3bf1f7a-d007-11df-a698-001cc4c002e0.html

ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

White House Reverses Decision and Will Add Solar Power http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/10/05/white-house-going-solar-again/?partner=rss&emc=rss

COMPANY NEWS

Enbridge and First Solar Complete Largest PV Facility in the World http://www.marketwatch.com/story/enbridge-and-first-solar-complete-the-largest-photovoltaic-facility-in-the-world-2010-10-04-120520?reflink=MW_news_stmp

US Energy Announces Successful Three Forks Test Well in North Dakota http://www.marketwatch.com/story/us-energy-corp-announces-successful-three-forks-test-well-2010-10-04?reflink=MW_news_stmp

ONEOK Partners to Invest More Than $300 Million in Bakken Projects http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/oneok-partners-to-invest-more-than-300-million-in-additional-growth-projects-in-the-bakken-shale-104299148.html

September 24, 2010 News

ENERGY POLICY

California Adopts a 33% Renewable Energy Standard by 2020 http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-09-24/california-adopts-strongest-u-s-standard-on-renewable-power-production.html

COMPANY NEWS

Suncor to Construct 88 MW Wind Farm in Alberta http://www.istockanalyst.com/article/viewiStockNews/articleid/4527427

Eurus Energy and NRG Solar Partner to Build 45 MW PV Solar Plant http://www.marketwatch.com/story/eurus-energy-and-nrg-solar-partner-to-build-californias-largest-solar-photovoltaic-generating-facility-2010-09-23?reflink=MW_news_stmp

Earthstone Energy Sells 13,000 Acres to Brigham Energy http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/earthstone-energy-reports-on-developments-in-north-dakota-103619354.html

SPG Solar Forms Structured Finance Group http://www.onlinetes.com/renewable-solar-energy-SPG-financing-tes-092310.aspx

T-Mobile Converts Cell Tower to Solar Power http://www.phonescoop.com/news/item.php?n=6671

July 23, 2010 News

TRADITIONAL ENERGY

BLM Delays Release of Gateway West Power Line EIS To Fourth Quarter 2010 http://cbs4denver.com/wireapnewswy/BLM.delays.releasing.2.1820707.html

ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Solar Trade Groups Push for Feed In Tariffs in the US http://sunpluggers.com/news/solar-trade-groups-issue-call-for-broad-adoption-of-feed-in-tariffs-0731

Xcel Joins Project Testing Solar Based Heat and Power System http://www.brighterenergy.org/14063/news/heat-efficiency/xcel-energy-joins-project-testing-solar-fuelled-chp-system/

Electric Vehicle Wars: “Dude, Where's My Warranty?” http://www.investmentu.com/2010/July/electric-vehicle-warranty-wars.html

ENERGY POLICY

Hope Fades for Senate Energy Bill http://www.brighterenergy.org/14087/news/legislation/hopes-fade-for-senate-energy-bill-as-limited-version-is-drafted/

Senate Appropriations Approves $10 Billion for DOE Loan Guarantees, No Money For Yucca Mountain http://www.platts.com/RSSFeedDetailedNews.aspx?xmlpath=RSSFeed/HeadlineNews/Nuclear/3880519.xml

A Little Humor, Please, Along with the News July 13, 2010

I got a chuckle out of this Graphic on The Onion, of highlights on the New Energy Bill. It helped break up another serious news day for alternative and traditional energy.

The last article in the Energy Policy section is the most interesting to me. Why isn't the Department of Energy using any resources to improve the basic technology of electricity production? Having read Natural Capitalism, by Paul Hawken, Amory Lovins and L. Hunter Lovins, I understand that re-engineering of processes lead to the highest return, typically at much lower cost.

TRADITIONAL ENERGY

Environmental Groups Sue BLM and Dept of Interior Over Wyoming Coal Lease Policies http://www.platts.com/RSSFeedDetailedNews.aspx?xmlpath=RSSFeed/HeadlineNews/Coal/6175857.xml

DOE Testing Carbon Sequestration in Coal Bed Methane Wells http://www.wyomingbusinessreport.com/article.asp?id=52491

Eastern Governors Protest Midwest Wind Transmission Line http://blogs.desmoinesregister.com/dmr/index.php/2010/07/13/eastern-governors-protest-midwest-wind-transmission-line/

ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

DOE Issues $92 Million in Grants for 43 Energy Research Projects http://www.pennenergy.com/index/articles/display/0424582258/articles/pennenergy/power/operations-reliability/2010/07/u_s_-doe_grants__92mm.html

ENERGY POLICY

EPA To Require 800 Million Gallons of Biodiesel Use in 2011 http://www.hoosieragtoday.com/wire/news/01057_BDB_184356.php

Senator Kerry Says Election Year Pressures Could Sink Carbon Caps http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-07-13/u-s-election-year-pressures-might-sink-carbon-caps-kerry-says.html

New Study Indicates that Colorado’s Required Conversion of Coal to Gas for Electricity will Cost Consumers More http://www.chieftain.com/news/local/article_9e04f898-8e3e-11df-bac8-001cc4c03286.html

Why Isn’t the US Doing More to Support Combined Heat and Power? http://agmetalminer.com/2010/07/13/why-isnt-the-us-doing-more-to-support-chp/

COMPANY NEWS

SEC Probes Accounting Policies at Solar Companies http://in.reuters.com/article/idINIndia-50056220100712\

Interview with CEO of Better Place http://money.cnn.com/2010/07/12/news/companies/electric_vehicle_lithium_shortage.fortune/

Arch's Dugout Canyon Coal Mine Reopening to Take Longer than Expected http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/money/49914495-79/mine-coal-canyon-arch.html.csp

American Electric Technologies Announces First Inverter for Utility Grade Solar Power http://www.marketwatch.com/story/american-electric-technologies-introduces-the-industrys-first-integrated-solar-inversion-station-for-utility-grade-solar-power-generation-2010-07-13?reflink=MW_news_stmp

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

Areva's Loan Guarantee and Pavillion's EPA Wells

In today's news, Areva's acceptance of the DOE loan guarantee on its proposed Idaho Falls enrichment facility is the biggest story. As many in the nuclear fuel cycle business know, the 2013 expiration of the Megatons to Megawatts agreement with the Russians means that the US nuclear industry will need to find alternate sources of uranium fuel stock. Urenco's New Mexico enrichment facility, Areva's plant and USEC's facility will all be coming on line to meet the industry needs for fuel. Timing is everything, and we will be watching to see if the NRC construction permit tracks its timeline so that Areva can begin building in 2011 and delivering product by 2014.

The article on the Pavillion test wells is very relevant, as this community was one of the first in the United States to claim its water wells had been contaminated by fracking fluid. The alternate view point is that the wells had been contaminated by chemicals that had been dumped on the surface or buried over many years and had only now reached the water table. The EPA plans to hold a community meeting later in the year to provide the test results.

TRADITIONAL ENERGY

EPA Drills Test Wells In Pavillion, Wyoming http://www.gillettenewsrecord.com/articles/2010/07/07/news/state_news/news19.txt

ENERGY POLICY

NSA Program Targets Domestic Cyber Attacks http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2010/07/07/program-plans-detect-cyber-attacks-utilities-companies/

COMPANY NEWS

Recurrent Energy to Sell Sacramento 60MW of Solar Power over 20 Years http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/07/07/BUOQ1EB1B0.DTL

OriginOil Announces New Hydrogen Harvester Invention http://www.marketwatch.com/story/originoil-announces-breakthrough-hydrogen-harvester-invention-2010-07-08?reflink=MW_news_stmp

Areva Accepts $2 Billion DOE Loan Guarantee on Enrichment Facility http://www.platts.com/RSSFeedDetailedNews.aspx?xmlpath=RSSFeed/HeadlineNews/Nuclear/8885273.xml

Ram Power and Sierra Geothermal Enter into a Definitive Agreement http://www.marketwatch.com/story/ram-power-and-sierra-geothermal-power-enter-into-a-definitive-agreement-2010-07-08?reflink=MW_news_stmp

Powertech Uranium Receives Preliminary Economic Assessment on its South Dakota Property http://www.marketwatch.com/story/powertech-receives-positive-results-from-independent-preliminary-economic-assessment-on-dewey-burdock-project-2010-07-08?reflink=MW_news_stmp

July 5, 2010 News

TRADITIONAL ENERGY

US Nuclear Loan Guarantees To Go to Foreign Companies http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/2010/0702/US-backed-loans-to-expand-nuclear-power-a-boon-for-overseas-jobs

NREL Develops Better Air Conditioner http://green.blorge.com/2010/07/nrel-comes-up-with-a-better-air-conditioner/

Xcel Study Envisions $20 Billion in New Transmission by 2029 http://www.finance-commerce.com/article.cfm/2010/07/03/Xcel-study-envisions-20B-in-electric-lines-by-2029

Nuclear Energy Version 3.0 http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2012267467_guest04lawrence.html

ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Proposed North Dakota Plant to be First Large Scale Biomass Facility http://www.farmandranchguide.com/articles/2010/07/02/ag_news/regional_news/news1.txt

Solana Solar Plant in Arizona Receives $1.45 Billion Loan Guarantee http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/local/report/070310_solana

ENERGY POLICY

Regulators Assess the Ultimate Blackout Threat in New Study http://www.nytimes.com/cwire/2010/07/02/02climatewire-regulators-assess-the-ultimate-blackout-thre-82657.html

COMPANY NEWS

Atlantic Power Buys 27% Stake in Idaho Wind Partners http://www.metronews.ca/ottawa/life/article/568909--atlantic-power-buys-stake-in-wind-power-firm

Cypress Semiconductor Headquarters to be Grid Independent by 2015 http://www.marketwatch.com/story/cypresss-ceo-issues-declaration-of-energy-independence-planning-100-percent-self-generation-by-2015-2010-07-02?reflink=MW_news_stmp

Abound Solar Receives $400 Million Loan Guarantee http://www.dailycamera.com/ci_15431141?source=most_emailed

Tesla Vs. the New Government Motors http://www.busrep.co.za/index.php?fSectionId=561&fArticleId=4076052