November 11, 2010 News

ENERGY POLICY

Corn and Soybean Availability for US Biofuels in the Coming Year http://www.cattlenetwork.com/Corn---Soybean-Availability-For-Biofuels-In-2010-11/2010-11-10/Article.aspx?oid=1281486&fid=

NRC Says Westinghouse AP1000 Reactor Impact Study Insufficient http://www.powergenworldwide.com/index/display/articledisplay/5542564196/articles/powergenworldwide/nuclear/reactors/2010/11/us-regulator_says.html

Boston Consulting Issues Report on Most Likely Alternative Energy Disruptors http://blogs.forbes.com/kerryadolan/2010/11/10/solar-wind-and-biofuels-are-alternative-energys-most-likely-disruptors-says-new-report/

Here is the link to the BCG Report http://www.bcg.com/media/PressReleaseDetails.aspx?id=tcm:12-65301

COMPANY NEWS

Vestas Expects to Take Market Share in the US http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-11-11/vestas-says-u-s-expansion-on-course-as-turbine-market-forecasts-reduced.html

November 5, 2010 News

TRADITIONAL ENERGY

Oil Speculation Drives Record Lease Auction in Wyoming http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D9JA1MD80.htm

ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

US Ethanol Production Reaches Record High http://www.biofuels-news.com/industry_news.php?item_id=2800

COMPANY NEWS

US Geothermal Drills and Tests Fourth Production Well at Neal Hot Springs http://www.brighterenergy.org/18896/news/geothermal/us-geothermal-completes-production-wells-for-oregon-project/

Cloud Peak Announces Third Quarter Results http://www.marketwatch.com/story/cloud-peak-energy-inc-announces-results-for-third-quarter-and-first-nine-months-2010-2010-11-04?reflink=MW_news_stmp

BP to Focus Biofuels Growth in Brazil and the US http://www.siliconrepublic.com/green-tech/item/18727-bp-to-focus-its-biofuels/

October 20, 2010 News

TRADITIONAL ENERGY

The Quest for Ethical Oil in Canada’s Bitumen Deposits http://www.speroforum.com/site/article.asp?idCategory=34&idsub=158&id=41988&t=The+Quest+for+Ethical+Oil+in+Canada%27s+bitumen+deposits

ENERGY POLICY

More Ethanol in Gasoline is Risky http://www.cnn.com/2010/OPINION/10/20/greene.ethanol.risk/

Biofuels Only Partly to Blame for High Food Prices http://af.reuters.com/article/energyOilNews/idAFN1915431920101019

COMPANY NEWS

Uranium Resources Files to Reactivate NRC License http://www.rttnews.com/Content/QuickFacts.aspx?Id=1449439&SM=1

Brammo Revs Up New Electric Motorcycle http://www.earthtechling.com/2010/10/brammo-revs-up-new-electric-motorcycle/

Johnson Controls and Hitachi to Work Together on Lithium-Ion Battery Technology http://www.earthtechling.com/2010/10/brammo-revs-up-new-electric-motorcycle/

October 7, 2010 News

TRADITIONAL ENERGY

Weathermen May Dent $500 Billion Coal Market with Improved Wind Forecasts http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-10-07/weathermen-to-dent-500-billion-coal-market-with-wind-forecasts.html

ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Greasy Burglars and Biofuels http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/43785/

First Performance Warranty Insurance Provided in the US for PV Solar Panels http://insurancenewsnet.com/article.aspx?id=229149&type=newswires

Minister Defends Smart Meters for BC Hydro http://www.bclocalnews.com/bc_north/interior-news/business/104454243.html

COMPANY NEWS

Spire Corporation Reports New PV Cell with 42% Efficiency http://www.energymatters.com.au/index.php?main_page=news_article&article_id=1106

September 10, 2010 News

TRADITIONAL ENERGY

EPA Asks Nine Oil Services Companies for Fracking Chemical Lists http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-09-09/epa-asks-nine-companies-to-disclose-chemicals-for-gas-extraction.html

ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

‘Windfall’ Documentary Explores Perils of Wind Power http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2010/09/09/windfall-documentary-explores-perils-of-wind-power/

Power Struggles: Charging Tomorrow’s Cars http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6891Y520100910

The Business Case for Green Leasing http://www.reuters.com/article/idUS309404088720100910

NREL Estimates 4150 GW of Offshore Wind Potential in the US http://www.sustainablebusiness.com/index.cfm/go/news.display/id/21018

US Steelworkers File Trade Complaint Against China on Solar and Wind Energy http://sunpluggers.com/news/us-union-files-trade-complaint-against-china-on-solar-wind-energy-0907

ENERGY POLICY

Utah Governor Hebert Vetoes Making Rocky Mountain Power Cool Keeper Program Mandatory http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/home/49318154-76/program-bill-governor-tassell.html.csp

World Bank Says EU and US Biofuels Standards Diverting Land Use in Third World Countries http://euobserver.com/9/30768

Four States Prepare to Sue California if its Greenhouse Gas Law Passes http://californiawatch.org/watchblog/four-states-prepare-legal-assault-californias-climate-law-4564

COMPANY NEWS

Howe Sound Pulp and Paper Gets Funding from BC Hydro for Energy Upgrades and Biomass Conversion http://wood.lesprom.com/news/45468/

Black Hills Power Suspends Operations at Osage, Wyoming Plant http://www.powergenworldwide.com/index/display/articledisplay/1446872581/articles/powergenworldwide/coal-generation/o-and-m/2010/09/blackhills-close.html

Williams Increases Stake in Overland Pass Pipeline to 50% http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D9I4GE2O0.htm

Arch Resumes Mining at Dugout Canyon, Utah http://stlouis.bizjournals.com/stlouis/stories/2010/09/06/daily35.html

450 MW Biglow Canyon Wind Farm Completed in Oregon http://ecogeek.org/component/content/article/3291

Hyperion Power to Build Mini-Nuclear Prototype at Savannah River http://www.platts.com/RSSFeedDetailedNews/RSSFeed/HeadlineNews/Nuclear/8939538/

Energy Solutions Celebrates Operational Readiness of DUF6 Conversion Facility http://www.marketwatch.com/story/energysolutions-celebrates-operational-readiness-review-at-duf6-conversion-facility-2010-09-09?reflink=MW_news_stmp

Brigham Announces Completion of Four More Bakken Wells http://www.marketwatch.com/story/brigham-exploration-announces-high-rate-bakken-completions-and-provides-operational-update-2010-09-09?reflink=MW_news_stmp

Power-One Partners with Arizona State University on Solar Innovation Center http://phoenix.bizjournals.com/phoenix/stories/2010/09/06/daily36.html

Zinc Air Licenses Lawrence Livermore Lab Technology for Fuel Cells http://www.rdmag.com/News/2010/09/Energy-Fuel-Cell-LLNL-Zinc-Air-Fuel-Cell-Technology-Licensed-To-Montana-Company/

August 5, 2010 News

Yesterday, the University of Wyoming held a one day conference on the state of the Wyoming uranium industry, with a focus on in-situ recovery. Video recordings of the conference are supposed to be available soon, but here is the link to the white papers discussed by over 200 participants http://www.uwyo.edu/ser/info.asp?p=23373. As the webcasts are available, I will post them here, also.

TRADITIONAL ENERGY

Landmen Crowd In To View Property Deeds At Johnson County Wyoming Courthouse http://www.buffalobulletin.com/articles/2010/08/04/news/local_news/doc4c5992451410c766544452.txt

NRC Has Not Received Applications for Mini Nuclear Plants Yet http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7019490831?Nuke%20Agency%20Says%20No%20Aps%20Yet%20For%20Mini%20Nuclear%20Reactors

Wyoming Uranium Conference Reports http://www.coloradoan.com/article/20100805/NEWS01/8050345

http://www.wyomingnews.com/articles/2010/08/05/news/20local_08-05-10.txt

ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Xcel’s Giant Battery Smooths Out Variable Wind Power http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-20012597-54.html

Ivanpah Solar Plant Gets Siting Approval http://sunpluggers.com/news/giant-ivanpah-solar-power-plant-in-mojave-desert-gains-committee-approval-0777

ENERGY POLICY

Harkin Introduces Biofuels Amendment http://www.iowapolitics.com/index.Iml?Article=205462

COMPANY NEWS

US Energy Provides Williston Basin Update http://www.marketwatch.com/story/us-energy-corp-provides-williston-basin-update-2010-08-04?reflink=MW_news_stmp

Devon Energy Reports Second Quarter Results http://www.wyomingbusinessreport.com/article.asp?id=52882

July 27, 2010 News

TRADITIONAL ENERGY

Is the Metropolis Plant Closure Responsible for a Rise in Uranium Prices? http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2010/07/26/uranium-price-spike-ahead.aspx

Judge's Ruling May Boost Nuclear Storage in Utah http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/home/49997613-76/interior-project-ebel-nuclear.html.csp

ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Biofuels Mandate is Costly and Ineffective? http://reason.com/blog/2010/07/26/biofuels-mandate-greenhouse-ga

House Democrats Propose $25 Billion in Tax Breaks for Green Energy http://www.nasdaq.com/aspx/stock-market-news-story.aspx?storyid=201007261818dowjonesdjonline000324&title=us-house-democrats-propose-green-energy-tax-breaks

ENERGY POLICY

Dems Press Reid to Include a Renewable Energy Standard in the Energy Bill http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/677-e2-wire/110921-twenty-seven-dems-press-reid-to-put-renewable-power-standard-in-energy-bill

Grid Monitor Urges Utilities to Go Slow on Smart Grid Renovations http://www.nytimes.com/cwire/2010/07/27/27climatewire-monitor-urges-utilities-to-go-slow-on-smart-85097.html

COMPANY NEWS

UPS Releases Sustainability Report, Plans to Increase Fleet Fuel Efficiency by 20% http://www.fastcompany.com/1674484/ups-releases-sustainability-report-plans-to-increase-auto-fuel-efficiency-by-20

Luca Technologies Withdraws Application to "Grow" Methane in Wyoming PRB http://www.buffalobulletin.com/articles/2010/07/26/news/local_news/doc4c4731759c2e6290032327.txt

Portland General Electric Completes Largest Rooftop Solar Project in Northwest http://www.marketwatch.com/story/largest-rooftop-solar-project-in-northwest-now-online-for-portland-general-electric-customers-2010-07-26?reflink=MW_news_stmp

Uranium Energy Corp Issues Mid Year Report http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/uranium-energy-corp-issues-mid-year-shareholder-report-99306979.html

July 20, 2010 News

TRADITIONAL ENERGY

Nuclear Energy—We’re Not Ready http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/20/opinion/20herbert.html?_r=1&ref=opinion

ENERGY POLICY

Ethanol Producers Vary on Growth Energy’s Call for the Elimination of VEETC http://blogs.forbes.com/energysource/2010/07/19/corn-growers-renewable-fuels-group-put-heads-in-sand-over-ethanol-subsidy/

In the West, Climate and Energy Policy is Water Policy http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dan-grossman/in-the-west-climate-and-e_b_651186.html

COMPANY NEWS

Honda to Sell Plug In Hybrids http://www.marketwatch.com/story/honda-will-sell-plug-in-hybrids-electric-vehicles-2010-07-20

Nova Chemicals Buy 100% of Ethane Production at Hess Corp’s Tioga ND Plant http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gyR5DDObVHSjPuHHWPdEWBNo4w6QD9H25OT00

Imperium Renewables Calls CBO Report on Biofuels Tax Fatally Flawed http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/press/tax-incentives-ldquofatally-flawedrdquo,1390244.html

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/

July, 14, 2010 News

TRADITIONAL ENERGY

Superconductor Technology Makes Hydropower Debut http://www.marketwatch.com/story/ge-introduces-smart-grid-compatible-electric-vehicle-charger-2010-07-13?reflink=MW_news_stmp

Senator Murkowski Introduces Hydropower Bills http://www.tradingmarkets.com/news/stock-alert/rwed_sen-murkowski-introduces-bills-to-increase-hydropower-generation-1039902.html

ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

NREL Releases Offshore Wind Assessment Report http://nrelpubs.nrel.gov/Webtop/ws/nich/www/public/Record?rpp=25&upp=0&m=4&w=NATIVE%28%27AUTHOR+ph+words+%27%27schwartz%27%27+and+PUBYEAR+%3D+2010%27%29&order=native%28%27pubyear%2FDescend%27%29

Solar Wells Displacing Windmills on Western Range http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gj4MWwW6R15_E-sQqIvMCNllEb4gD9GUMFGG1

ENERGY POLICY

EPA Slashes 2011 Cellulosic Biofuels Estimates http://www.biomassmagazine.com/article.jsp?article_id=3944

COMPANY NEWS

Sempra San Diego Transmission Line Gets USFS Approval on a 19 Mile Segment http://www.centralvalleybusinesstimes.com/stories/001/?ID=15718

GE Introduces an Electric Vehicle Charger http://www.marketwatch.com/story/ge-introduces-smart-grid-compatible-electric-vehicle-charger-2010-07-13?reflink=MW_news_stmp

El Paso Receives BLM Right of Way Grant for New Gas Pipeline http://www.canadianbusiness.com/markets/market_news/article.jsp?content=D9GUEVLO0

Arch to Aggressively Pursue Development of Otter Creek Property in Montana http://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/montana/article_f55b329c-8efc-11df-b64a-001cc4c03286.html

Raser May Sell Stake in Thermo 1 to Finance Turbine Upgrades http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-07-14/raser-may-sell-stake-in-utah-geothermal-plant-to-finance-larger-turbines.html

Two Companies Lead the Pure Play Biofuels Market http://www.energyboom.com/yes/eboom-capital-two-companies-lead-pure-play-biofuels

Bechtel to Partner with Babcock and Wilcox on Modular Reactors http://www.powergenworldwide.com/index/display/articledisplay/5095256638/articles/powergenworldwide/nuclear/reactors/2010/07/modular-nuclear_reactor.html