On Energy Source today:
A possible bid for Santos of Australia
The problems of introducing smart meters in competitive markets
Opec and the stimulus: a theory
Elsewhere:
The Exxon Valdez disaster was 20 years ago today. The NY Times editorial column draws the lesson: “Given the fragility of the environment, the country’s long-term energy needs and the threat of another Exxon Valdez disaster, these avenues [wind and tidal power] would seem to offer safer passage than punching holes in the Arctic.” (NY Times)
Alaska still feels the effects, say environmentalists (Voice of America)…
…and a similar message from Science News
ExxonMobil, meanwhile, is the West’s biggest user of more vulnerable single-hulled tankers (Bloomberg)
Novozymes is to invest $160m-$200m, twice as much as it planned last year, in a plant to make enzymes for the cellulosic ethanol industry. That industry, of course, does not yet exist (NY Times)
Americans are driving less (Infrastructurist)
…but president Obama’s stimulus package gives $27.5bn to transport, much of which will be spent on new roads (NY Times)
President Obama also promises sustained support for clean energy R&D (White House)
Facts and misconceptions about last year’s “Texas wind emergency”: lessons for smart grids and dumb grids (Seeking Alpha)
The EU softens its demands to break up European power companies (Platt’s)
US biodiesel producers say EU tariffs could be devastating (Houston Chronicle)
“The world’s biggest natural gas well”, is in Papua New Guinea (Seeking Alpha)
Iraq wants Total, Chevron and Statoil to bid for a short-term field development contract (Platt’s)
And over at FT Alphaville’s Long Room, in the energeia section (except they write it in Greek letters), an interesting observation on the incredible shrinking US Oil Fund, and an interesting question: what does it mean if oil is no longer priced in dollars? (My shorter answer: nothing, and it won’t happen anyway. Longer version available on request.)
