Friday, October 21, 2011

Energy News Digest for October 21, 2011


All the links in today’s news digest lead to current stories. Please note that some media organizations update their web sites regularly, which may result in broken links in the future.

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THE NEWS DIGEST ON TWITTER

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HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

BC Hydro Plays NAFTA Card in Bid to Win Green Status in California - Energy-trading arm claims clean-energy exemption for US power supplier is discriminatory (Vancouver Sun, BC)

Most Energy-Efficient State? California No Longer Tops List - Massachusetts takes the top spot, California takes second place, followed by New York, Oregon, Vermont, Washington, Rhode Island, Minnesota, Connecticut & Maryland (USA Today)

Winter Forecast Cold, Wet With Increased Mountain Snow for Northwest (Associated Press)

Inspection Prompts Pacific Gas & Electric to Examine Overhead Electrical Lines - inspectors had falsely claimed to have checked underground electrical gear (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

Plan for Huge Fish Farm in Strait of Juan de Fuca Roils the Waters (Seattle Times)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
  • BC Hydro Plays NAFTA Card in Bid to Win Green Status in California
  • Inspection Prompts Pacific Gas & Electric to Examine Overhead Electrical Lines
  • Grays Harbor PUD Looks to Sell “Pain In The” Turbines
  • Utility Worker in East Texas Electrocuted
  • Sacramento Municipal Utility District Won’t Install Highway 50 Solar Panels
  • Virginia - Dominion Says Nuclear Reactors Ready to Restart
  • GOP Candidates’ Backing of Yucca Closure Draws Anger in Washington State
  • Lines Go Up to Ferry Wind Energy to Major Cities
  • US Natural Gas Supplies Grew Last Week
  • Summary Box: Copper Prices Fall On Demand Worries
  • Folk Icon’s Time at Bonneville Power Administration Celebrated in Film
  • On This Day: Thomas Edison Develops Incandescent Light Bulb
  • How The New Mars Rover’s Power Supply Works - This Sucker’s Nuclear!
  • Plan for Huge Fish Farm in Strait of Juan de Fuca Roils the Waters
  • Closures Implemented for Breach of White Salmon River’s Condit Dam
  • Pacific Gas & Electric, Sempra Get Approvals for Western US Solar Deals
  • Despite Solyndra’s Collapse, Other Government Bets Pay Off
  • Solyndra Puts Off Asset Auction Until November 18
  • Energy Storage Key for Wind Power Producers
  • $165 Million Biomass-Fired Plant Earmarked for Heart of Oil Country
  • The Biomass Carbon Debate: When to Start Counting
  • Renewable Energy Development: Smaller Projects That Think Big
  • United Kingdom Boosts Support for Marine, Biomass Power
  • United Kingdom - Japanese Firm to Test Tide-Power System in Orkney
  • Japan Eyes Renewable Energy Deregulation: Report
  • Most Energy-Efficient State? California No Longer Tops List
  • California Approves Carbon Market Rules
  • A Skeptical Physicist Ends Up Confirming Climate Data
  • Clark County Electric Vehicles Generating Buzz
  • Beyond Green: A Net-Zero College Community
  • Getting That Last Mile Coax Run Can Be Costly
  • Seattle City Income Tax? A Resolution as Symbol
  • White House Adds to ‘Excess’ Federal Properties List
  • Winter Forecast Cold, Wet With Increased Mountain Snow for Northwest
  • Two Floating ‘Mystery Feet’ Linked to Canadian Woman
  • Seattle - Alaskan Way Viaduct Nine-Day Closure Begins Tonight
  • Mason County Ballots in the Mail for November 8 General Election
  • Washington’s Wine Industry Feeling the Squeeze of Cold Weather
  • 23 WA companies named in Deloitte’s Technology Fast 500

WORD OF THE DAY

QWERTY • \KWERT-tee\ • Noun - A standard typewriter or computer keyboard - called also QWERTY keyboard.

I know you just looked down at your keyboard.

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS


ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

BC Hydro Plays NAFTA Card in Bid to Win Green Status in California - Energy-trading arm claims clean-energy exemption for US power supplier is discriminatory (Vancouver Sun, BC)

Inspection Prompts Pacific Gas & Electric to Examine Overhead Electrical Lines - inspectors had falsely claimed to have checked underground electrical gear (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

Grays Harbor PUD Looks to Sell “Pain In The” Turbines (KBKW Radio, Aberdeen, WA)

Utility Worker in East Texas Electrocuted (Associated Press)

Sacramento Municipal Utility District Won’t Install Highway 50 Solar Panels – High bid, complex right of way issues cited (Sacramento Bee, CA)

Virginia - Dominion Says Nuclear Reactors Ready to Restart (Associated Press)

GOP Candidates’ Backing of Yucca Closure Draws Anger in Washington State (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

Lines Go Up to Ferry Wind Energy to Major Cities (NY Times)

US Natural Gas Supplies Grew Last Week (Associated Press)

Summary Box: Copper Prices Fall On Demand Worries (Associated Press)

Folk Icon’s Time at Bonneville Power Administration Celebrated in Film (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

On This Day: Thomas Edison Develops Incandescent Light Bulb (Finding Dulcinea)

How The New Mars Rover’s Power Supply Works - This Sucker’s Nuclear! (Gizmodo)

FISH & WILDLIFE

Plan for Huge Fish Farm in Strait of Juan de Fuca Roils the Waters (Seattle Times)

Closures Implemented for Breach of White Salmon River’s Condit Dam (KOIN-TV, Portland, OR)

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Pacific Gas & Electric, Sempra Get Approvals for Western US Solar Deals (Bloomberg News)

Despite Solyndra’s Collapse, Other Government Bets Pay Off (Seattle Times)

Solyndra Puts Off Asset Auction Until November 18 (SF Chronicle)

Energy Storage Key for Wind Power Producers - Profit would increase if electricity delivered on demand, study finds (Edmonton Journal, AB)

$165 Million Biomass-Fired Plant Earmarked for Heart of Oil Country (Renewable Energy Magazine)

The Biomass Carbon Debate: When to Start Counting (Renewable Energy World)

Renewable Energy Development: Smaller Projects That Think Big (Renewable Energy World)

United Kingdom Boosts Support for Marine, Biomass Power (Reuters)

United Kingdom - Japanese Firm to Test Tide-Power System in Orkney (Scotsman, UK)

Japan Eyes Renewable Energy Deregulation: Report (Reuters)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Most Energy-Efficient State? California No Longer Tops List - Massachusetts takes the top spot, California takes second place, followed by New York, Oregon, Vermont, Washington, Rhode Island, Minnesota, Connecticut & Maryland (USA Today)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

California Approves Carbon Market Rules (Reuters)

A Skeptical Physicist Ends Up Confirming Climate Data (Washington Post)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Clark County Electric Vehicles Generating Buzz - Officials told cars could serve many purposes in county (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

Beyond Green: A Net-Zero College Community (NY Times)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Getting That Last Mile Coax Run Can Be Costly - Time Warner Wants $20,000 for 2,583 Feet of Cable (Broadband Reports)

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Seattle City Income Tax? A Resolution as Symbol (Seattle Times)

White House Adds to ‘Excess’ Federal Properties List (Puget Sound Business Journal)

GENERAL NEWS

Winter Forecast Cold, Wet With Increased Mountain Snow for Northwest (Associated Press)

Two Floating ‘Mystery Feet’ Linked to Canadian Woman (KOMO-TV, Seattle)

Seattle - Alaskan Way Viaduct Nine-Day Closure Begins Tonightn (Northwest Cable News)

Mason County Ballots in the Mail for November 8 General Election (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

Washington’s Wine Industry Feeling the Squeeze of Cold Weather (Crosscut Seattle)

23 WA companies named in Deloitte’s Technology Fast 500 (Puget Sound Business Journal)

DIVERSIONS

A Smelly Spot: Luvs Diaper Commercial Voted ‘Worst Ad in America’

Tattooed Barbie? No Way, Some Say

Streaking Referee Starts Brawl at UCLA-Arizona Game

Man Jailed After Trying to Turn Feces into Gold – Burns down Entire Block in Effort

SONG OF THE DAY

Shirley Bassey – Goldfinger