Energetics Cliff Notes - Tuesday Edition

• Calitics gives us an update on Valero's mission to kill AB 32.
• Politifact fact-checks Bill Maher's and George Will's energy claims.
• The Oil Drum on decentralization, localization and scale-free self sufficiency of our energy infrastructure.
• ABC Australia lists 10 inventions for a climate-changed future.
• Robert Reich compares BP, Massey Energy and Goldman Sachs in 'The Rebirth of Regulation.'
• NRDC's Dan Lashoff joins the chorus of enviros condemning BP and advocating for emissions reductions.
• TIME reports of Obama's visit to the Gulf Coast.
• Here's the Energy Collective on the leaked tapes from Copenhagen.
• A few Senators are proposing increasing the liability of oil companies in cleaning up after themselves.
• Google is investing $38.8 million in North Dakota wind energy projects, totaling 170 MW of installed capacity.

Energetics Cliff Notes - Tuesday Edition

• T. Boone Pickens and Ted Turner in a video at Fox Business, discussing renewable energy and energy security.
• Here's a Forbes piece on "Nine more myths about electric cars" -- Robert Bryce should take a look.
• Australia has shelved its cap-and-trade program. PM Kevin Rudd blames "political opposition," and the plan will be put on hold unto Kyoto expires in 2012.
• Sir Richard Branson, of Virgin fortune, predicts $200/bbl oil prices in the near future.
• Valero Oil is raking in cash and using it to finance its war against AB 32.
• Spill, baby, spill -- The Economist reports on the recent rig explosion off the coast of Louisiana.
• Solar Feeds provides 10 reasons why Israel is becoming a global clean tech powerhouse.
• Mark Muro at Brookings offers his thoughts on how the COMPETES Act should be implemented.
• Philip Radford of Greenpeace trashes the state-preemption provisions in KGL.
• The World People's Conference on Climate Change and the Rights of Mother Earth a) needs a new name and b) has called for an international climate court.

Valero Boycott

CREDO Action, in collaboration with the Courage Campaign, have organized a boycott against Valero Energy, the Texas-based oil company that is currently financing efforts to repeal AB 32. The boycott calls for a cease in patronage to these locations:

• Valero
• Beacon
• Diamond Shamrock
• Shamrock
• Corner Store
• Ultramar
• Tesoro
• Mirastar
• USA Petroleum

I don't know how effective this boycott will be, but I sent an email to Valero in support of AB 32.

AB 32 to create jobs, energy savings

From No On Valero [Facebook], the good folks at the California Air Resource Board (ARB) have just posted a report on the jobs, energy savings and economic growth created by AB 32, California's carbon pricing plan. From the report summary:

• Fuel expenditures drop by 4.9 percent in 2020, with a total cost savings of $3.8 billion in reduced consumption of gasoline and diesel, as a result of increased investment in energy efficiency and cleaner fuels.

• Two million jobs will be created by 2020, the result of a sustained growth in labor demand of .9 percent each year, which is consistent with the business-as-usual case.

• The economy, including personal income, will continue to grow at a rate of 2.4 percent per year.

• Offsets in a cap-and-trade program help to reduce costs.

• Divergence from the AB 32 Scoping Plan (i.e. limiting requirements for oil companies or utilities), increases costs and shifts them to Californians and small businesses.

Makes you wonder why Meg Whitman, Republican frontrunner for governor and apparent tax-evader extraordinaire, opposes this visionary environmental legislation and is running on a platform of repeal.