2010 ASIA PACIFIC CLEAN ENERGY SUMMIT AND EXPO

A mouthful, but a bunch (maybe even up to a thousand?) of participants are attending the Summit at the Hawaii Convention Center.  I went by, said hi to a few friends, and went golfing.  Governor Linda Lingle and Senator Daniel Inouye were scheduled to give kenote addresses.  Today was the day for conservation, smart grids, education and financing.

On Wednesday, the bioenergy, Department of Defense funding opportunity and "the energetic ocean" sessions might be worth a visit.  The gathering continues Thursday morning, with the alternative aviation and DOD programs looking interesting.

That is the first truly commercial plug-in electric vehicle, the Nissan Leaf, above, which can go 100 miles on a charge.  This is a $33,000 car, but Federal and State tax incentives can bring it down to around $25,000.  Also there was Henk Rogers' Tesla to the right, the only all-electric sports car, which can get 200 miles on a charge, and maybe even up to 250 miles.  Zero to 60 in 3.7 seconds.  However, it only costs $109,000, but, with all tax credits, you get it for less than $100,000.  Soon to come is the Model S sedan, which should cost under $50,000 with tax credits.

The Chevy Volt will be available from November and cost $40,000, but subtract those same credits.  Ford has a different strategy, for they will produce the Focus with a variety of options, not only the traditional internal combustion engine version, but also a hybrid (they call it the Fusion, $28,000, and named the 2010 North American Car of the Year) and to come in 2011 for fleets, a plug in electric ($??).

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The Dow Jones Industrials edged up 5 to 10,014, with world markets also all positive.  Gold increased $10/toz to $1247 and crude oil sinking to $72/barrel.

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Wow, we're up to 7 ocean storms.  The new one in the East Pacific is off the Mexican coast, and not expected to do much.

But in the Atlantic, Hurricane Earl is now up to 135 MPH and heading northwest, with all models showing a lot of big waves and the eye just about missing the USA, but getting awfully close to Long Island.

Right behind is Tropical Storm Fiona looking to move north and fizzle, but on her heels is another disturbance off Africa to take the same path as Danielle, Earl and Fiona.


In the West Pacific Typhoon Kompasu is at 115 MPH, should slightly weaken, and zoom right over Inchon as a Category 2 storm Thursday morning.  If you're flying in that day, be prepared for some delay.

Tropical Depression Namtheun at 25 MPH has dissipated, and is just about making landfall north of Hong Kong.  However, right behind is Tropical Storm Lionrock, now at 50 MPH, to brush Taiwan, turn left, and strike the same region of China just as Kompasu hits Korea on Thursday.

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