QUICK NEWS, October 10: FEDS FASTTRACK WIRES FOR THE WEST; ECO-GE CHALLENGES CHINA; SAUDIS PIDDLE WITH SOLAR POWER

FEDS FASTTRACK WIRES FOR THE WEST
Obama Administration Says It Will Speed Approval Of Transmission Lines
Ryan Tracy and Cassandra Sweet, October 7, 2011 (Dow Jones Newswires via Nasdaq)

"The Obama administration…[will] speed federal approval of seven proposed electric transmission projects in 12 states--together estimated to cost more than $8.5 billion--in an effort to spur infrastructure spending and modernize the U.S. grid…[The] pilot effort involving nine federal agencies [and coordinated by the Interior Department, the lead federal agency for approving such projects will]...look to coordinate permits and more quickly resolve disputes that can hold up the process...[T]he projects will increase grid capacity and together…[will] create more than 10,000 construction jobs in Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Minnesota, New Mexico, Nevada, Wyoming, Utah, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Oregon and Wisconsin..."

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"The projects that will be fast-tracked for permitting include the $1.2 billion, 145-mile Susquehanna-Roseland transmission project, being developed by Public Service Enterprise Group Inc. (PEG) and PPL Corp. (PPL)…[A] $3 billion, 600-kilovolt transmission line called TransWest Express…Gateway West project, being developed by Idacorp Inc.'s (IDA) Idaho Power unit and Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (BRKA, BRKB) unit Rocky Mountain Power…[T]he $450 million, 300-mile Boardman-Hemingway transmission line…"

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"…[Also] the $825 million, 500- kilovolt Cascade Crossing project being developed by Portland General Electric Co. (POR)…[T]he 460-mile SunZia project, estimated to cost up to $920 million…being developed by UniSource Energy Corp.'s (UNS) Tucson Electric Power unit, Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, Royal Dutch Shell PLC's (RDSA.LN, RDSB.LN, RDSA, RDSB) WindEnergy unit and Salt River Project, an Arizona public utility district…[and] the $490 million, 150-mile Hampton-Rochester-La Crosse transmission project…a series of transmission lines being developed by 11 utilities including Allete Inc.'s (ALE) Minnesota Power unit and Xcel Energy Inc. (XEL), which is the project manager…"


ECO-GE CHALLENGES CHINA
GE and Investment Firm Partners Commit $100 Million Launching Ecomagination Challenge in China
October 7, 2011 (GE)

"Ecomagination Challenge is part of GE's commitment to drive global energy transformation through continued investment in innovation and partnerships. First launched in the US in 2010, GE's Ecomagination Challenge is an innovation experiment where businesses, entrepreneurs, innovators and students shared their ideas on how to revolutionize the energy industry. In the US, GE has so far focused the Ecomagination Challenge on smart grid and home energy technologies…"

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Ecomagination Challenge in China "will focus on gas-powered energy applications in its initial phase, which runs through next April. Winners will be entitled to cash awards, opportunities to work at GE's R&D facilities in China and possible equity investments in their ventures. GE and its investment firm partners [Baird Capital Partners Asia, CITIC Capital, Genertec Investment, Milestone Capital, Northern Light Venture Capital, Sequoia Capital and Shanghai Science and Technology Investment Corporation] will consider expanding the theme into other energy technology sectors afterwards…The deadline for submission of ideas is December 31, 2011…[W]inners of all prizes and equity investments will be announced in April, 2012…"


SAUDIS PIDDLE WITH SOLAR POWER
Saudi Arabia's First Solar Power Plant Comes Online
6 October 2011 (Solar Industry)

"The kingdom of Saudi Arabia has inaugurated its first solar power plant, according to the Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia…The 500 kW plant, located on Farasan Island, was constructed by the Saudi Electricity Co. (SEC) and Showa Shell Sekiyu K.K., a Japanese energy company partly owned by the Saudi Arabian Oil Co."

There are warehouses in China, Europe and the U.S. that have solar arrays on their roofs many times the size of this "breakthrough" Saudi installation. Hopefully the nation best positioned to be the Saudi Arabia of solar energy will get in the game in earnest soon. (click to enlarge)

"This project is intended to be one of the many initiatives led by SEC to introduce clean energy throughout the Kingdom. Saudia Arabia is a prime location to harness solar energy because of its year-round sunshine. The sun in Saudi Arabia emits about 7,000 watts of energy per square meter over an average of 12 hours every day…"