Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Energy News Digest for November 9, 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.

To subscribe, email jmyer@masonpud3.org

THE NEWS DIGEST ON TWITTER

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HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Public Power Challenges Moody’s Proposed New Metrics (Managing Power Magazine)

Canada Officials Say No Salmon Virus Found in British Columbia (Associated Press)

California - State’s Solar Energy Output Reaches Milestone (SF Chronicle)

House fire spurs Duke Energy to stop electric car charging across North Carolina (WBTV-TV, Charlotte, NC)

Amazon’s Oregon Cloud Region Open for Business “…generally lower energy costs in Oregon & the presence of renewable energy sources such as hydroelectric power…” (GigaOM)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
  • Public Power Challenges Moody’s Proposed New Metrics
  • Lower Columbia CAP Energy Assistance Program Cut In Half
  • Benton PUD Raises Power Rates Six Percent
  • Normally Accustomed To Too Little Power, US Utilities Battling Energy Production Spikes in Pacific Northwest
  • Seventeen Idaho National Lab Workers Exposed to Radiation
  • Voters Give Mixed Message on Bellingham Coal Port Plan
  • Opponents Force Imperial Oil to Send Megaloads to Canada’s Oil Sands on Interstates, Avoiding Scenic Highways
  • Florida Utility Customers Pay Now for Future Power
  • Earthquakes in Oklahoma? Is ‘Fracking’ to Blame, or Something Else?
  • US Energy Secretary Calls for Faster Power Grid Modernization
  • Canada Officials Say No Salmon Virus Found in British Columbia
  • Showing Coho the Upper Elwha River
  • Op/Ed - Saving Salmon: Northwest Businesses Deserve Seats at the Table
  • California - State’s Solar Energy Output Reaches Milestone
  • Vestas Abandons 2015 Sales Target, Plans Layoffs
  • West Virginia - Nearly 500 Birds Found Dead Near Wind Farm
  • New Solar Group Opposes SolarWorld’s China Trade Action
  • Canada - Pulp Mill Closures Hurting Sawmills, Woodlots
  • Redmond’s GridMobility to Contend for Top Slot in National Cleantech Competition
  • Energy-Efficiency Tax Credits Expire Soon
  • Changes in Criteria Put Company Out of BC Hydro Rebate Program
  • House Fire Spurs Duke Energy to Stop Electric Car Charging Across North Carolina
  • Restaurant Grease as Good as Gold to Biofuel Thieves
  • Amazon’s Oregon Cloud Region Open for Business
  • FCC Push to Expand Net Access Gains Help
  • Cheap Broadband, Pcs Aimed at Low-Income Families
  • White House Vows to Veto Bill That Overturns Net Neutrality Rules
  • Microsoft, Yahoo, AOL Team Up to Sell Internet Ads
  • America! Stop Whining & Get Online!
  • McKenna Kicks Off Campaign for Washington State Governor
  • US Senator Murray’s Staff Holds Retreat at Lobby Firm’s Office
  • Powerful Storm Batters Alaska’s Western Coast
  • Sunny Thursday, Windy Friday
  • Unofficial Mason County Election Results
  • Washington State Voters Kick State Out of Liquor Business
  • Eyman’s Washington State Tolling Initiative Too Close to Call
  • Washington State Voters Approve I-1163 to Expand Long-Term Caregiver Training
  • Initiative Passed to Fix Conflicting Washington State Voter Residency Rules
WORD OF THE DAY

Fey • \FAY\ • adjective – 1: marked by a foreboding of death or calamity 2a: marked by an otherworldly air or attitude b: crazy 3a: excessively refined: precious b: quaintly unconventional: campy

Oscar Wilde, your picture will now be posted next to the dictionary definition of “fey.” Do you have anything to declare?

A well-known Wilde anecdote states that at customs upon his entry to America, when asked if he had anything to declare, he replied: “Nothing but my genius.”

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS


ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Public Power Challenges Moody’s Proposed New Metrics (Managing Power Magazine)

Lower Columbia CAP Energy Assistance Program Cut In Half (Longview Daily News, WA)

Benton PUD Raises Power Rates Six Percent (Tri-City Herald, WA)

Normally Accustomed To Too Little Power, US Utilities Battling Energy Production Spikes in Pacific Northwest (Knovel)

Seventeen Idaho National Lab Workers Exposed to Radiation (Associated Press)

Voters Give Mixed Message on Bellingham Coal Port Plan (Crosscut Seattle)

Opponents Force Imperial Oil to Send Megaloads to Canada’s Oil Sands on Interstates, Avoiding Scenic Highways (Oregonian, Portland)

Florida Utility Customers Pay Now for Future Power (National Public Radio)

Earthquakes in Oklahoma? Is ‘Fracking’ to Blame, or Something Else? (Christian Science Monitor)

US Energy Secretary Calls for Faster Power Grid Modernization (Platts)

FISH & WILDLIFE

Canada Officials Say No Salmon Virus Found in British Columbia (Associated Press)

Showing Coho the Upper Elwha River (Oregonian, Portland)

Op/Ed - Saving Salmon: Northwest Businesses Deserve Seats at the Table (Oregonian, Portland)

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

California - State’s Solar Energy Output Reaches Milestone (SF Chronicle)

Vestas Abandons 2015 Sales Target, Plans Layoffs (Portland Business Journal, OR)

West Virginia - Nearly 500 Birds Found Dead Near Wind Farm (NY Times)

New Solar Group Opposes SolarWorld’s China Trade Action (Portland Business Journal, OR)
http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/morning_call/2011/11/new-solar-group-forms-to-oppose.html

Canada - Pulp Mill Closures Hurting Sawmills, Woodlots (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Redmond’s GridMobility to Contend for Top Slot in National Cleantech Competition “…GridMobility is working closely with the Bonneville Power Administration & Mason County PUD#3, as well as North Coast Electric…” (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)

Energy-Efficiency Tax Credits Expire Soon (Huffington Post)

Changes in Criteria Put Company Out of BC Hydro Rebate Program (Victoria Times Colonist, BC)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

House Fire Spurs Duke Energy to Stop Electric Car Charging Across North Carolina (WBTV-TV, Charlotte, NC)

Restaurant Grease as Good as Gold to Biofuel Thieves (National Public Radio)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Amazon’s Oregon Cloud Region Open for Business “…generally lower energy costs in Oregon & the presence of renewable energy sources such as hydroelectric power…” (GigaOM)

FCC Push to Expand Net Access Gains Help (NY Times)

Cheap Broadband, Pcs Aimed at Low-Income Families (USA Today)

White House Vows to Veto Bill That Overturns Net Neutrality Rules (Washington Post)

Microsoft, Yahoo, AOL Team Up to Sell Internet Ads (Associated Press)

America! Stop Whining & Get Online! (GigaOM)

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

McKenna Kicks Off Campaign for Washington State Governor (Seattle Times)

US Senator Murray’s Staff Holds Retreat at Lobby Firm’s Office (KING-TV, Seattle)

GENERAL NEWS

Powerful Storm Batters Alaska’s Western Coast (Associated Press)

Sunny Thursday, Windy Friday (KXRO Radio, Aberdeen, Wa)

Unofficial Mason County Election Results (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

Washington State Voters Kick State Out of Liquor Business (KING-TV, Seattle)

Eyman’s Washington State Tolling Initiative Too Close to Call (KING-TV, Seattle)

Washington State Voters Approve I-1163 to Expand Long-Term Caregiver Training (KING-TV, Seattle)

Initiative Passed to Fix Conflicting Washington State Voter Residency Rules (KING-TV, Seattle)

DIVERSIONS

Everything You Know About Raindrops is a Lie

Fired From a Shelter After Photographing the Animals

Daily Diversion: ‘Vladimir Lenin’ School Wants to Change Name to ‘Steve Jobs’

Without Trucks, the Tallest Building In the World Would Become the Tallest Mountain of Poo

SONG OF THE DAY

Jon Bon Jovi & Pavarotti - Let it Rain