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Case study on RangeFuels: Americantaxpayers invested $162 million in a biofuel company and all they have to showfor it is 4 million gallons of bio fuel, a closed plant and 4 employees WallStreet Journal (2/9/11) reports: Vinod Khosla stepped in with his hand out.The political venture capitalist founded Range Fuels and in March 2007 itreceived a $76 million grant from the Department of Energy—one of sixcellulosic projects the Bush Administration selected for $385 million ingrants. Range said it would build the nation’s first commercial cellulosicplant, near Soperton, Georgia, using wood chips to produce 20 million gallons ayear in 2008, with a goal of 100 million gallons. Estimated cost: $150million…The result has not been another Google. By the end of 2008 with nooperational plant in sight, Range installed a new CEO, David Aldous. In early2009, the company said production was not expected until 2010. Undeterred,President Obama’s Department of Agriculture provided an $80 million loan. InMay 2009, Range’s former CEO, Mitch Mandich, explained that the problem wasthat nobody had figured out how to produce cellulosic ethanol in commercialquantities. Whoops. Read IER’s Tom Pyle’s blogon Range Fuels.

We need to get WilliamShatner as the Priceline negotiator to call Republicans and start asking formore cuts WashingtonPost (2/10/11) reports: Top White House priorities would also come underthe knife: Key Republicans are proposing to defund President Obama’s high-speedrail initiative, slash clean-energy programs and cut the Office of Science by20 percent – trims that would deal a direct blow to Obama’s innovation agenda.They would also cut the Environmental Protection Agency by 17 percent…Programstraditionally favored by Republicans would not escape unscathed. The listincludes significant reductions in agriculture programs, which benefit many GOPdistricts. All told, House leaders are aiming to cut programs unrelated tonational security by more than $40 billion over the next several months, anunprecedented reduction.

One of the most difficultconcepts for greenies to grasp: opportunity cost. Ronald Bailey does a good joblaying it out and using CA as an example Reason(2/9/11) reports: Specifically, the Next 10 report finds that the number ofjobs in California’s green core economy rose between 2008 and 2009 from 169,000to 174,000—an additional 5,000 jobs. Green jobs account for just 0.9percent of California’s overall 18.8 million jobs. Note that California’sunemployment rate is 12.5 percent, which means that 2,270,000 Californians arewithout work…Unfortunately, when it comes to green jobs both the president andthe Next 10 report are focusing on the seenwhile ignoring the unseen. In hisbrilliant essay, “What is Seen and What is Unseen,” 19th century Frencheconomist Frederic Bastiat pointed out that the favorable “seen” effects of anypolicy often produce many disastrous “unseen” later consequences. Bastiat urgesus “not to judge things solely by what isseen, but rather by what is notseen.”

Allhat and no brains: Sec. Salazar argues that solar industry will collapsewithout continued government support. NewYork Times (2/9/11) reports: The Obama administration today saidaccelerated permitting and financial incentives have helped fuel a boominginterest in developing wind, solar and geothermal power on public lands butwarned that future development will depend on a strong commitment fromCongress…At a renewable energy forum hosted by the Interior Department,Secretary Ken Salazar joined officials of major solar companies to tout thesuccess of a Treasury Department grant program and loan guarantees from theEnergy Department in spurring 12 renewable energy and transmission projects onpublic lands in 2010…But Salazar warned lawmakers that investors will needdependable incentives and regulations to continue building. The Treasury grantswere extended by Congress in December but expire at the end of the year…Equallyimportant, Salazar said, is Congress’ passage of an 80 percent clean energystandard as outlined by President Obama in his State of the Union address lastmonth…"It’s very difficult for anybody to make a long-term plan when youessentially have a policy framework that’s at risk and changes from day today," Salazar said. "If we can get there with this Congress, we canachieve the clean energy future."

Waxmanparades around a letter from Bush’s EPA administrator that called for carboncaps in 2007. Remember folks, the Bush Administration ‘betrayed capitalism inorder to save it’ and also funded woodchip energy NewYork Times (2/9/1) reports: As a committee of the Republican-controlledHouse settled in to interrogate the Environmental Protection Agency’sadministrator, Lisa P. Jackson, about her agency’s efforts to regulategreenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, a senior House Democrat releasedthree-year old documents showing that the Bush administration’s E.P.A. soughtto follow exactly the same course…The documents, including a January 2008letter to President George W. Bush from Stephen L. Johnson, then the E.P.A.administrator, show that Mr. Johnson had determined that carbon dioxide posed adanger to the country under provisions of the Clean Air Act. He also believedthat the president’s cabinet had concurred with such action during a November2007 meeting, according to the documents, which were released late Tuesday byRepresentative Henry A. Waxman, Democrat of California…The documents recall aslightly surreal bureaucratic back and forth in late 2007 in which Mr. Johnsonsent a proposed endangerment finding to the Office of Management and Budget,where officials refused to open the e-mail with the attachment.

Focusgroups must still be saying public health is good branding for the EPA; weshould note that all major air pollutants are down over the past 40 years. LosAngeles Times (2/9/11) reports: Republicans on the House energy committeehave drafted a bill that would take away the agency’s ability to curb suchemissions. EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson says such a move is a threat topublic health…The head of the Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesdaycriticized a bill drafted by Republicans on the House Energy and CommerceCommittee, saying it would strip the agency of its ability to curb greenhousegas emissions…The committee’s proposed Energy Tax Prevention Act of 2011 would"eliminate portions of the Clean Air Act, the landmark law that allAmerican children and adults rely on to protect them from harmful airpollution," EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson told a packed committeehearing…Jackson’s aggressive defense of the EPA’s role in dealing withgreenhouse gas emissions, which most scientists link to global warming, seemedfor the moment to allay concern among environmentalists and many Democrats thatthe Obama administration would seek compromises on pollution regulation inorder to win over a disgruntled business community.

I’drather see GM spend $9 million on Super Bowl ads than see them waste our taxdollars down the green energy hole USAToday (2/9/11) reports: "We’re keeping all the doors open orajar," said Akerson, who took over as CEO in September. "I really dothink what is good for this country is good for GM."…Because otheralternative-fuel vehicles won’t come easy or fast, GM also is trying to makethe most of what it has on the road. That means finding ways to cut the cost ofits electric car technology. The new plug-in Volt, on sale since December,costs $41,000 before government incentives…Akerson said he hopes weightreduction, strides in battery technology and greater production volumes willreduce costs for the next generation without sacrificing quality. "We’reworking hard to get cost out of the Volt."…This year, GM will build 10,000Volts, which can run more than 25 miles on electricity alone before a gasengine generator kicks in. It’s shooting for 40,000 cars next year, says MarkReuss, GM’s North American president.

AsCape Wind searches for buyers of its expensive energy, the Obama Administrationfast tracks more wind projects USAToday (2/7/11) reports: The Obama administration announced plans Monday tospend $50 million to speed the development of offshore wind farms, aiming tolease wind farms off four Mid-Atlantic states by the end of this year…TheInterior Department said it will expedite environmental reviews for four windprojects off the coasts of Virginia, Maryland, Delaware and New Jersey. Thisspring, it expects to identify other wind energy areas off Massachusetts, RhodeIsland and the South Atlantic region, notably North Carolina…"This initiativewill spur the type of innovation that will help us create new jobs, build aclean energy future and compete and win in the technologies of the 21stcentury," Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said in the announcement, whichnotes President Obama’s goal of generating 80% of U.S. electricity from cleanenergy sources by 2035.

Docprescribes moderation for Obama Administration’s wind obsession; argues windshould only be one of many fuel sources, including oil and natural gas FuelFix (2/7/11) reports: A key Republican lawmaker today took aim at the Obamaadministration’s plan to speed up wind projects in the Atlantic Ocean, sayingthe White House is giving short shrift to important offshore oil and gasresources…“Offshore wind is an important part of a robustall-of-the-above-energy plan,” said House Natural Resources Committee ChairmanDoc Hastings, R-Wash. “However it’s unwise for the Obama administration toexclusively focus on developing offshore wind in the Atlantic while ignoringthe need for expanded oil and natural gas production.”..Interior Secretary KenSalazar and Energy Secretary Steven Chu today announced plans to fast trackenvironmental reviews of potential offshore wind development in four areasalong the Atlantic Coast, possibly paving the way to issue wind leases forthose regions later this year. Salazar telegraphed his plan to fast-trackoffshore renewable energy projects in November.

HeyObama, why don’t you ‘invest’ your own money in renewable energy? The markethas spoken ­— venture capitalists exit green energyWallStreet Journal (2/7/11) reports: The decline in energy efficiencyinvestments is especially surprising because the total clean-technology ventureinvestments were up. Both the amount invested and deal volume in all ofclean-tech companies rose about 8% last year over 2009, to a total of $3.98billion invested in 278 deals…But investors say that the figures aren’t anindication that people have lost faith in this sector…“Investors have short attentionspans and lots of bets were made in the space in 2007-09,” Steve Foster, apartner at venture firm Altira Group, said in an email. “I expect it to reboundin 2011.”…The energy efficiency category is broad and includes companies thatsupply products and services to utilities to make the electric grid moreefficient, those supplying commercial and residential customers with items suchas energy monitoring or efficient appliances. Efficient lighting, such aslight-emitting-diode products, also falls under the category. Informationtechnology plays, represented the majority of energy efficiency deals in both2009 and 2010

Translation: SecretaryLocke is upset that India’s rent seekers are out-maneuvering America’s rentseekers.WallStreet Journal (2/7/11) reports: U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke said he conveyed a"message of great concern" to Indian officials Monday about thecountry’s restrictions on imports of solar-power technology, rules that aremaking it difficult for U.S. firms to enter one of the world’s fastest-growingsolar-energy markets…The complaint highlights how an area targeted forcooperation between the two countries has instead turned into a source ofcontinuing frustration for the U.S…India is planning to add 20,000 megawatts ofsolar power to its grid by 2020 as it seeks to step up electricity capacity tomeet the demands of a growing economy while developing clean-energy sources.The program will disburse about $20 billion in subsidies to power plantdevelopers in coming years. But an Indian regulation that goes into effect inApril will bar those firms from importing any foreign-made solarpanels—the technology that converts sunlight into electricity.

More bad (read: good for free market) news for renewables;UK plans to cut money paid out to renewable sources and intends to review theirfeed-in tariff Bloomberg(2/7/11) reports: The U.K. government signaled today it may cut the prices paidfor electricity from renewable sources, saying it began a “comprehensivereview” of feed-in tariffs introduced last year…Evidence thatlarger-scale solar farms may “soak up” money meant for roof-top panels, smallwind turbines and smaller hydropower facilities prompted the study, theDepartment of Energy and Climate Change said in a statement. The move willallow officials to change above-market fees paid for renewable power by morethan what was already planned in April 2012…The department said it will speedup an analysis of solar projects bigger than 50 kilowatts, with new tariffsmandated “as soon as practical.” That threshold, which includes panels onbuildings, is a “huge step back” for the industry, which expected onlyinstallations in fields to be reviewed early, said Jeremy Leggett, chairman ofSolarcentury Holdings Ltd.

Bjorn Lomborg publishednew study saying green jobs: (pick one) crowd out private investment,misallocate capital, opportunity cost, etc… Reuters(2/7/11) reports: Investments to create new jobs in clean energies riskbackfiring by curbing employment in other parts of the economy, a studycommissioned by Danish "Skeptical Environmentalist" Bjorn Lomborgsaid on Monday…The report also said that jobs in green energies were oftenbased on over-optimistic projections of a fast shift from fossil fuels incoming decades toward cleaner sources such as wind, solar or hydropower…"You can create jobs in clean energies but unfortunately it ends upat the cost of competitiveness elsewhere," Lomborg, head of the CopenhagenConsensus Center, told Reuters of a 33-page study about "defining,measuring and predicting green jobs…The author of 1998 book "The SkepticalEnvironmentalist," Lomborg said many governments had stopped stressingthat climate change was a looming threat to the planet since a 2009 U.N. summitfailed to agree a treaty to cut greenhouse gas emissions.

You can’tsqueeze blood out of a turnip or energy from woodchips, but you can squeezemoney out of a taxpayer WashingtonExaminer (2/6/11) reports: To turn wood chipsinto ethanol fuel, George W. Bush’s Department of Energy in February 2007announced a $76 million grant to Range Fuels for a cutting-edge refinery. A fewmonths later, the refinery opened in the piney woods of Treutlen County, Ga.,as the taxpayers of Georgia piled on another $6 million. In 2008, the ethanolplant was the first beneficiary of the Biorefinery Assistance Program,pocketing a loan for $80 million guaranteed by the U.S. taxpayers…Last month,the refinery closed down, having failed to squeeze even a drop of ethanol outof its pine chips…The Soperton, Ga., ethanol plant is another blemish onethanol’s already tarnished image, but more broadly, it is cautionary taleabout the elusive nature of "green jobs" and the folly of thegovernment’s efforts at "investing" — as President Obama puts it –in new technologies…Late in the Bush administration, corn-based ethanol startedto get a bad rap. Corn for ethanol was crowding out other crops, and food priceswere soaring. Mexicans rioted as tortilla prices spiked. So Bush startedtalking up "advanced biofuels" including "cellulosicethanol": roughly, ethanol distilled from plants that were not also foodproducts. Bush mentioned wood chips and switchgrass in two consecutive State ofthe Union addresses.

Battle toDefine EPA – Greenies say EPA is good for your health, but businessowners say EPA is bad for the economy. We prefer subtle branding: EmploymentPrevention Agency WallStreet Journal (2/7/11) reports: TheEnvironmental Protection Agency, which enforces rules that affect the U.S.economy from factories to farms, is the No. 1 target of complaints frombusiness groups collected by House Republican leaders…EPA rules were cited morethan those from any other agency in more than 100 letters sent by tradeassociations, businesses and some conservative groups to House oversightcommittee chairman Darrell Issa (R., Calif.) in response to his call forbusinesses to identify regulations they deemed burdensome, according todocuments reviewed by the Wall Street Journal. The letters are scheduled forrelease today…the letters will become fuel for a running debate betweenRepublican lawmakers and the Obama Administration over what role, if any,increased federal regulation is playing in the sluggish pace of job creation.The Labor Department reported Friday that non-farm employers added just 36,000jobs in January, far lower than most economists had expected.

Big Laborfights with Big Green over Mojave solar project – meanwhile unemploymentis at 12.3 percent and energy prices remain high; hey, at least they have goodweather LosAngeles Times (2/6/11) reports: Do Californiaconstruction unions raise concerns about building massive solar plants in theMojave Desert because they care about wildlife, water shortages and delicatevegetation? Or is it, as some fellow labor unions charge, a way to extortexpensive contracts from renewable-energy builders?..In the last decade, acoalition calling itself California Unions for Reliable Energy (CURE),organized by the State Building & Construction Trades Council ofCalifornia, has filed more than 1,300 requests for information about endangeredspecies, air pollution and groundwater effects as a part of government permitproceedings for all 12 renewable energy projects planned for the SouthernCalifornia desert…But when the developers of eight of those projects — onegeothermal plant and seven solar plants — agreed to sign expensive contractswith the building trades unions to supply workers, CURE dropped its objectionsto those plants…The contracts give CURE unions — which represent plumbers,pipe-fitters, electrical workers and boilermakers — control over work rules,including hiring. CURE also taps developers for payments as high as $400,000 toa CURE fund promoting the industry.

Betting onthe wrong horse – Oil surges 20 percent while renewables plunge 27percent. What are the odds President Obama doubles down? Boston (2/6/11) reports: A less obvious question is whethermutual fund investors will have the patience to stick with green investingprinciples that have recently left them in the red…The stocks of renewableenergy companies, such as wind and solar power providers, have been big losers.The Clean Edge Global Wind Energy Index, which tracks wind energy stocks, isdown about 27 percent over the last 12 months…That disappointment came as oilcompany stocks and the Standard & Poor’s 500 stock index both surged about20 percent…If his goal is to be realized, Obama and his successors will have tostick with the programs he embraced early in his presidency to support wind andsolar power. The government may even have to raise its commitment, likelythrough new subsidies that could create further opportunities for greeninvestors…Either way, Obama’s speech offered comfort to investors leftwondering how long to stick with it…“The sector is not much loved at themoment,’’ concedes Edward Guinness, co-manager of the Guinness AtkinsonAlternative Energy Fund.

Those oddsare pretty good – Secretary Chu has a mad scientist ‘sunshot’ moment anddemands solar energy be cost competitive by end of the decade NewYork Times (2/4/11) reports: The energysecretary, Steven Chu, was publicly using the phrase “Sputnik moment” twomonths before President Obama picked it up in the State of the Union speech todescribe the need for a national effort to improve competitiveness in atechnical field. Now he has moved on to a new space-challenge term:SunShot…Just as President Kennedy pledged in 1961 that the United States wouldland an astronaut on the moon by the end of that decade — a moonshot— Dr. Chu said the United States should attempt a “sunshot” by aiming tocut the cost of solar power by about three-quarters by the end of this decade,to $1 a watt for utility-scale projects. That would translate to an end-userprice of about 6 cents per kilowatt-hour, he said. “That would make solarenergy cost competitive with other forms of energy without subsidies of anykind,’’ he said in a conference call with reporters on Friday…(The averageretail price of a kilowatt-hour today is about 10 cents. The wholesale price,for electricity generated on a utility scale, varies widely over the course ofthe day and the year.)

Rockefellerwarns that “EPA-bashing” won’t work. But apparently he thinks wandering aroundpretending to stop EPA will Greenwire (2/6/11) reports: "I’m fighting hard to suspend EPAregulations on greenhouse gas emissions for two years, not for the sake ofEPA-bashing, but specifically because we need time to move forward with a majornew program on [carbon capture and sequestration], and we need a serious seatat the table for any other proposals on climate change," he said…Two moredraconian proposals floated by congressional Republicans, moving to shutter EPAor revoke its authority to address greenhouse gases, "simply won’twork," Rockefeller added. "And I promise you that most of the peoplein Washington who are pressing those ideas want a fight more than they want asolution."

Shock: New report finds that 20%of plug-in tax credits for EV’s were filed in error by inmates and Hyundaiowners. Bloomberg (2/6/11) reports: About 20 percent of U.S. tax credits forplug-in electric vehicles and alternative-fuel vehicles were filed in error,according to a government audit…The credits are important to companies such as General Motors Co. and Nissan Motor Co., which have entered the plug-inmarket with the $41,000 Chevrolet Volt and the $32,780 Nissan Leaf,respectively. Buyers of those vehicles can claim up to $7,500 from the federalgovernment, and the companies are relying on the credits to be competitive onprice with gasoline- based models…Most of the erroneous credits, according tothe audit, went to taxpayers who sought benefits for vehicles such as Hyundai Motor Co.’s Sonata and GM’s Buick Enclave that didn’t qualify fortax breaks. Prisoners and IRS employees were among those who erroneouslyclaimed credits…The 20 percent error rate means that about $33 million incredits were claimed in the first seven months of 2010 by taxpayers whoshouldn’t have received the money from the Internal Revenue Service, according to the Treasury Inspector General forTax Administration, which released thereport…“While IRS management did take corrective actions to reduce erroneousclaims when TIGTA brought these process weaknesses to its attention, moreclearly needs to be done,” said J. Russell George, the inspector general.

Permitorium: Shell is the latest casualty fromthe war on affordable and reliable energy; EPA and DOE carry out Obama’smyopic  energy views while the consumer suffers high energy prices New York Times (2/3/11) reports: Shell CEO Peter Voser in anearnings call with reporters said the company would need to spend as much as$150 million without knowing whether it would receive needed permits from U.S.EPA and the Interior Department…"Despite our investment in acreage andtechnology and our work with the stakeholders, we haven’t been able to drill asingle exploration well," Voser said. "Critical permits continue tobe delayed, and the timeline for getting these permits is stilluncertain….The plan took a hit in late December when an EPA appeals boardremanded Shell’s Clean Air Act permits back to the company for revisions,faulting the agency’s analysis of the impacts of nitrogen dioxide emissionsfrom drill ships on the Alaska Native communities (Greenwire, Jan. 5)…Shell, which hasinvested more than $3 billion in its Arctic development plan, also awaitsdrilling permits from Interior…The company’s decision postpones explorationby at least a year in a region federal scientists believe could hold thenation’s second-largest oil and gas reserves after the Gulf of Mexico,

Smoke ’em if you got’em:  After failing to stick it to American families with a "carbonpollution" bill (read national energy tax), Al Gore enlists Don Draper torepackage his job killing (and pocket lining) agenda Politico(2/4/11)Is Al Gore revving up his deep-pocketed advertising apparatus? By thelooks of his latest hire – the “Elvis of advertising” – that wouldbe a big yes. Alex Bogusky, a founding partner of Crispin Porter + Bogusky andthe creator of the “Truth” campaign to fight teen smoking, is joining Gore’sAlliance for Climate Protection as creative director and chief marketingofficer…“The fight against global climate change requires innovative thinkingand bold strategies,” Gore said in a statement provided to POLITICO. “We arethrilled that Alex will bring his vision and passion to the organization, andare lucky to have someone so deeply committed to helping us find new ways tocommunicate the seriousness and solvability of the climate crisis.…Thisisn’t Bogusky’s first dance with Gore’s Alliance. In 2009, he created thegroup’s “Reality” campaign that took on “clean coal” technology, and includedTV spots directed by the Oscar-winning Coen brothers….Alliance officialsstressed that they’re not announcing a new ad campaign right now. But theyacknowledged the hiring was the “first step in the next phase” as the Gore-ledgroup taps into Bogusky’s contact list for help finding new ways to talk to thepublic about climate. “He’s reaching out to that whole world of talented adagency people,” Alliance CEO Maggie Fox told POLITICO’s Darren Samuelsohn. “Hewas one of them. He’s their peeps. Part of what we’re going to do is invitethem to join us in a very aggressive way.”

Subsidizeme because my business is inefficient and expensive or I’ll take my ball and gohome WashingtonPost (2/3/11) reports: Businesses respond to signals, not speeches. Highunemployment tells companies to hold off on production, and low interest ratestell companies to borrow, but State of the Union addresses don’t have the powerto tell companies to do anything. …So when the president says he’s committed togreen energy, that’s fine. But the U.S. isn’t giving alternative energycompanies the green light. We’re giving off something more like aruddish-yellow light, as if to say: Go ahead if you’d like, but proceed at yourown caution….Ask Eric Spiegel, CEO of Siemens USA, who told me his company isheld back by the United States’ reluctance to pass a carbon tax or makepermanent the solar tax credit. "If you don’t do anything on carbon andyou don’t have renewable energy standards or investment tax credit, everyutility company would go out tomorrow and build coal," he said.

Whatif Obama had an energy plan that created real jobs instead of jobs reliant ongovernment handouts?  Bloomberg(2/3/11) reports: President Barack Obama will back new tax incentives andgovernment financing to make buildings more energy efficient as a way to cutenergy costs and encourage job growth, according to an administrationstatement…Obama wants Congress to revamp an existing tax deduction forcommercial building upgrades to create a credit that would be more attractivefor owners and real estate investment trusts to “retrofit” properties,according to a White House fact sheet. The plan also calls for the SmallBusiness Administration to work with lenders to take advantage of higher loanlimits to promote energy efficient upgrades by businesses.

The administration says building and businessowners would save a total of about $40 billion a year by making their structuresmore efficient.

Reasonablerate of return might finally become the dominate consideration instead ofgovernment mandates for renewable energyCNBC(2/1/11) reports: President Obama laid out an ambitious goal in his latestState of the Union address: By 2035, America will get 80 percent of itselectricity from clean energy sources…Achievable? Maybe, if you consider thatObama’s expansive definition of clean energy includes nuclear and emerging cleancoal technologies, which many environmentalists don’t embrace as ways to combatgreenhouse gases…A less-obvious question is whether mutual fund investors willhave the patience to stick with green investing principles that have recentlyleft them in the red…The stocks of renewable energy companies, such as wind andsolar power providers, have been big losers. The Clean Edge Global Wind EnergyIndex, which tracks wind energy stocks, is down about 27 percent over the last12 months…That disappointment came as oil company stocks and the Standard &Poor’s 500 stock index both surged about 20 percent.

Whatmore do we need to say: biodiesel production collapse by 20 percent whengovernment subsidies expired. Reuters(2/3/11) reports: Biodiesel, still a money-losing proposition in the UnitedStates compared to oil-based diesel, is about to have its best year ever thanksto government tax credits and usage mandates…But it will take months for thebiodiesel industry to bounce back after being stranded last year, when thegovernment let its six-year subsidy expire. Biodiesel production fell 20percent in 2010 and was only half of 2008 output as plants across the countryclosed or slashed production…"It’s not like the industry flipped on theswitch and we’re all running at capacity now. It takes time for the markets toadjust," said Gary Haer, vice president, sales and marketing with theRenewable Energy Group in Ames, Iowa.

Notlost in translation: China understands the allure of the SUV; demand spikes andcar manufacturers can’t keep up – I think Al Gore just fainted. WashingtonExaminer (2/3/11) reports: Uh oh, this isn’t going to sit well with BigGreen environmentalists in the U.S. who absolutely hate the trucks andSport-Utility Vehicles (SUV) American buyers have loved for nearly twodecades…Automotive News China reports that Chinese automakers are gearing up tointroduce a whole new generation of SUVs in order to meet spiralling demand inthe world’s most populous country. And no wonder, what with SUV sales soaring40 percent in 2009 and doubling again last year…ANC’s Yang Jian characterizesthe growing demand among Chinese buyers for SUVs as a "stampede," andreports that four of China’s top domestic automakers are tooling up theirfirst-ever SUV offerings…"To get a glimpse of how strong that demand is,one only needs to look at the vehicles imported into China each year,"Jian said.."In 2010, China imported 650,000 vehicles of which 57 percentwere SUVs, according to the China Automobile Trading Co.," he said.

Themarket has spoken: wind installations were down 50% in 2010. The reason? AWEAsays uncertainty about long-term federal support of wind industry. AWEA(1/24/11) reports: New wind powered generating capacity installed in 2010 inthe US was roughly half that installed in 2009, but there is a fairly robustpipeline of new capacity currently under construction, the American Wind EnergyAssociation said Monday… AWEA attributed the falloffto uncertainty about long term federal policies in support of wind…Developersinstalled 5,115 MW of new wind powered generating capacity last year, comparedwith approximately 10,000 MW installed in the record year of 2009, and 8,500 MWin 2008, AWEA said in its new report.

Windtoo risky? Goldman Sachs says buy solar. Those government contracts and grantsmust have been approved.Bloomberg(1/24/11) reports: Solar-panel makers will avoid a “hard landing” in 2011 andforecast that the industry will expand by 13 percent, Goldman Sachs Group Inc.said…The New York-based bank recommended investors buy shares of First SolarInc., SMA Solar Technology AG and GCL-Poly Energy Holdings Ltd. because themarket is priced for a decline in demand this year, according to a researchnote published today…The increase in demand for photovoltaic generators will bedriven by declines in the prices of panels, government targets for clean powerand companies installing panels, Goldman analysts led by Mark Wienkes said inthe report.

Stillnot buying? Probably a good bet since China plans on reducing exports of rareearth metals used for wind and solar development.Bloomberg(1/25/11) reports: Inner Mongolia, which contains 75 percent of China’s rareearth deposits, said in Sept. 2009 that the province is considering building astrategic reserve on behalf of the central government. China cut its quota forrare earth exports by 35 percent in the first half this year to reducepollution and arrest a decline in domestic reserves…Inner Mongolia Baotou SteelRare Earth Hi-Tech Co. and other Chinese companies are preparing to stockpilesupplies from as early as 2011, Nikkei English News said on Oct. 28. InnerMongolia Baotou may invest as much as 3 billion yuan ($455 million) over afive-year period in reserves, the report said.

Thebeatings will continue until morale improves; Sen. Reid announces that energywill be his top priority this session.TheHill (1/24/11) reports: The introduction of theplaceholder bill indicates that energy will have a significant place in thisyear’s policy debate in the chamber, despite last year’s failed attempt to passa climate bill in the Senate. All the major players from last year’s climatetalks – Sens. John Kerry (D-Mass.), Joseph Lieberman (I-Conn.) andLindsey Graham (R-S.C.) – say they want to be involved in this year’senergy debate…Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chairman JeffBingaman (D-N.M.), whose committee has jurisdiction over the issue, will be aco-sponsor of the placeholder legislation.

The“show me” state wants to know why they are paying more for the same amount ofenergy.KansasCity (1/24/11) reports: Depending on whom you believe,state lawmakers are about to slap Missouri voters in the face — or robthem blind…The Missouri Senate is poised to debate a resolution this week thatwould determine how and where certain utility companies can buy wind and solarpower. Jeff Davis was one of two commissioners, both Republicans, to voteagainst the new rule. He said that Missouri renewable energy companies weretrying to “stick up” consumers by forcing them to pay higher rates for theirproduct…“What you are witnessing here is an attempted train robbery ofconsumers,” Davis told a House committee that passed the resolution 8-3 onWednesday. “It will give the wind industry carte blanche to charge what theywant to.”

Sen.John Barrasso read IER’s Dan Kish’s editorial and calls out the NationalCommission on BP Oil Spill as a sham.TheHill (1/25/11) reports: The criticism Monday from Sen.John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) — the vice-chairman of the Senate RepublicanConference — comes two days before the leaders of the National Commissionon the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling will appear at apair of Capitol Hill hearings….“They weren’t experts. They weren’t experts onoil drilling, on the Gulf,” Barrasso said of the seven-member commission. “It wasa self-selected group that really opposes drilling in the Gulf, and they cameout with the recommendations that you would expect that group of people to comeup with. And those are all things that are going to make energy moreexpensive.”

Circulationof Elites: Carol Browner is heading for the exit after failing to cause energyprices to skyrocket with cap and tax. WallStreet Journal (1/25/11) reports: Carol Browner is leaving herposition as White House "energy czar," and a staff shake-up is likelyto eliminate her post altogether, according to Democrats familiar withevents…The czar position, and Ms. Browner herself, have been lightning rods forcritics of the president’s environmental-policy agenda and a reassurance to itssupporters, who liked having a top official in the White House devoted to theirpriorities… Ms. Browner led the administration’s effort to gather votes inCongress for legislation to limit emissions of greenhouse gases. The effortunraveled in the Senate last year, amid opposition from Republicans and someDemocrats fearful of its impact on energy prices and jobs.

Republicans appear to be growing some backbone, which as you mightexpect, bothers the Murkowski crew. Politico. Withthe backing of GOP caucus leaders, aides for House Energy and Commerce ChairmanFred Upton (R-Mich.) and Senate Environment and Public Works Committee rankingmember Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.) are seeking unwavering support from a host ofindustries for an all-out push to block federal and state climate rules. Sen.Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) – who last year offered a Senate resolutiondisapproving of EPA’s ability to regulate greenhouse gas regulations –was not involved in the meeting or this initial effort, but continues todiscuss the issue with fellow lawmakers. Murkowski spokesman Robert Dillon saidshe is coordinating with Rockefeller on legislative language as Rockefellerprepares to re-introduce language this Congress aimed at delaying EPA climaterules for stationary sources. “Senator Murkowski has told Rockefeller that shedoes support his goal of reining in the EPA,” Dillon said. But she’s keepingher options open, he added, and is supportive of all the measures aimed atblocking EPA climate rules…Murkowski is known – both on and off her topRepublican position on the Energy and Natural Resources Committee – totake some more centrist positions than some GOP leaders are seeking in thiselection cycle and has shown more willingness to strike deals with Democrats.

This guy needs to understand; the bureaucracycouldn’t care less about flowery rhetoric, or even what their bosses want. They demand obeisance.New York Times. Ken Button, the president of Verengo Solar Plus, a residentialsolar panel installer in Orange, Calif., says his company — and hisindustry — are being strangled by municipal red tape. Fifteen Verengoemployees, Mr. Button said, are dedicated solely to researching and tailoringpermit applications to meet the bureaucratic idiosyncrasies of the dozens oftowns in the company’s market. And because most jurisdictions requireapplications to be submitted in person, Verengo employs two “permit runners”whose only job, Mr. Button said, is to “take those permit packs and physicallydrive them around, stand in line, and pay the fees.” “We have 50 differentpermitting authorities within 50 miles of our office,” Mr. Button said. “Theyall have different documentation requirements, different filing processes,different fee structures. It’s like doing business in 50 different countries —just in Southern California.” His lament is being echoed by solar companiesacross the country…The analysis, which will be released publicly on Thursday,was prepared by one of the nation’s largest solar leasing companies, SunRun,and endorsed by Verengo and at least a dozen other service and installationfirms.

Ithought we were supposed to be cutting regulations? Obama announces two newgroups to oversee offshore energy production.WashingtonPost (1/20/11) reports: The Obama administration continued to shake up theagency that oversees oil and natural gas drilling, announcing a plan Wednesdayto create separate offices to promote energy development and enforce safety…Themission of the former Minerals Management Service to promote resourcedevelopment, maximize revenue and enforce safety regulations had a built-inconflict, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said. "Those conflicts, combinedwith a chronic lack of resources, prevented the agency from fully meeting thechallenges of overseeing industry operating in U.S. waters," Salazar said.

Two things. Which September is the storefront cowboy talkingabout? And what, exactly, is Michael trying to do that has been taking so damnlong?Politico. InteriorSecretary Ken Salazar hopes to complete the revamping of the agencies thatoversee offshore oil and gas drilling by the end of September, he said today. Inthe wake of the Deepwater Horizon explosion in April 2010 and subsequent Gulfof Mexico oil spill, Salazar last May set in motion plans to split theoft-criticized Minerals Management Service into three agencies under the Bureauof Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEMRE) banner. ButSalazar has yet to embrace one of the major recommendations of the commissionfor Congress to set up an independent safety agency within the InteriorDepartment that would be headed by a presidential appointed and Senateconfirmed official for a fixed term of years. This is similar to that whichgoverns the term of the director of the FBI. “It’s a recommendation which inbroad sense to me makes sense,” Salazar told reporters after his speech. “Butit is also is one we have to recognize how it’s going to affect the functionalityof what Michael is trying to do.” He added: “I don’t want to move forward in away that does not make organizational sense.”

The Nobel Prize has been going downhill ever since they gave oneto Yassir Arafat, or Jimmy Carter if you prefer. Sydney Morning Herald. Aclimate change study that projected a 2.4 degree Celsius increase intemperature and massive worldwide food shortages in the next decade wasseriously flawed, scientists said Wednesday.

Onceagain, big auto and big government come together in order to build aninefficient and expensive vehicle with your tax dollars. Reuters(1/19/11) reports: Chrysler, which has been criticized for a lineup heavy ongasoline-guzzling trucks and sport-utility vehicles, plans to design and buildthe hydraulic hybrid minivan by November and complete testing by July 2012…Theproject comes as automakers scramble to meet strict new fuel economy standardsexpected to take effect after 2016 that have forced automakers to rethink thedesign of their fleet…Marchionne appeared on Wednesday with EPA AdministratorLisa Jackson at the agency’s laboratories in Ann Arbor.

The study was posted Tuesday on EurekAlert, a independent servicefor reporters set up by the American Association for the Advancement ofScience, and was written about by numerous international news agencies,including AFP. But AAAS later retracted the study as experts cited numerouserrors in its approach. "A reporter with The Guardian alerted us yesterdayto concerns about the news release submitted by Hoffman & Hoffman public relations,"said AAAS spokeswoman Ginger Pinholster in an email to AFP. "Weimmediately contacted a climate change expert, who confirmed that theinformation raised many questions in his mind, too. We swiftly removed the newsrelease from our website and contacted the submitting organization." ScientistOsvaldo Canziani, who was part of the 2007 Nobel Prize winningIntergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, was listed as the scientific advisorto the report. The IPCC, whose figures were cited as the basis for the study’sprojections, and Al Gore jointly won the Nobel Prize for Peace in 2007"for their efforts to build up and disseminate greater knowledge aboutman-made climate change," the prize committee said at the time.

One last, excellent wordabout the Frances Beinecke Commission before it fades into obscurity.Washington Examiner. It wasn’thard to predict the sort of recommendations to expect from the seven-memberNational Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drillingwhen President Obama appointed Natural Resources Defense Council PresidentFrances Beinecke, Union of Concerned Scientists board member Fran Ulmer andfive other Democratic donors to the panel. All seven oppose offshore oil andgas activity and are environmental movement stalwarts. For example, just beforeObama appointed her, Beinecke said, "We can blame BP for the disaster, andwe should. We can blame lack of adequate government oversight for the disaster,and we should." True to form, the commissionmade its findings public Tuesday. They can be summarized in one sentence: It’sall the energy industry’s fault and the only acceptable solution is moregovernment regulation and jobs for Big Green environmentalists.

Wonder What a Double Dip RecessionLooks Like?Reuters. Oil rose onWednesday after production shutdowns, falling U.S. inventories and growingdemand sent Brent crude toward $100 a barrel for the first time since 2008.U.S.government data showing U.S. crude stocks falling for a sixth straight weekhelped extend this week’s gains. Disruptions from Alaska and Norway stokedsupply concerns and cold weather in the U.S. Northeast fed demand for heatingoil. [EIA/S] Oil’s climb back toward $100 a barrel — last touched in October2008 — has raised concerns about the impact of higher fuel costs on thetenuous economic recovery. "Back in 2008, (U.S.) crude oil only tradedabove $100 a barrel for about six months before the world economy collapsedinto the worst crisis since the 1930s," warned Sabine Schels, commoditystrategist for Merrill Lynch. Crude’s rise on Wednesday was part of wider gainsacross commodities, with metals rising and soybean and corn futures touching30-month highs that further stoked economic worries. London Brent oil LCOc1,benchmark for European, Middle East, and African crudes, rose 51 cents tosettle at $98.12 a barrel, after touching $98.85 a barrel earlier, the highestlevel since Oct. 1, 2008.

Are yousure about this double dip thing? Yep. Fortunately, Bill Reilly and BobGraham are here to help. The Fiscal Times. Someobservers have suggested that the recent financial crisis had its roots in ajump in oil prices. James Hamilton of UC San Diego produced a report in2009 saying that higher oil prices in 2007-2008 impacteddomestic spending and auto purchases to such an extent that “in the absence ofthose declines, it is unlikely that we would have characterized the period2007:Q4 to 2008:Q3 as one of economic recession for the U.S.” In other words,the Great Recession may have stemmed from a sharp jump in the average cost ofimported oil, which rose from $59.05 per barrel in 2006 to $92.57 in 2008– and not from a collapse in the value of subprime mortgages. Since the1960s consumer outlays on gasoline and heating fuel have ranged from a littlebelow 5% in the late 1990s to nearly 10% in the early 1980s. When this ratiostarts moving towards the higher end of the range, as it did in the mid- 2000s,the consumer   cuts back on other spending, precipitating an economicdownturn.

Again,Please Thank the Bush Administration for the Ethanol Program, Now About to HelpFoment Social Unrest Across the Planet. Wall Street Journal. Evidence of tightening global food supplies grew as theU.S. Agriculture Department cut its estimates for global harvests of key cropsand raised some demand forecasts, adding to worries about rising food prices. Prices of corn and soybeansleapt 4% Wednesday and wheat gained 1%, continuing the broad rally in commodityprices that began in June. With yesterday’s gains, prices of corn futurescontracts are now up 94% from their June lows; soybeans are up 51% and wheat isup 80%. The USDA’s revisions reflect the impact of dry weather in South Americaand floods in Australia, which have compounded supply constraints that firststarted to emerge in the middle of last year, when a drought in Russia ravagedthat country’s wheat fields. The agency also cut estimates for U.S. harvests ofcorn and soybeans. At the same time, demand is increasing. The USDA saidethanol producers likely will increase their use of corn, and consumption byemerging market countries continues to be strong. Prices of many agriculturalcommodities are still below the levels that sparked food riots in poorcountries around the world in 2008. But economists see few signs that pricesfor grain, livestock and cotton will cool significantly anytime soon, signalingpotential headaches for consumers and food companies. "The markets arevery, very tight," said Joseph Glauber, the USDA’s chief economist."There is concern, no doubt."

What kind of world isthis, where an overpriced, unreliable, unwanted product that relies almostcompletely on government mandates and subsidies can’t make a go of it? By theway, and I hate to beat this drum too emphatically, but our friends at theInstitute for Energy Research were ringing this bell about two years ago.Reuters.In 2010 the fast-growing industry logged its biggest sales year ever, yetshares of solar panel makers lagged the broader market significantly. TheWilderHill Clean Energy Index, which includes solar and otheralternative-energy stocks, fell 5.3 percent last year, compared with a 12.8percent rise in the Standard & Poor’s 500 index, due to investor fears thatdeclining government incentives for solar power would hurt demand asmanufacturers ramp up production. This year, those worries are coming home toroost. The world’s top solar market, Germany,is preparing for further cuts to its solar subsidies, while growing supplies ofphotovoltaic panels are expected to outstrip demand, putting pressure on pricesand producers’ profits. A weak euro only makes matters worse for Chinese andU.S. panel makers who sell most of their products in Europe. . . .

Governmentsincluding Germany, the United States, Spain and Japanhave been willing to subsidize clean energy as they look to curb greenhousegases, but the resulting rapid growth in solar installations has also burdenedthem with additional costs at a time when the global economy remains weak. Lastyear, Germany, Spain, France, Italyand Czech Republic all trimmed their solar subsidies. This year, further cutsare expected in Germany and France in the first half of the year and in Italyin the second half. Those three markets account for about 70 percent of theglobal market, according to Bank of America Merrill Lynch.

See, there’s only one problem withthis: at their annual meeting last week, the utility CEOs couldn’t agree on aposition. Which means Tom is just making this up as he goes along. E&E News. "The EEIpolicy came out and said on global climate change we felt that it would behelpful to have legislation rather than regulation, number one," Kuhn toldreporters after speaking at a U.S. Energy Association event in Washington, D.C."And secondly, we said if greenhouse gas emissions are going to be a veryimportant issue … we think there should be a price on carbon that isreasonable and protects the customers." He added, "I think that isstill our policy." While it is not clear when Congress might passlegislation putting a price on carbon or what framework would be approved, hesaid, "I think all of our CEOs, in terms of their … long-term decisions… are factoring that there may well be a price on carbon in the future."

Forget the top; it’slonely at the bottom. Sad, sick California acknowledges that it is the onlyState in the West misguided enough to bankrupt itself.E&ENews. New Mexico is no longer expected to link intothe Western Climate Initiative’s regional trading structure following theinauguration of Gov. Susana Martinez (R), who intends to reverse planned cutsto carbon emissions in the state, a senior California official said today. KevinKennedy, assistant executive officer in charge of the Office of Climate Changeat the California Air Resources Board, told lawyers during a forum sponsored byLaw Seminars International that the election results likely mean New Mexicowill not participate in the fledgling WCI, at least at the outset of the marketstarting Jan. 1, 2012. "The change in administration probably takes NewMexico out of the situation," Kennedy said.

Inoffice since Jan. 1, Martinez has already tried to freeze two rules adopted bythe state Environmental Improvement Board late last year that would cut stateemissions by 3 percent annually and authorize participation in the WCI. Therules, which cannot take effect until published officially, have been suspendedfollowing an executive order by Martinez, issued hours after her inauguration,that halts all new regulations for 90 days. Environmental groups say they willsue to block Martinez, and some expect the matter to soon end up before thestate Supreme Court. The state cap would have required large stationary sourcesto cut emissions 3 percent annually below 2010 levels, starting in 2013 (ClimateWire,Jan. 10).

Kennedyadded that a cap-and-trade regulation passed by California regulators inDecember is going forward with or without New Mexico’s participation. But healso acknowledged that no other U.S. states will be part of WCI when it goeslive in 2012, with three Canadian provinces — British Columbia, Quebec andOntario — still expected to participate in trading.

Yoda was right: to adark place this line of thought will take us. Not surprisingly, EPA’s ongoinggame of Twister on GHG regulations takes an expected, but unfortunate turn.Wonder what else is going to be exempted? Greenwire. The use of biomasswill be exempt from the Obama administration’s new greenhouse gas regulationsfor three years, U.S. EPA announced today, giving the agency more time toaddress concerns that permitting requirements could chill investment in anemerging form of renewable energy. The decision responds to criticism from thebiomass industry, which has claimed that the energy source is not contributingto climate change because it is part of a natural, carbon-neutral cycle. Whennew plants are grown, the argument goes, they absorb the same amount of carbondioxide that the other plants had released when they were burned. In a statementtoday, EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson gave a nod to biomass as a form of"clean energy." The sentiment was echoed by Agriculture Secretary TomVilsack, who said the decision would create jobs and promote energyindependence. "We are working to find a way forward that is scientificallysound and manageable for both producers and consumers of biomass energy,"Jackson said. "In the coming years we will develop a common-sense approachthat protects our environment and encourages the use of clean energy.Renewable, homegrown power sources are essential to our energy future, and animportant step to cutting the pollution responsible for climate change." Today’sdecision will require changes to EPA’s "tailoring" rule, which laysout which types of new facilities will need to get greenhouse gas permits underthe Clean Air Act.

A gripping storyfeaturing the world’s oldest profession (AWEA, natch), some amateurrent-seeking (NEI), and one stand-up performance by Dan Whitten at ANGA.E&E News. Thewind industry’s largest trade group a few months ago rejected the idea of a"clean power" mandate on utilities that included nuclear, some coaland natural gas as options. But American Wind Energy has a new opinion today.We’re open to talking about anything at this point," said Rob Gramlich,AWEA’s senior vice president of public policy. For the nuclear industry, a CESthat includes the fuel as an option would be a kind of new frontier, said JohnKeeley, spokesman for the Nuclear Energy Institute. . . . "If the federalgovernment says this is a source that we endorse … I would have to think thatpotentially that would be an inducement for spurring investment," Keeleysaid, adding, "If it is a mandate, it would certainly help.” “There’s noneed to trade environmental quality for strong economy, jobs and clean energyproduction," Whitten said. "Hydraulic fracturing has been used for 60years on over a million wells safely.

Seeing$4 gasoline in the future, architect of Interior’s assault on energy heads forthe exits BusinessJournal (1/10/11) reports: TomStrickland, chief of staff to U.S. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, plans toleave that post in February, The Denver Post reports. Strickland — a formerU.S. attorney from Colorado and a two-time U.S. Senate candidate — has beenSalazar’s top aide for 21 months, and also serves as assistant secretary forfish and wildlife and parks, overseeing both the National Park Service and theU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. He intends to stay in Washington and return tothe private sector, The Post says.

How long do you figure itwill take Mr. Jefferson’s University to do the right thing and give ChrisHorner and Paul Chesser the documents to which they are entitled? E&E News. TheAmerican Tradition Institute Environmental Law Center filed an informationrequest yesterday for e-mails and other documents concerning Michael Mann, theformer university climate scientist currently the target of civil action byVirginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli II (R). The institute filed therequest on behalf of Del. Bob Marshall (R) and two other state residents. Itrequests documents similar to one that Cuccinelli asked for with a civilsubpoena, which the university has been fighting in court.

Hey, I forgot;where did Jim Connaughton work before Constellation? Do you think heunderstands the meaning of the word, “irony”? Gazette. Federal regulators agree with opponents of a proposedthird reactor at Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant that a draft report did notsufficiently consider alternative power sources, such as wind and solar, to the$10 billion, 1,600-megawatt project. . . . The draft environmental impactstatement’s "discussion of a combination of alternatives is inadequate andfaulty," the report states. "By selecting a single alternative thatunder-represents potential contributions of wind and solar power, thecombination alternative depends excessively on the natural gas supplement, thusunnecessarily burdening this alternative with excessive environmentalimpacts."

Can’t believe they leftout the environmental damage, the increased cost to consumers, or the fact thatit takes more energy to make than it provides. But it probably wasn’t easygetting Ben Cardin to sign on to that stuff. TheHill. Sens. Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) and James Inhofe (R-Okla.) sent aletter to EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson Wednesday asking whether the agency’sdecision to allow E15 blends in some vehicles will affect the availability ofpure gasoline. “Limited supply of pure gasoline in Maine has resulted in theuse of ethanol, which has caused damage to small engines and threatens toundermine recreational activities including snowmobiling, boating, and generalaviation,” Snowe said in a statement Thursday…A number of industry groups,including the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers and the National MarineManufacturers Association, have asked a federal court tooverturn EPA’s ethanol decision.

Does Tom Friedman knowabout this? If Hugo Chavez can build a refinery in China, maybe PDVSA can helpus out with one here in the States. ChinaDaily. China has given initial environmental clearance to an $8.7 billionjoint-venture refinery between PetroChina Co., Ltd. and Venezuela’s state oilcompany Petreleos de Venezuela (PDVSA). The refinery, to be located in Jieyangin the southern Chinese province of Guangdong, would have a crude refiningcapacity of 400,000 barrels per day, according to the website of the country’senvironmental watchdog.

Rent-Seekers of the WorldUnite! TheNew York Times. Duke Energy is near anall-stock deal to acquire a rival, Progress Energy, that values the smallerenergy company at more than $13 billion, a person briefed on the matter toldDealBook on Saturday. The deal could be announced as soon as Monday, thisperson said, adding that talks are ongoing and could still fall apart. If anagreement is reached, it would unite two of the biggest energy companies in theSouth, continuing a streak of big mergers in the sector.

Deranged killers?Right-wing crazies? Vitriolic radio talk shows? Here is the real sickness atthe heart of our political system. Politico. One veteran Democratic operative, who blames overheatedrhetoric for the shooting, said President Barack Obama should carefully butforcefully do what his predecessor did. “They need to deftly pin this on thetea partiers,” said the Democrat. “Just like the Clinton White House deftlypinned the Oklahoma City bombing on the militia and anti-government people.”

Meet the new year, same as the old year: Obama Administrationcontinues assault on domestic energy production while gas is expected to hit $4a gallon.  Wall Street Journal (1/3/11)reports: More than two months after the Obama administration lifted its ban ondrilling in the deep-water Gulf of Mexico, oil companies are still waiting forapproval to drill the first new oil well there. Experts now expect the wait tocontinue until the second half of 2011, and perhaps into 2012…The slowdownalso has long-term implications for U.S. oil production. The Energy InformationAdministration, the research arm of the Department of Energy, last monthpredicted that domestic offshore oil production willfall 13% this year from 2010 due to the moratorium and the slow return todrilling; a year ago, the agency predicted offshore production would rise 6% in2011. The difference: a loss of about 220,000 barrels of oil a day.

If theObama Administration was truly concerned about safety,why would they shut down an industry that spills less oil in water than peopleusing jet skis?  Wall Street Journal (1/3/11)reports: Shallow-water drillers, which operate in less than 500 feet of waterand drill mostly for natural gas, have lurched back to activity after workbriefly halted in the aftermath of April’s BP well disaster. But they rely onshort-term, 30- to 60-day contracts with energy companies, making their revenuestream more vulnerable to disruption than deep-water rig owners that signmultiyear contracts….A significant speed bump foroperators is a new drill-plan requirement to calculate the worst-case dischargeof oil and provide a strategy for killing a blown-out well. Federal regulatorsreturned 101 plans requesting modification in 2010—including 77 sinceJune—compared with 59 such requests in 2009, and just 31 in 2008.

I was forit before I was against it: Will GOP presidential wannabes channel their innerJohn Kerry on GHG regs? Politco (1/2/11)reports: It may be heresy to conservatives, but a trip down memory lane showsnearly all of the top-tier Republican presidential contenders want to save theplanet from global warmingOn the campaign stump, inbooks, speeches and nationally-televised commercials, aspiring GOP White Housecandidates such as Tim Pawlenty, Mike Huckabee and Mitt Romney have warned in recent years aboutthe threats from climate change and pledged to limit greenhouse gases. Somehave even committed the ultimate sin, endorsing the controversial cap and tradeconcept that was eventually branded “cap and tax.”

ShellGame: Idaho wants to sell CA utility companies renewable energy credits, butkeep the energy produced; as usual the consumer on the hook for the deal. San Francisco Chronicle (1/2/10)reports: The deal relies on a California energy policy requiring that renewableenergy sources provide some of the state’s energy needs…The credits can’t besold in Idaho because the state doesn’t have such a requirement…FederalEnergy Regulatory Commission spokeswoman Barbara Connors said the company’splan is unique, but a lot of things have yet to be tried in the renewableenergy industry.

Pay yourtaxes: CA consumers double down with electric vehicle rebate gamble; statefunds are fore-casted to run out by February. Los Angeles Times(12/24/10) reports: California consumers counting on a $5,000 state rebate forpurchasing an electric car may be in for a shock: The money may not be therewhen they go to collect….with California mired in fiscal crisis, there’s noguarantee that rebate funds intended for future years will actually be there,Air Resources Board officials said….That’s unsettling to electric-vehicleenthusiasts who see the financial incentives as a way to even the playing fieldwith conventional gasoline-engine autos.

Mass.Gov. Deval “Green Thumb” Patrick makes an offer youcan’t refuse; Nstar and Northeast Utilities mergerwon’t take place unless they include Cape Wind as part of the deal. iStock Analyst(12/23/10) reports:  The Patrickadministration is signaling it will hold hostage the proposed Nstar-Northeast Utilities merger unless the two electriccompanies agree to buy Cape Wind power and prove they have "outstandingtrack records" on clean-energy issues. Without naming Cape Wind, Bowles,who leaves office next week, said regulators should ask: "Will a mergerhelp advance the development of the commonwealth’s solar and offshore windresources?"…Nstar has said it doesn’t want tobuy Cape Wind’s power, which is twice as expensive as electricity generatedfrom fossil fuels.

GoldenEagles – It’s what’s for dinner; new report out from U.S. Fish and Wildlifesays that over 400,000 birds are killed each year from wind turbines.  Omaha Herald (12/30/10)reports: Officials with American Bird Conservancy on Wednesday cited data fromthe U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that estimates 400,000 birds of variousspecies are killed by turbine blades annually…The conservation group’sconcerns come as state and national officials push to expand wind energydevelopment in the coming years….“Golden eagles, whooping cranes and greatersage-grouse are likely to be among the birds most affected by poorly plannedand sited wind projects,” said Kelly Fuller, a spokeswoman for the conservancy.