Bruce Mulliken - Green Energy News.

ENERGIES... week of September 3, 2006, BUSH TO CHANGE DIRECTION ON GLOBAL WARMING? In a published Memorandum dated September 1, 2006 to the Board of Directors of the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) staffers include this: " White House -- The Bush Administration officials, setting the stage for the President's final two years in office, are said to be preparing a major energy initiative designed to "change the whole nature of the discussion," taking on Republicans and Democrats, the oil and electricity industries, and environmentalists. A Bush advisor noted that the President's views on global warming have evolved." If true, it's best to wait and see. However California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has broken away from the Bush Administration's recognize-the-probem-but-do-nothing stance on global warming. Maybe the Bush Administration would now like to follow Arnold's lead. Schwarzenegger was encouraged this week when BP announced that it would support California's soon-to-be-signed-into-law, market-technology-based legislation to cut greenhouse gases in the state. For the RFA visit http://www.ethanolrfa.org/ . For the complete memorandum: http://www.ethanolrfa.org/objects/documents/837/9-1-06.bm.pdf   COULD A DROP IN GAS AND OIL PRICES FAVOR REPUBLICANS IN NOVEMBER? According to the US Department of Energy's Energy Information Agency (EIA) the nationwide average price of regular gasoline has dropped nearly 20 cents per gallon since the week of August 21 to $2.72 per gallon for the week of September 4. What gives? Why the dramatic drop in prices? Many things have happened. -- The price of oil has dropped into the high $60's from the high $70's that was driven by instability in the Middle East. But, the month long war in Israel and Lebanon didn't spread throughout the region as feared. Further, the US is now at a standoff with Iran with it increasingly unlikely that the US will take military action against the country. -- The yearly end-of-summer drop off in driving is now underway - less gasoline is flowing at the pumps thus it is cheaper. -- A slowing economy may be suppressing prices. Fewer trips to the store also mean less gas sold at lower prices. -- People do seem to be switching to higher fuel economy cars. The automakers have cut back production of trucks and SUVs because of slow sales. (Though certainly unofficial, used car lots seem to be overflowing with SUVs -- at very low prices.) -- The ethanol shortage that began at the first of the year seems to have ended. Fuel distributors that switched to ethanol reformulated gasoline to replace MTBE at the first of the year found high prices and a tight ethanol supply. That situation has eased and the price of ethanol has dropped from around $4.00 a gallon in June and July to a low of about $2.30 a gallon today, according to the California Energy Commission and the Oxy - Fuel News Price Report from Hart Publications. That dramatic drop in the price of ethanol could be the major portion of the reduced price of gasoline in markets that use reformulated gasoline. -- The hurricane season is far less active than predicted. (Yet anyway. But, as each day passes the less chance there is for a busy season.) Most of the damage done to oil facilities by Katrina and Rita last year has been apparently fixed as well. High gasoline prices have been a major complaint by voters of the Bush Administration and the Republican-held Congress. High gas prices would help the Democrats win seats in November. Lower gas prices would help Republicans keep control. And, lower seems to be the trend from now until November, unless something unforeseen happens. Even with the lowering prices now at the pump and a major new find of oil and natural gas in the Gulf of Mexico by Chevron and partners (said by them to be as large as the North Slope of Alaska), the fundamentals leading to ever-higher natural gas, oil and gasoline prices remain in place. China is still growing as is India. And, the true nature of remaining oil supplies is still unknown. There could be much less in known reserves in some nations than once thought. (Iran has already admitted that it won't be a able to meet a future increase in planned production.) The price of oil has been expected to rise over the coming years along a saw tooth, up and down, peak and valley curve. We're headed toward a valley at the moment, but there are still hills ahead to climb. It's just a matter of when we reach them. For gas price data visit the Energy Information Agency of the US Department of Energy at http://www.eia.doe.gov/oil_gas/petroleum/data_publications/wrgp/ mogas_home_page.html . For the fuel Ethanol Terminal Market Price from the California Energy Commission at http://www.energy.ca.gov/gasoline/graphs/ethanol_18-month.html   And by subscription ... --- Dow Corning begins shipping new source of silicon for solar cells; could change the industry they say. --- More wind energy for Iowa planned ... --- FPL builds world's largest wind farm ... Green Energy News is not responsible for content on external websites. Copyright Green Energy News Inc. August 2006. Updated 9/4/06

Petratherm is drilling in the Australian Outback for renewable Hot Rocks energy. http://www.petratherm.com.au/   --- Ballard Introduces Next Generation Air-Cooled Fuel Cell Stack. http://www.ballard.com/ (Fewer parts, improved performance, lower cost for product aimed at the 1-5 kilowatt backup power market.) (9/6/06) --- GE Enters into Patent Licenses with Repower Systems AG http://www.ge.com/energy (Related to GE's variable speed technology for wind turbines.) --- Johnson Controls - Saft Joint Venture Awarded Program for Lithium-Ion Batteries http://www.johnsoncontrols.com/ http://www.saftbatteries.com/ (The company has signed a letter of intent (LOI) with a major vehicle manufacturer to supply lithium-ion (Li-Ion) batteries for a development phase, to lead to volume production at a later date.) (9/6/06) --- Petratherm's Well One Of Australia's Hottest 'HOT ROCKS' Prospects http://www.petratherm.com.au/ (Click Latest News) (Paralana-1 geothermal test well result paves the way to develop a commercial geothermal resource in far north South Australia.) --- Power Air Targets Asian Market Through Joint Venture with H-Plus Group http://www.poweraircorp.com/ (The joint venture will develop, manufacture, and commercialize zinc-air fuel cell back-up power systems) (9/6/06) --- Fuel Cell is 'BEGINI' ! http://www.antig.com/ (Portable fuel cell showcased at trade fair.) (9/7/06) --- Whirlpool Brand, GreenHomes America and Edison Electric Institute Join Forces for Unique Home Energy Blueprint Program to Educate and Empower Homeowners Across the Nation http://www.whirlpool.com/energy (Ten Households Chosen for Energy Efficiency Upgrades to be Tracked for the Coming Year ) (9/7/06) --- Carlyle/Riverstone Renewable Energy Infrastructure Fund and Bunge North America to Build Ethanol Production Plants in the U.S. http://www.riverstonellc.com/ (click News) http://www.carlyle.com/ http://www.bunge.com/ (Production capacity of several hundred million-gallons-per-year by the end of 2008) (9/8/06)   Requests for Proposals and Funding Opportunities. --- Vectren Power Supply has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for renewable energy, including the capacity, physical energy, and renewable energy credits (REC). With this RFP, Vectren seeks to purchase a minimum of 5,000 MWh of renewable energy in contracts, to begin in 2007, is one, five, or 10 years. Responses are due no later than October 6, 2006. For the full RFP visit http://www.vectrenrfp.com/   --- Nevada Power and Sierra Pacific Power Co. have jointly issued a request for proposals (RFP) for renewable energy resources. The RFP is part of the companies' plan to fulfill the goals of Nevada legislation that requires an increasing percentage of the electricity provided to come from renewable sources. The companies are subsidiaries of Sierra Pacific Resources. Proposals will be considered for wind, geothermal, biomass, and other non-solar resources eligible for portfolio energy credits under the Nevada renewable portfolio standard. Responses to the RFP are due no later than October 23, 2006. For the full RFP visit http://www.sierrapacific.com/ company/RFPs/renewable .   Events and Publications. --- American Council On Renewable Energy (ACORE) and Renewable Energy Resources Committee of the American Bar Association (ABA) -- Teleconference: Maximizing Use of Government Incentives to Finance Renewable Energy Development" September 20, 2006 http://www.acore.org/programs/aba/teleconf.php --- LED Leadership Summit -- LED Lighting's Upcoming Impact on Worldwide Architecture, Transportation, Retailing, Urban Planning, and Energy Consumption November 27 - 29, 2006 San Diego, California http://www.ledleadershipsummit.com --- Middle East Electricity Exhibition & Conference February 11-14, 2007 Dubai International Exhibition Centre, United Arab Emirates (Includes new & renewable energy) http://www.middleeastelectricity.com/eetd --- DEWEK 2006 Conference November 22-23 2006, Bremen The International Technical Wind Energy Conference http://www.dewek.de --- Advancing Renewable Energy Conference October 10-12, 2006 http://www.technologyforums.com/6EN/