Week of 4/6/2012

The Buzz’s EDITOR’S PICKS OF THE WEEK…

Another solar biz bites the dust, but media erred in reporting DOE loan at risk

Related: Interior secretary praised Blythe Solar Project and Solar Trust of America

Treasury Department watchdog’s report says Solyndra loan guarantee was ‘rushed’

Former FBI agent: DOE knew Solyndra was risky when it approved loan guarantee

Energy Department slows down renewable energy funds approval process

The Buzz’s FeatureS of the Week…

‘SEALs shot Bin Laden in Pakistan and Lisa Jackson shot [miners] in Washington’

Obama faces ticking clock on decision to avert $5 per gasoline this summer

In Q&A interview, Gov. Kasich touts Ohio as new ‘energy player’ on national scene

With 3 million acres of mineral rights already leased, drillers eye surprising locations

Editor’s Note – This is a public radio broadcast.

DOE-backed Fisker Automotive weighs moving EV sedan production overseas

Related: How will the failure of Fisker affect electric car industry in United States?

Federal Renewable Fuel Standard blocks fossil fuel-based ethanol from market

The Buzz’s CLIMATE-ENERGY POLITICS & REGULATION Links…

American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity launches $40-million TV ad campaign

Salazar claims ‘politics’ in House GOP subpoena of drilling moratorium documents

EPA again delays air pollution rules aimed at hydraulic fracturing extraction method

Republicans and Democrats face voter ire at home over rising gasoline prices

House GOP members and airlines ready to attack EU carbon trading scheme

The Buzz’s CLIMATE CHANGE, SCIENCE & SCANDAL Links…

Gallup Poll: News media is exaggerating seriousness of climate change in coverage

Doomsday movies with climate change themes aimed at true believers and others

Scottish government plans to protect historic buildings from climate change threat

Price of carbon hits record low in Europe, sowing doubts about climate change policy

Revisiting HMS Challenger cruise, scientists find ocean warming from the 1870s

If world’s climate is really changing, bring on more of delights of warmer winters

Decreasing world trade in order to cut carbon emissions would hurt poor nations

To be skeptical of climate change is not a characteristic of being ‘anti-science’

Oregon university professor likens global warming skepticism to form of racism

Related: Do-gooders’ ideas to save world from climate change are just plain scary

Climate scientists turn to home PCs and volunteers for help with research

The Buzz’s OHIO Links…

AEP’s new rate plan would hike Columbus Southern residential bills by $7.40

DP&L bills could decrease by up to 5% in 2013 under competitive rate plan

Hydraulic fracturing in Ohio producing at higher rate than traditional wells

Related: One well in Utica formation yields two percent of state’s total output

Duke Energy will mail 240,000 Ohioans home energy comparison reports

Bob Murray: Won’t let oil and gas drilling operators ‘run over’ coal mining interest

Company vows to forge ahead with centrifuge project, despite funding setback

Ohio, Indiana and Wisconsin opt out of federal Great Lakes wind farm plan

The Buzz’s NATIONAL Links…

NRC votes, 4-1, to green-light construction of nuke power units in South Carolina

Natural gas prices plunge to new 10-year low on news of swelling supply

AEP will team with Great Plains Energy in transmission infrastructure venture

The Buzz’s INTERNATIONAL Links…

United Kingdom resets $1 billion race to develop deployable power plant CCS system

German solar manufacturer Q-Cells, once the world’s largest, files for bankruptcy

Japan can avoid energy death spiral only by reactivating its nuke power program

Russia places heavy bets on mineral, gas and oil resources from Arctic region

The Buzz’s RENEWABLES, ALTERNATIVE TECHNOLOGY, FUELS Links…

Investment tax credit is better way to stimulate wind power and reduce overall costs

Virginia one step closer to putting first offshore wind turbine in American waters

Apple, Inc. will construct nation’s largest fuel cell energy project in North Carolina

Warning rings true: Nevada’s wind turbine rebate program produces little electricity

Buzz’s ENERGY EFFICIENCY & CONSERVATION Links …

Forget Farmville, City of Palo Alto to foster energy efficiency competition with app

Related: Opower social media app available at 16 participating utilities across nation

The Buzz’s ELECTRIC CARS, HYBRIDS, TRANSPORTATION Links…

More efficient gas engines, not electrics, will dominate transport technology

East Carolina professors: It could take up to 12 years to pay extra cost of electric car

Nissan launches 100-day social media campaign to promote electric automobiles

GE’s purchase of Chevy Volt units drives sales higher, but it is probably a blip

Chevy Volt factory production suspension will be extended, according to company

Mitsubishi’s electric car entry, the $31,000 i-Miev, drives like a golf cart

Battery manufacturer A123 Systems sees shares fall lower under threat of lawsuit

The Buzz’s ENERGY OPINION AND COMMENTARY Links…

American motorists: Start your tempers, $5 per gallon gasoline now closer than ever

Ohio Gov. John Kasich bucks party line in calling for higher oil and gas drilling taxes

Environmentalists claim they forced de facto moratorium on coal-fired power plants

By restraining demand, tapping more resources, we can achieve energy independence

Rising skepticism in science might actually be reaction to those in charge of institutions

Science has become the whipping boy for both conservative and liberal politics

Editor’s Note – I include this interesting essay because it addresses what has become an accusation leveled in the debate over climate change, environmental regulation and in the presidential campaign. It raises concern about how science and scientists might have been influenced to conform to certain political agendas.

Obama’s policies ensured China would dominate domestic solar panel market

Average gas price when Obama took office, $1.90 per gallon… so what happened?

EPA thinks the price of electricity is too cheap and is bent on ratcheting it up

Financial blogger advises creating emergency fund to pay increasing electric bills

The Buzz’s weekly stingerS…

IPCC report: No connection between severe weather and manmade climate change

Obama recipient of Big Oil money over course of his political career

Energy legislation could be off the table in Senate to protect vulnerable Democrats

Texas power grid may still need a little help from its friends in the future

Cape Wind electricity will be more than double the price of conventional power

The Buzz’s HALL OF SHAME…

Well, at least old wind turbines can be recycled into neat playground equipment

Gov. Jerry Brown ‘steals’ from California electricity consumers to promote EVs

Over 220 neighborhoods in Sacramento in dark because of streetlight copper theft

General Motors believes climate change is real, pulls funding for Heartland Institute

The Buzz’s WEIRD, SAD, FUNNY, UPLIFTING AND UNBELIEVABLE Links…

576,000 miles later, 94-year-old grandmother’s ‘Chariot’ parked for the last time

PETA will distribute chicken cruelty leaflets at annual White House Easter egg roll

Parents take note: Text messaging in class can hurt your college student’s grades

Japanese honey bees form ‘hot ball’ around predator that cooks foe to death

FAA approves prototype car-airplane hybrid with estimated price tag of $279,000

Thieves who stole bulldog and tried to ransom him face prison terms for extortion

California hiker attacked by mountain lion but saved by female bear

3,000-lb. tyrannosaur found in China was covered head-to-tail in downy feathers