^ thanks for the map and info on the Durbins. I really have no idea on impacts on gas prices, but the map does give some visual grounding for how the counter-intuitive idea that prices might actually rise in the Midwest may be true. Overall, though, I suspect it will have little impact on global gas prices. But I do wonder what China's apparent slow growth will mean for global demand.arch city wrote: Here's a map of the existing Keystone Pipeline and route for Keystone XL.
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For the record, Dick Durbin is against the construction of the Keystone XL as proposed. He voted for a bill that would have allowed for its construction only if 100% of the oil shipped through it remained in the United States. Obviously that would force a great deal of oil into Wood River, but also would result in the pipeline not getting built, since TransCanada isn't interested in paying for a pipeline that doesn't open up foreign markets. Durbin voted against a subsequent bill that would have allowed the oil to be exported. To highlight the contrast, Roy Blunt voted against the first bill and for the second.
^Yeah, I know Dick Durbin had been against XL and if I recall correctly, part of his concern was about how XL could impact jobs at Wood River and Patoka. Nonetheless, Durbin is still a major player in how this thing could go down or not. He is the majority whip (third in power), which is why politicians and special interests are leaning on him so hard.
I found this article and from it,
I found this article and from it,
On another note, Canada is threatening to sell more its oil to an already encroaching China if the U.S. does not resolve the issues of XL.WASHINGTON --- Although both President Obama and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid have strongly opposed recent efforts to pass the Keystone XL pipeline, Bill Foster now finds himself in a unique position to voice support for this popular project. Illinois Senator Dick Durbin has been appointed as one of the key negotiators that could make these jobs and energy independence a reality.
I guess if buying off the relatives of powerful politicians and spending millions on other lobbyists isn't working there's always fear mongering. 
Meanwhile, Enbridge Inc., which has facilities in the Metro East (Patoka) is seeking fast approval for its 600-mile Flanagan South pipeline that would cut through Missouri. Dubbed "Frankenstein" by environmentalists, Flanagan South is larger than XL.
Swift approval sought for Midwest oil pipeline
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5 hours ago • Associated Press
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MARSHALL, Mo. • A Canadian company's plan to build an oil pipeline that will stretch for hundreds of miles through the Midwest, including through many sensitive waterways, is quietly on the fast-track to approval — just not the one you're thinking of.
As the Keystone XL pipeline remains mired in the national debate over environmental safety and climate change, another company, Enbridge Inc. of Calgary, Alberta, is hoping to begin construction early next month on a 600-mile-long pipeline that would carry tar sands from Flanagan, Ill., about 100 miles southwest of Chicago, to the company's terminal in Cushing, Okla. From there the company could move it through existing pipeline to Gulf Coast refineries.
The company is seeking an expedited permit review by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for its Flanagan South pipeline, which would run parallel to another Enbridge route already in place. Unlike the Keystone project, which crosses an international border and requires State Department approval, the proposed pipeline has attracted little public attention — including among property owners living near the planned route.
Enbridge says it wants to be a good neighbor to the communities the pipeline would pass through, and it has been touting the hundreds of short-term construction jobs it would create. The company also scheduled a series of "open houses" for this week in Missouri, Kansas and Illinois in which it invited the public to come discuss and learn about its plans.
A session Tuesday in Marshall, 90 miles east of Kansas City, drew a handful of Sierra Club protesters armed with fliers denouncing what's been called one of the country's costliest oil spills. It also attracted local politicians, concerned landowners and prospective pipefitters looking for work.
Enbridge responded with an array of free products, from tote bags and tape measures to cookies and key rings.
Wayne McReynolds, one of the 55 people who stopped by the open house in Marshall, said he hoped to learn more about the company's plans to prevent construction runoff from flooding valuable farmland. He said he left the event with only vague assurances, not specific answers.
"You never put the soil back in the trench to the same extent it was taken out," said McReynolds, a retired soil and conservation worker. "It can't be done."
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Swift approval sought for Midwest oil pipeline
Print Email
5 hours ago • Associated Press
MARSHALL, Mo. • A Canadian company's plan to build an oil pipeline that will stretch for hundreds of miles through the Midwest, including through many sensitive waterways, is quietly on the fast-track to approval — just not the one you're thinking of.
As the Keystone XL pipeline remains mired in the national debate over environmental safety and climate change, another company, Enbridge Inc. of Calgary, Alberta, is hoping to begin construction early next month on a 600-mile-long pipeline that would carry tar sands from Flanagan, Ill., about 100 miles southwest of Chicago, to the company's terminal in Cushing, Okla. From there the company could move it through existing pipeline to Gulf Coast refineries.
The company is seeking an expedited permit review by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for its Flanagan South pipeline, which would run parallel to another Enbridge route already in place. Unlike the Keystone project, which crosses an international border and requires State Department approval, the proposed pipeline has attracted little public attention — including among property owners living near the planned route.
Enbridge says it wants to be a good neighbor to the communities the pipeline would pass through, and it has been touting the hundreds of short-term construction jobs it would create. The company also scheduled a series of "open houses" for this week in Missouri, Kansas and Illinois in which it invited the public to come discuss and learn about its plans.
A session Tuesday in Marshall, 90 miles east of Kansas City, drew a handful of Sierra Club protesters armed with fliers denouncing what's been called one of the country's costliest oil spills. It also attracted local politicians, concerned landowners and prospective pipefitters looking for work.
Enbridge responded with an array of free products, from tote bags and tape measures to cookies and key rings.
Wayne McReynolds, one of the 55 people who stopped by the open house in Marshall, said he hoped to learn more about the company's plans to prevent construction runoff from flooding valuable farmland. He said he left the event with only vague assurances, not specific answers.
"You never put the soil back in the trench to the same extent it was taken out," said McReynolds, a retired soil and conservation worker. "It can't be done."
Read More
Here's the article from the St. Louis Business Journal regarding Flanagan South.
Mar 27, 2012, 12:53pm CDT
$2.8 billion Enbridge pipeline to cross 11 Missouri counties
Mar 27, 2012, 12:53pm CDT
$2.8 billion Enbridge pipeline to cross 11 Missouri counties
“By increasing the use of North American fuel sources, we will create more jobs and ensure a brighter future for our state and our nation," Gov. Jay Nixon, said in a statement. "This major investment by Enbridge is another important step forward for Missouri’s economy.”
Emerson could go after UK-competitor Invensys - if the price is right. However, Schneider and ABB, both with operations in St. Louis, and Honeywell are said to be interested in Invensys as well. Invensys revenues are small compared to Emerson's. Annual revenue is only $2.539-billion GBP ($3.8-billion USD). But the buy for Emerson could get it closer to other competitors in terms of revenue.
Schneider is said to be seeking the buy to be more competitive with Siemens. Could this lead to mega-mergers? Competitors include: Emerson, GE, Honeywell, Rockwell Automation, Siemens, ABB.
Invensys Bidding May Yield Decade-High Price: Real M&A
By Brooke Sutherland - Jul 17, 2013 12:30 PM CT
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Invensys Plc (ISYS) shareholders may be rewarded with a price not seen in a decade if Schneider Electric SA (SU)’s approach sparks a bidding war.
Shares of the British industrial technology company have traded above Schneider’s informal offer of 505 pence a share during each of the last three trading days, indicating some investors may be wagering on a higher bid. An auction, which may attract Emerson Electric Co. and Honeywell International Inc. (HON), could drive the price to 550 pence or more, Royal Bank of Canada said. The stock hasn’t traded that high since 2003.
[SNIP]
Emerson Interest
Based on the sum of its parts, Invensys could be valued at as much as 550 pence a share in a takeover, Leslie estimated, with Emerson (EMR) as the most logical challenger to Schneider.
Emerson, a maker of air conditioner compressors and food-waste disposals, walked away from talks with Invensys about a possible deal a year ago. Since then, Invensys sold its rail unit to Siemens AG and pledged some of the proceeds to fund pension obligations that at one point were among the largest in the U.K.
The transaction made Invensys a more appealing target for Emerson, which would likely be lured by the company’s large customer base and software offerings, Leslie said.
“They were fundamentally interested in what now remains of Invensys, so it’s easier,” he said. “It would be an interesting asset for them.”
Mark Polzin, a spokesman for St. Louis-based Emerson, declined to comment.
Tempting Target
Still, Emerson shareholders may balk at the prospect of a bidding war after a contest with ABB Ltd. (ABBN) drove up the price for its 2010 purchase of Chloride Group Plc, according to Christian Mayes, a St. Louis-based analyst at Edward Jones & Co.
“From Emerson’s point of view, I think the temptation could be there to look at it because it does fit into a couple areas that they want to grow in,” Mayes said in a phone interview. “The size of this deal may put them off from it.”
Honeywell and Zurich-based ABB also could be among companies interested in acquiring Invensys, said Andrew Carter, a London-based analyst at RBC. Buying the maker of meters and controls would add to their own process automation operations, he said in a phone interview.
Invensys could fetch 550 pence or more a share if an auction with “reasonable competitive tension” were to ensue, Carter and Wasi Rizvi wrote in a July 9 note.
Antonio Ligi, a spokesman for ABB, declined to comment on whether the company would be interested in buying Invensys, as did Rob Ferris, a spokesman for Morris Township, New Jersey-based Honeywell.
Read More
Article: Invensys Seen Luring Emerson Again After Sale: Real M&A
Schneider is said to be seeking the buy to be more competitive with Siemens. Could this lead to mega-mergers? Competitors include: Emerson, GE, Honeywell, Rockwell Automation, Siemens, ABB.
Invensys Bidding May Yield Decade-High Price: Real M&A
By Brooke Sutherland - Jul 17, 2013 12:30 PM CT
Invensys Plc (ISYS) shareholders may be rewarded with a price not seen in a decade if Schneider Electric SA (SU)’s approach sparks a bidding war.
Shares of the British industrial technology company have traded above Schneider’s informal offer of 505 pence a share during each of the last three trading days, indicating some investors may be wagering on a higher bid. An auction, which may attract Emerson Electric Co. and Honeywell International Inc. (HON), could drive the price to 550 pence or more, Royal Bank of Canada said. The stock hasn’t traded that high since 2003.
[SNIP]
Emerson Interest
Based on the sum of its parts, Invensys could be valued at as much as 550 pence a share in a takeover, Leslie estimated, with Emerson (EMR) as the most logical challenger to Schneider.
Emerson, a maker of air conditioner compressors and food-waste disposals, walked away from talks with Invensys about a possible deal a year ago. Since then, Invensys sold its rail unit to Siemens AG and pledged some of the proceeds to fund pension obligations that at one point were among the largest in the U.K.
The transaction made Invensys a more appealing target for Emerson, which would likely be lured by the company’s large customer base and software offerings, Leslie said.
“They were fundamentally interested in what now remains of Invensys, so it’s easier,” he said. “It would be an interesting asset for them.”
Mark Polzin, a spokesman for St. Louis-based Emerson, declined to comment.
Tempting Target
Still, Emerson shareholders may balk at the prospect of a bidding war after a contest with ABB Ltd. (ABBN) drove up the price for its 2010 purchase of Chloride Group Plc, according to Christian Mayes, a St. Louis-based analyst at Edward Jones & Co.
“From Emerson’s point of view, I think the temptation could be there to look at it because it does fit into a couple areas that they want to grow in,” Mayes said in a phone interview. “The size of this deal may put them off from it.”
Honeywell and Zurich-based ABB also could be among companies interested in acquiring Invensys, said Andrew Carter, a London-based analyst at RBC. Buying the maker of meters and controls would add to their own process automation operations, he said in a phone interview.
Invensys could fetch 550 pence or more a share if an auction with “reasonable competitive tension” were to ensue, Carter and Wasi Rizvi wrote in a July 9 note.
Antonio Ligi, a spokesman for ABB, declined to comment on whether the company would be interested in buying Invensys, as did Rob Ferris, a spokesman for Morris Township, New Jersey-based Honeywell.
Read More
Article: Invensys Seen Luring Emerson Again After Sale: Real M&A
ABB St. Louis featured on Fox Business Network
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This is the part I don't quite understand. Why are hundreds of short-term construction jobs supposed to be worth permanent loss of transportation and maybe refinery jobs, and potential environmental damage? Why no mention of the long-term impact? I just don't get how it would convince anyone who isn't already pro-pipeline. Maybe the idea is to rile up supporters, I guess?arch city wrote: Enbridge says it wants to be a good neighbor to the communities the pipeline would pass through, and it has been touting the hundreds of short-term construction jobs it would create.
Is this St. Louis company expanding in Illinois (2nd Metro East office) in order to get a small piece of shale drilling pie?
Aug 5, 2013, 1:03pm CDT
Engineering firm Geotechnology expands in Illinois
Staff
St. Louis Business Journal
Geotechnology Inc., an applied earth and environmental sciences engineering firm, has acquired Environmental Operations of Illinois LLC’s operating assets.
That office, in Fairview Heights, has six employees in construction and material testing, who will now work for Geotechnology.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Buffy Flemming, a spokeswoman for Geotechnology, said the acquisition will allow the company to offer more services in Illinois, including drilling and geophysical services. Previously, Geotechnology had its headquarters in St. Louis in the Westport area and offices in Collinsville; Overland Park, Kan.; and Memphis, where it acquired Hall Blake & Associates in 2010.
Read More
Aug 5, 2013, 1:03pm CDT
Engineering firm Geotechnology expands in Illinois
Staff
St. Louis Business Journal
Geotechnology Inc., an applied earth and environmental sciences engineering firm, has acquired Environmental Operations of Illinois LLC’s operating assets.
That office, in Fairview Heights, has six employees in construction and material testing, who will now work for Geotechnology.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Buffy Flemming, a spokeswoman for Geotechnology, said the acquisition will allow the company to offer more services in Illinois, including drilling and geophysical services. Previously, Geotechnology had its headquarters in St. Louis in the Westport area and offices in Collinsville; Overland Park, Kan.; and Memphis, where it acquired Hall Blake & Associates in 2010.
Read More
AKERMIN’S PILOT PLANT COMPLETES 1,600 HOURS OF OPERATION CAPTURING CO2 FROM A COAL-FIRED POWER PLANT
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St. Louis, MO (August 5, 2013) – Akermin, Inc., a St. Louis company developing novel biocatalytic solutions for efficient removal of carbon dioxide (CO2) from industrial gas streams, announced today that its field pilot plant has achieved a significant milestone by completing over 1,600 hours of operation, capturing CO2 from the flue gas exhaust of a coal-fired power plant. Since Akermin initiated operation of the pilot plant with its Biocatalyst Delivery System in May of this year, the unit has consistently captured over 80% CO2 from the flue gas exhaust. During this period, it has operated with no biocatalyst replenishment while demonstrating significant rate enhancement. Gas sampling confirms that Akermin’s technology can produce CO2 of very high purity and suggests that no additional equipment will be required to control emissions to the atmosphere.
“We are thrilled with the impressive results of our pilot testing,” said Alex Zaks, VP of Research and CTO at Akermin. “The 1,600 hours of operation without any degradation in performance clearly demonstrates the ability of the biocatalyst to operate for extended durations without the need for replacement. This brings Akermin one step closer to commercial introduction.”
Akermin is currently developing and testing a next generation approach that uses an environmentally-friendly solvent and proprietary process scheme with on-line biocatalyst replenishment. This approach has the potential to reduce the avoided cost of capture by as much as 40% versus the solutions that have recently been evaluated for commercial-scale demonstration on coal-fired power plants throughout North America and Europe. This reduction could make the capture of anthropogenic CO2 more economically attractive for enhanced oil recovery (EOR).
Read More
St. Louis, MO (August 5, 2013) – Akermin, Inc., a St. Louis company developing novel biocatalytic solutions for efficient removal of carbon dioxide (CO2) from industrial gas streams, announced today that its field pilot plant has achieved a significant milestone by completing over 1,600 hours of operation, capturing CO2 from the flue gas exhaust of a coal-fired power plant. Since Akermin initiated operation of the pilot plant with its Biocatalyst Delivery System in May of this year, the unit has consistently captured over 80% CO2 from the flue gas exhaust. During this period, it has operated with no biocatalyst replenishment while demonstrating significant rate enhancement. Gas sampling confirms that Akermin’s technology can produce CO2 of very high purity and suggests that no additional equipment will be required to control emissions to the atmosphere.
“We are thrilled with the impressive results of our pilot testing,” said Alex Zaks, VP of Research and CTO at Akermin. “The 1,600 hours of operation without any degradation in performance clearly demonstrates the ability of the biocatalyst to operate for extended durations without the need for replacement. This brings Akermin one step closer to commercial introduction.”
Akermin is currently developing and testing a next generation approach that uses an environmentally-friendly solvent and proprietary process scheme with on-line biocatalyst replenishment. This approach has the potential to reduce the avoided cost of capture by as much as 40% versus the solutions that have recently been evaluated for commercial-scale demonstration on coal-fired power plants throughout North America and Europe. This reduction could make the capture of anthropogenic CO2 more economically attractive for enhanced oil recovery (EOR).
Read More
Albeit small, St. Louis has another public energy company. I'm sure it is going to grow through acquisitions with the newly-raised $175-million.
Aug 9, 2013, 11:37am CDT UPDATED: Aug 9, 2013, 7:21pm CDT
World Point Terminals prices IPO at $20 a share, raises $175 million
St. Louis Business Journal
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World Point Terminals LP priced its initial public offering of 8.745 million shares at $20 each to raise $175 million, company officials said.
Last week, the company said the range of the offering would be between $19 and $21 per share.
Shares of the St. Louis-based company, led by CEO Tony Novelly, opened Friday on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “WPT” at $19.50 a share.
BofA Merrill Lynch, Credit Suisse, Citigroup and Stifel are the underwriters controlling the initial public offering, expected to close Aug. 14.
For the year ended Dec. 31, 28 percent of World Point’s revenue was derived from Apex Oil Company Inc., its affiliate, according to a July regulatory filing.
World Point Terminals is an operator of petroleum-products terminals, which store, blend and distribute crude oil, refined petroleum products and other liquids.
The company, founded this year, had a combined available storage capacity of 12.4 million barrels located in the East Coast, Gulf Coast and Midwest regions of the United States as of May 31.
Read More @ St. Louis Business Journal
Aug 9, 2013, 11:37am CDT UPDATED: Aug 9, 2013, 7:21pm CDT
World Point Terminals prices IPO at $20 a share, raises $175 million
St. Louis Business Journal
World Point Terminals LP priced its initial public offering of 8.745 million shares at $20 each to raise $175 million, company officials said.
Last week, the company said the range of the offering would be between $19 and $21 per share.
Shares of the St. Louis-based company, led by CEO Tony Novelly, opened Friday on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “WPT” at $19.50 a share.
BofA Merrill Lynch, Credit Suisse, Citigroup and Stifel are the underwriters controlling the initial public offering, expected to close Aug. 14.
For the year ended Dec. 31, 28 percent of World Point’s revenue was derived from Apex Oil Company Inc., its affiliate, according to a July regulatory filing.
World Point Terminals is an operator of petroleum-products terminals, which store, blend and distribute crude oil, refined petroleum products and other liquids.
The company, founded this year, had a combined available storage capacity of 12.4 million barrels located in the East Coast, Gulf Coast and Midwest regions of the United States as of May 31.
Read More @ St. Louis Business Journal
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For arch city..... Beacon article on the Flanagan South Pipeline:
https://www.stlbeacon.org/#!/content/32 ... rpage=3832
https://www.stlbeacon.org/#!/content/32 ... rpage=3832
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STL Biz Journal: Ameren Completes Sale of 5 Power Plants in Illinois
Source: http://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/news ... power.html
Arch City: This ties absolutely into your focus on Dynegy's presence in the Metro East.
Source: http://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/news ... power.html
Arch City: This ties absolutely into your focus on Dynegy's presence in the Metro East.
Cool. I missed this story. I just hope they don't shift St. Louis corporate operations to.......ahem......Chicago - now that they have a bigger presence in Illinois.gone corporate wrote:STL Biz Journal: Ameren Completes Sale of 5 Power Plants in Illinois
Source: http://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/news ... power.html
Arch City: This ties absolutely into your focus on Dynegy's presence in the Metro East.
Jan 9, 2014, 6:27am CST
Missouri hog farm to turn poo into power
Staff
St. Louis Business Journal
St. Louis-based Roeslein Alternative Energy, LLC is teaming up with Murphy-Brown of Missouri on a plan to turn hog manure into a renewable energy source.
The companies expect to begin work in April on the $100 million biogas project in Princeton, Mo., the AP reports.
Stern Brothers & Co. is underwriting financing for the project. Officials may seek funding though a Missouri clean energy program too.
Murphy-Brown, a subsidiary of Virginia-based Smithfield Foods, operates hog farms in 12 states and employs about 1,100 workers in north-central Missouri.
Source
Missouri hog farm to turn poo into power
Staff
St. Louis Business Journal
St. Louis-based Roeslein Alternative Energy, LLC is teaming up with Murphy-Brown of Missouri on a plan to turn hog manure into a renewable energy source.
The companies expect to begin work in April on the $100 million biogas project in Princeton, Mo., the AP reports.
Stern Brothers & Co. is underwriting financing for the project. Officials may seek funding though a Missouri clean energy program too.
Murphy-Brown, a subsidiary of Virginia-based Smithfield Foods, operates hog farms in 12 states and employs about 1,100 workers in north-central Missouri.
Source
Jan 9, 2014, 6:43am CST UPDATED: Jan 9, 2014, 7:25am CST
Illinois coal stages a comeback
Staff
St. Louis Business Journal
The use of scrubbing technology by companies such as Peabody Energy Corp. has put coal from the Illinois basin back in play.
Coal from the basin contains high amounts of sulfur, and with the passage of the Clean Air Act in 1970, mining in the region became less popular. However, the spread of scrubbing technology is making the area a viable mining region once again, the Wall Street Journal reports.
Peabody Energy said it produces 30 million tons of coal a year in the Illinois Basin, an increase from 10 million tons five years ago.
Overall, the amount of coal produced in the state of Illinois was expected to reach 56 million tons last year, up 70 percent from 2010.
Source
Illinois coal stages a comeback
Staff
St. Louis Business Journal
The use of scrubbing technology by companies such as Peabody Energy Corp. has put coal from the Illinois basin back in play.
Coal from the basin contains high amounts of sulfur, and with the passage of the Clean Air Act in 1970, mining in the region became less popular. However, the spread of scrubbing technology is making the area a viable mining region once again, the Wall Street Journal reports.
Peabody Energy said it produces 30 million tons of coal a year in the Illinois Basin, an increase from 10 million tons five years ago.
Overall, the amount of coal produced in the state of Illinois was expected to reach 56 million tons last year, up 70 percent from 2010.
Source
On Dynegy, I just checked the company's website to see if it had been updated to include the new Metro East/Southern Illinois assets acquired from Ameren. The website has been updated.
The Metro East corporate office appears to have moved to Collinsville from O'Fallon (Illinois), and is now called the Illinois Regional Office. Also, now it looks as if there are two distinct offices in Collinsville because there's also a Homefield Energy Office. (Link)
Unless Dynegy plans to grow beyond its current footprint, and even if it does, I don't understand why Dynegy just doesn't move to St. Louis. It is now in the coal plant business and most of its energy assets are in Southern Illinois. Link
The new offices are located at 1500 Eastport Plaza Drive in Collinsville. It's a real office building - and not a strip center business complex like they had in O'Fallon, Illinois. I guess this also means a few new jobs have been added.
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The Metro East corporate office appears to have moved to Collinsville from O'Fallon (Illinois), and is now called the Illinois Regional Office. Also, now it looks as if there are two distinct offices in Collinsville because there's also a Homefield Energy Office. (Link)
Unless Dynegy plans to grow beyond its current footprint, and even if it does, I don't understand why Dynegy just doesn't move to St. Louis. It is now in the coal plant business and most of its energy assets are in Southern Illinois. Link
The new offices are located at 1500 Eastport Plaza Drive in Collinsville. It's a real office building - and not a strip center business complex like they had in O'Fallon, Illinois. I guess this also means a few new jobs have been added.
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Arch: I also see Dynegy increasing its operational strength in the Metro East as part of their acquisitions. STL remains one of the US' largest clusters of companies in the coal industry, and it only makes sense for them to build up this division as they expand their presence in it. We could end up with a pretty good-looking divisional center in the Metro East, or even in Downtown STL for administration (knock wood).
Same time, I don't see Dynegy fully relocating its HQ to STL in the near future. Its primary business operations are both as a utility for multiple communities and the trading & clearing of natural gas futures. With that second division, I would think that their remaining in the Houston area would be important due to the strong roles of NG trading based there. Plus, noting the company's somewhat dubious history of bankruptcy, restructurings, and targeting for buyout, I think their primary focus is on righting their own ship, or: they don't look like they can even do a relocation if they wanted to without upending their company. Believe me, I'd love to see them move their HQ to STL from Houston; I just don't think it's gonna happen anytime soon.
Same time, I don't see Dynegy fully relocating its HQ to STL in the near future. Its primary business operations are both as a utility for multiple communities and the trading & clearing of natural gas futures. With that second division, I would think that their remaining in the Houston area would be important due to the strong roles of NG trading based there. Plus, noting the company's somewhat dubious history of bankruptcy, restructurings, and targeting for buyout, I think their primary focus is on righting their own ship, or: they don't look like they can even do a relocation if they wanted to without upending their company. Believe me, I'd love to see them move their HQ to STL from Houston; I just don't think it's gonna happen anytime soon.
Yeah, I don't see Dynegy moving to St. Louis anytime soon either. I still think it's just practical to locate where the bulk of your assets are. Houston could have the "regional office", but I realize Houston is just too formidable with its MAJOR and numerous corporate energy clusters and energy talent throughout the region.
I am happy, however, that Dynegy appears to have absorbed more office space in the St. Louis region. How many jobs they added is unclear.
I am happy, however, that Dynegy appears to have absorbed more office space in the St. Louis region. How many jobs they added is unclear.
--
Go Solar!!
Former Alcoa site being cleared for solar power project
(link from Belleville News-Democrat May 18, 2014):
http://www.bnd.com/2014/05/18/3213965/f ... eared.html
Go Solar!!
Former Alcoa site being cleared for solar power project
(link from Belleville News-Democrat May 18, 2014):
http://www.bnd.com/2014/05/18/3213965/f ... eared.html
Good to see this company staying in St. Louis. At one time, I thought it could be headed west.
SunEdison moving 200 to Maryland Heights
July 23, 2014 6:43 pm • By Jacob Barker
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
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SunEdison is moving its headquarters and about 200 employees across the river into St. Louis County, signing an 11-year lease that means it probably won’t be following its other solar operations to California anytime soon.
The solar panel manufacturer and operator confirmed Wednesday it was moving its corporate headquarters from its longtime corporate campus in O’Fallon, Mo., to the Riverport Tower in Maryland Heights.
The move comes two months after it sold off part of its legacy semiconductor business in an initial public offering as SunEdison Semiconductor Ltd. The two companies are offshoots of the former MEMC Electronic Materials, which has for decades been based in O’Fallon and only last year renamed itself after the solar panel business became increasingly important.
Read More
NextSTL
SunEdison moving 200 to Maryland Heights
July 23, 2014 6:43 pm • By Jacob Barker
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
SunEdison is moving its headquarters and about 200 employees across the river into St. Louis County, signing an 11-year lease that means it probably won’t be following its other solar operations to California anytime soon.
The solar panel manufacturer and operator confirmed Wednesday it was moving its corporate headquarters from its longtime corporate campus in O’Fallon, Mo., to the Riverport Tower in Maryland Heights.
The move comes two months after it sold off part of its legacy semiconductor business in an initial public offering as SunEdison Semiconductor Ltd. The two companies are offshoots of the former MEMC Electronic Materials, which has for decades been based in O’Fallon and only last year renamed itself after the solar panel business became increasingly important.
Read More
NextSTL
China to Ban All Coal Use in Beijing by 2020
BEIJING — Aug 5, 2014, 6:08 AM ET
China's smog-plagued capital has announced plans to ban the use of coal by the end of 2020 as the country fights deadly levels of pollution, especially in major cities.
Beijing's Municipal Environmental Protection Bureau posted the plan on its website Monday, saying the city would instead prioritize electricity and natural gas for heating.
The official Xinhua News Agency said coal accounted for a quarter of Beijing's energy consumption in 2012 and 22 percent of the fine particles floating in the city's air. Motor vehicles, industrial production and general dust also contributed to pollution in the 21 million-person city.
Even with the Beijing ban, coal use is expected to soar in China. Coal-fired power and heating is a major generator of greenhouse gases and has helped turn China into the world's largest emitter of carbon and other heat-trapping gases.
Pressure is growing on China's central government to clean up the country's polluted environment, as discontent over smog and water and soil contamination increases among China's expanding middle class.
Read More
BEIJING — Aug 5, 2014, 6:08 AM ET
China's smog-plagued capital has announced plans to ban the use of coal by the end of 2020 as the country fights deadly levels of pollution, especially in major cities.
Beijing's Municipal Environmental Protection Bureau posted the plan on its website Monday, saying the city would instead prioritize electricity and natural gas for heating.
The official Xinhua News Agency said coal accounted for a quarter of Beijing's energy consumption in 2012 and 22 percent of the fine particles floating in the city's air. Motor vehicles, industrial production and general dust also contributed to pollution in the 21 million-person city.
Even with the Beijing ban, coal use is expected to soar in China. Coal-fired power and heating is a major generator of greenhouse gases and has helped turn China into the world's largest emitter of carbon and other heat-trapping gases.
Pressure is growing on China's central government to clean up the country's polluted environment, as discontent over smog and water and soil contamination increases among China's expanding middle class.
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By REBECCA SMITH CONNECT
Sierra Club Ends Opposition to Southern Co. Clean-Coal Plant in Mississippi
Southern Agrees to Burn Less Coal in Mississippi and Alabama, Among Other Concessions
Wall Street Journal
Aug. 4, 2014 4:39 p.m. ET
The Sierra Club is ending its opposition to Southern Co.'s $5.5 billion clean-coal power plant in Kemper County, Miss., after six years of legal wrangling.
The Mississippi chapter of the Sierra Club—one of the nation's oldest environmental organizations—has been against the Kemper power project from its early days, calling it an expensive project using unproven coal-gasification technology.
In return for Sierra Club dropping its complaints, the utility has agreed to burn less coal in Mississippi and Alabama, among other concessions.
The Sierra Club said Monday it would withdraw all legal challenges, including actions before the Mississippi Supreme Court and the Mississippi Public Service Commission. It has argued for years that the Kemper project is too expensive for the 186,000 customers of Mississippi Power Co., the unit of Southern Co. that is building the plant.
Read More
Sierra Club Ends Opposition to Southern Co. Clean-Coal Plant in Mississippi
Southern Agrees to Burn Less Coal in Mississippi and Alabama, Among Other Concessions
Wall Street Journal
Aug. 4, 2014 4:39 p.m. ET
The Sierra Club is ending its opposition to Southern Co.'s $5.5 billion clean-coal power plant in Kemper County, Miss., after six years of legal wrangling.
The Mississippi chapter of the Sierra Club—one of the nation's oldest environmental organizations—has been against the Kemper power project from its early days, calling it an expensive project using unproven coal-gasification technology.
In return for Sierra Club dropping its complaints, the utility has agreed to burn less coal in Mississippi and Alabama, among other concessions.
The Sierra Club said Monday it would withdraw all legal challenges, including actions before the Mississippi Supreme Court and the Mississippi Public Service Commission. It has argued for years that the Kemper project is too expensive for the 186,000 customers of Mississippi Power Co., the unit of Southern Co. that is building the plant.
Read More