July 30, 2010 News

TRADITIONAL ENERGY

US Nuclear Projects Tied Up Awaiting Federal Loan Guarantees http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-07-29/u-s-nuclear-projects-await-delayed-decisions-on-federal-loan-guarantees.html

Safety Concerns Have Delayed Approval of New Nuclear Reactors http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=slow-reactor-safety

Private Mineral Owners in Wyoming To Auction Drilling Rights http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5htBedFdY0kKKB0mhn-soBDX37JpQD9H8TQJ80

Wyoming Landowners Get Tips as Drilling Interest Grows http://www.billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/wyoming/article_1b836e00-9b8a-11df-89a1-001cc4c03286.html

ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Carbon County Wyoming Mulls New Rules for Wind Farms http://cbs4denver.com/wireapnewswy/Carbon.County.one.2.1831643.html

Nevada’s Bet on Geothermal Power http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/nevadas-big-bet-on-geothermal/

COMPANY NEWS

Improved Market, New Mine Boost Arch Coal Results http://www.stltoday.com/business/energy/article_0101293a-9be1-11df-8bc4-00127992bc8b.html

First Solar Second Quarter Profit Fell Due to Hold Back of Panels for Company-Owned Projects http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-07-29/first-solar-quarterly-profit-drops-as-own-project-development-increases.html

Sundrop Fuels: Solar Biomass Gasification http://www.triplepundit.com/2010/07/sundrop-fuels-solar-biomass-gasification/

Local Alternative Generation vs. Imported Power

Today, we have articles that clarify important points about renewable energy standards. What will states do to generate their RPS in-state rather than importing their clean energy from other markets, and who bears the cost? It is terrific to take every parking lot and every rooftop and put solar panels on them and generate power locally. Those nearest to it benefit--the local utility and its customers. But when wind farms in North and South Dakota are generating wind for Chicago or Indiana, who bears the burden of the transmission of that power? The Hoosier story today outlines that FERC has already approved one plan to have utility customers bear 100% of the cost of tranmission, and now the Midwest ISO is asking for the same. Equity is hard to parse in these long distance renewable power deals.

TRADITIONAL ENERGY

New Mexico Creates Task Force to Plan Power Line Expansion http://www.newswest9.com/Global/story.asp?S=12774669

DOE Looks for Short Term Storage Options for Depleted Uranium http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2010/07/09/DOE-seeks-home-for-depleted-uranium/UPI-93851278652154/

US Appeals Court Rejected Stay on Lower Court Lift on Drilling Moratorium http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE65O5TA20100708

Natural Gas Industry Criticized for Lack of Successful Lobby http://www.denverpost.com/headlines/ci_15472282

ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

DOE to Use Nevada Nuclear Test Site to Study New Solar Technologies http://sunpluggers.com/news/us-planning-solar-power-plants-at-former-nuclear-test-site-in-nevada-0683

Turning Parking Lots into Solar Farms http://content.usatoday.com/communities/driveon/post/2010/07/turning-parking-lots-into-vast-urban-solar-farms/1

ENERGY POLICY

Hoosiers May Bear $16 Billion Cost of Wind Turbines http://www.indystar.com/article/20100709/BUSINESS/7090328/For-Hoosier-consumers-bigger-bills-are-in-the-wind

Obama Pushes for Extension of $5 Billion Clean Energy Manufacturing Tax Credits http://www.businessgreen.com/business-green/news/2266239/obama-puts-clean-economy-heart


COMPANY NEWS

PurpleEnergy Seeks $5 Million DOE Grant to Study Cool Geothermal http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700046269/Utah-company-researching-cool-geothermal-power.html