Synthetic fuel seems to be the new Holy Grail of air transport. The prospect of oil reserve depletion, the need to curb CO2 emissions and energy security concerns are all encouraging the industry to find a viable alternative to the current jet-A1 kerosene that can be used in current engines.

One recent initiative in the pursuit of synthetic fuel has been that of Rolls-Royce. The UK-based engine manufacturer is teaming with Air New Zealand and Boeing to test a blend of biofuel and kerosene. The in-flight evaluation is scheduled to get under way in the second half of next year. One of the four RB211-524 engines on an ANZ 747-400 will use the still-unspecified mix.

In fact, one of the organizations most active in synfuel development has been the U.S. Air Force. Its scientists are turning their attention to certifying the large Boeing C-17 military transport to use an alternative fuel mix that was approved for the B-52 bomber in August.

SMH - Dirty coal makes for a green fight

The Australian - BHP considers sale of $US40bn oil unit

Conde Nast Portfolio - BHP to keep oil, gas business despite Rio bid: analysts

The Australian - Oil prices fall on OPEC comments. Whether or not they can actually raise production remains to be seen.

Reuters - Sinopec delays LNG terminal on gas shortage

Sinopec Corp has halted work on a liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal in coastal Qingdao city because it has not been able to secure gas supplies for the project after a deal with Iran foundered, an industry paper reported on Monday.

Work was supposed to start on the Chinese project last year and be completed in 2007, but Sinopec has not even gone ahead with ground-breaking and now the terminal may not open until 2010, the China Chemical Industry News said, citing an unidentified company source. The date the project would come on line depended on the progress of talks with energy exporting countries, so was hard to predict, the source added.

China is keen to increase its usage of clean-burning natural gas, but keeps prices at below market levels because of worries about inflation and unrest.

SMH - In the pipeline: a $2b desalination bill

The Australian - Coalition reassures the coal industry. I'm not sure how can reconcile doing something about global warming with not hurting the coal industry. Sounds a little like having your cake and eating it too...

SMH - Welcome to the CBD: all arteries, no pulse

SMH - Parked cars turning buses into snails

The Australian - Inconsistent, inaccurate and devoid of hope

The Australian - UN chief visits Antarctica

Dr Karl - Clean Coal Update

Peak Energy - We're Not In Iraq For The Figs

Only the Bush Administration continues to natter about a bogus “War on Terror.” Others are more candid:

o Republican Senator Senator Charles Hagel: “People say we’re not fighting for oil. Of course we are. They talk about America’s national interest. What the hell do you think they’re talking about? We’re not there for figs.” (Speaking at Catholic University, 9/24/07)

o Former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan, in his book The Age of Turbulence: Adventures in a New World: “I’m saddened that it is politically inconvenient to acknowledge what everyone knows: the Iraq war is largely about oil.”

o Democratic Senator Jon Tester: “We’re still fighting a war in Iraq and people who are honest about it will admit we’re there over oil.” (Associated Press, 9/24/07)

o General John Abizaid, retired CENTCOM commander: “Of course it’s about oil, we can’t really deny that.” (Speaking at Stanford University, 10/13/07)

Solar Power Rocks - The Cost Of The Iraq War

These figures are in millions. The source for energy R&D expenditures is from the National Council for Science and the Environment.

Though the war in Iraq now costs about $120B a year, two authors (one a Nobel prize winner) estimates the total cost of this war exceeds 2 Trillion Dollars:

“Accrued liabilities for U.S. federal employees’ and veterans’ benefits now total $4.5 trillion. Indeed, our debt for veterans’ health and disability payments has risen by $228 billion in the past year alone…The Congressional Budget Office estimates that the interest payments on the money borrowed to finance the Iraq war will total $264 billion to $308 billion.”

That $2,000,000,000,000? Well, that amount of money could’ve built solar thermal plants here that would have provided energy for 2/3rds of our nation’s energy demand.