GasBuddy Blog -- I'll delay our last part of our series on car insurance- we'll cover that tomorrow. Back to the topic!

Supply? High. Economy? Lousy. Demand? Virtually flat. So what's driving the increase in wholesale prices today? One little report... about jobless numbers.

Jobless claims dropped more than expected and apparently that means that demand will increase, supply will somehow drop even while driving season is nearing its conclusion, and that the economy will grow at double digit rates. Oh wait- but its highly unlikely that any of that will even happen. We're in the midst of another knee jerk reaction by traders- buying at the first sign of promise... only to be let down later by another bad economic report.

Wholesale...  (read more)

LA Times -- As efforts continue to clean the oil that gushed from the blown-out well in the Gulf of Mexico, a team of scientists has found that nature's microbial helpers are hard at work too — and doing a better job than researchers had expected.

Data collected in May and June showed populations of carbon-eating bacteria were increasing in parts of a plume of oil drifting in deep water in the gulf, said lead author Terry Hazen, head of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory's ecology departmen  (read more)

Solveclimate.com -- By Stacy Feldman

Excerpts

"Cellulosic biofuel was once widely heralded as the key to cutting United States' dependence on foreign oil, without the adverse environmental effects of corn ethanol."

"The U.S. has set itself a goal of getting one billion gallons of home-grown fuel from corn stalks, wood chips and other non-edible waste by 2013 and 16 billion gallons by 2022, under the 2007 renewable fuels standard (RFS)."

"Cellulosic ethanol is seen as a promising alternative fuel because feedstock does not compete with food and can be grown on marginal lands that don't require much water. It is also perceived as a low-emissions substitute to corn-based fuels."

"Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS),...the U.S. can bring the first 10 to 20 commercial facilities online..."
 (read more)

Business Week -- The government is expected to report Wednesday a 1.1 million barrel increase in commercial crude oil supplies for the week ended Aug. 20, according to a survey by Platts, the energy information arm of McGraw-Hill Cos.

The Energy Information Administration releases its weekly report at 10:30 a.m. EDT.

Platts said analysts predicted gasoline stockpiles will shrink by 875,000 barrels, distillate stocks -- including diesel and heating oil -- will increase by 950,000 barrels and refinery utilization will dip by 0.5 percentage point to 89.5 percent.

A reading above or below estimates can influence market trading.

For the week that ended Aug. 13, the department said crude supplies shrank by 800,000 barrels to 354.2 million barrels; gasoline inventories were nearly unchanged at 223.3 million b  (read more)

NY Times -- HOUSTON — Even after dozens of witnesses, a hundred hours of testimony and three months of investigation, a chairman of a federal panel exploring the Deepwater Horizon disaster admitted Wednesday that he still lacked a simple fact: Who was the top authority on the oil rig when it exploded?

But the hearings have been dominated by disagreements among lawyers for the companies involved: BP, which owned the well and leased the rig; Transocean, the rig’s owner; and Halliburton, which poured cement around the well.  (read more)

Idaho Statesman -- BLISS - A 327,000-acre range fire that burned through seven Idaho Power Co. transmission lines couldn't stop energy developers and Gov. Butch Otter from celebrating what could become the largest wind energy project in Idaho.

The fire had forced organizers to move a "blade signing" - as wind-power developers call a groundbreaking - from the plateau above Hagerman, where several of the wind turbines will be erected, to the nearby town of Bliss. And even though seven transmission structures and 75 to 100 electric distribution poles were burned in the fire that began Saturday, the blades of an existing wind farm turned in the breeze.

"The very same winds that fanned the brush fire will turn the turbines to produce clean energy," said GE Energy Financial Services President and CEO Alex Urquha  (read more)

GasBuddy Blog -- The Department of Energy released its weekly report on the condition of petroleum inventories in the United States today.

Here are some highlights:

Crude oil inventories increased by 4.1 million barrels to a total of 358.3 million barrels. At 358.3 million barrels, inventories are 14.5 million barrels above last year (4.2%) and remain above average. Supply at NYMEX delivery point, Cushing, Oklahoma decreased some 700,000 barrels to 36.3 million barrels this week. Supplies at Cushing have decreased for the third time in a month but remain at healthy levels.

Gasoline inventories increased 2.3 million barrels to 225.6 million barrels. At 225.6 million barrels, inventories are now 17.6 million barrels, or 8.4% higher...  (read more)

CNN -- Athens, Georgia (CNN) -- Samantha Joye's office is littered with otherworldly artifacts from the deep ocean: a mussel the size of a football; a vase filled with tube worms, which look like grissini breadsticks; a photo of the world's biggest bacteria.

Above her cabinets, the University of Georgia oceanographer has posted two images of lunar landscapes. They're bizarrely similar, she says, to the topography on the floor of the Gulf of Mexico, the body of water that has captivated her attention for 15 years.

Joye doesn't just work in the Gulf. She lives for it. She stays up at night thinking about what makes it tick. And, like a close friend, she's become fiercely protective of it.

Four months after the BP oil spill, the wiry 45-year-old -- who looks like the librarian version of Angelina  (read more)

autoblog.com -- Our brothers from another mother over at Translogic just released their latest episode yesterday, episode 5.4 for whoever's counting. Host Bradley Hasemeyer spent a day with General Motors at the automaker's Milford Proving Ground driving the 2011 Chevrolet Volt and came away with some heretofore unknown tidbits of information about the plug-in series hybrid.

For one, in addition to Eco, Normal and Sport modes, the Volt will have what's called Mountain Mode that allows it to climb any grade in the country. A GM engineer says they checked to be sure its Mountain Mode was adequate for any grade in the States and we have proof of at least one major mountain the Volt can climb. When Mountain Mode is selected,.. the Volt will kick on its on-board generator and create extra energy (see video  (read more)

Boston Globe -- Toyota’s Prius hybrid is becoming a little less quiet with a new electronic humming device that is the automaker’s answer to complaints that pedestrians can’t hear the top-selling car approaching.

The $148 speaker system that goes under the hood of the third-generation Prius sets off a whirring sound designed to be about the same noise level as a regular car engine so that it isn’t annoying, Toyota Motor Corp. said yesterday.

It goes on sale Aug. 30 in Japan, and owners pay extra for installation charges. Its use is voluntary.

Overseas sales plans are still undecided, but Toyota is studying regulations and considering offering it in the United States and other markets, said spokeswoman Monika Saito.

 (read more)

fuelcellworks.com -- Volkswagen has announced the first long-range test drive of its innovative HY.POWER fuel-cell car. On the same mountainous journey, Volkswagen also successfully tested a high-tech Jetta Turbo Direct Injection diesel using a super-clean synthetic diesel called SunFuel®. SunFuel is a non-traditional low-sulfur fuel that can be made from renewable sources such as plants, waste products and other raw materials.

Both cars were tested in the depths of winter and driven over the demanding 6,578-foot high Simplon Pass that connects Switzerland and Italy. Together with the Paul Scherrer Institute in Zurich, Switzerland, Volkswagen developed a low-cost hydrogen fuel cell with extra high performance “supercaps,” or ultra capacitors, that can store a fuel-cell engine’s electrical energy for use du  (read more)

Energy Efficiency and Technology -- Researchers there claim they've come up with an adsorption-based air conditioning scheme that could eliminate the need for compressors in air conditioners and thus drastically boost fuel mileage.

Even vehicle air conditioning is a candidate for techniques that eliminate the compressor. That is why Sorption Energy in the UK is developing high-efficiency vehicle air-conditioning powered only by waste heat from the engine cooling system. They company says its technology will work well in current vehicles and is expected to work with hybrid electric vehicles incorporating internal combustion engines -- basically, with any kind of vehicle where there's waste heat.  (read more)

GasBuddy Blog -- In continuing our series today, we'll cover comprehensive insurance coverage. Comprehensive covers most damage claims excluding a car/car collision.

Typically people purchase comprehensive coverage for cars less than 10 years old as part of their car insurance policy. Instead of covering simple car accidents (collision coverage), comprehensive coverage may cover damage caused by things besides car collisions, such as wind, flood, or other weather damage. It also covers vandalism, theft, or other such events in which the owner or driver isn't responsible.

Like collision coverage, comprehensive coverage is likely optional but may be required if you financed your vehicle. In that case, the bank has a secured interest on the...  (read more)

CBC News -- An electric car made of hemp is being developed by a group of Canadian companies in collaboration with an Alberta Crown corporation.
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The compact car, which will hold a driver and up to three passengers, will have a top speed of 90 kilometres per hour and a range of 40 to 160 kilometres before needing to be recharged, depending on the type of battery.
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It will be powered by a motor made by Boucherville, Que.-based TM4 Electrodynamic Systems, said Motive Industries president Nathan Armstrong.
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"Plus, it's illegal to grow it in the U.S., so it actually gives Canada a bit of a market advantage," Armstrong added. The U.S. does allow the import of processed hemp.

 (read more)

fuelcellsworks.com -- The era of personalized energy systems — in which individual homes and small businesses produce their own energy for heating, cooling and powering cars — took another step toward reality today as scientists reported discovery of a powerful new catalyst that is a key element in such a system. They described the advance, which could help free homes and business from dependence on the electric company and the corner gasoline station, at the 240th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society, being held here this week.

“Our goal is to make each home its own power station,” said study leader Daniel Nocera, Ph.D... Such a system would consist of rooftop solar energy panels to produce electricity for heating, cooking, lighting, and to charge the batteries on the homeowners’ electric cars.  (read more)

GasBuddy Blog -- Perhaps one of the most widely known parts of your insurance policy is the collision coverage.

Collision is part of you policy if you so choose to have coverage. Collision protects and pays you when your vehicle takes damage in a collision. However, coverage and payment depends on the amount of coverage and your deductible. Generally, the lower the deductible, the more expensive the insurance. This is because there is an increased likelihood of claims. Most people that carry collision coverage have deductibles of $1500 or less.

Another important factor is the type of collision coverage you have. There are three different forms of collision: broad collision, standard, and limited. Broad collision is the highest form of...  (read more)

Bloomberg -- The biggest U.S. petroleum stockpiles in two decades are leading oil bears to predict further price declines that may lead OPEC to restrict production.

Inventories of crude and fuel products rose to 1.13 billion barrels last week, the highest level since the Energy Department began keeping combined weekly data in January 1990, according to a report Aug. 18. Oil has fallen 11 percent since reaching a three-month high on Aug. 3.  (read more)

News Channel 5 wptv.com -- TAMPA, Fla. - - The price of gasoline continues to fall.
The Triple-A Auto Club says the price of a gallon of unleaded regular in Florida fell four cents this past week to $2.66.
The price of crude oil continued its decline last week after the U.S. Labor Department reported an increase in unemployment claims. Investors' optimism about the possibility of demand bouncing back has dwindled after reports show U.S. stockpiles of crude continue to rise as gasoline consumption decreases.

Crude oil closed Friday at $73.45 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. On a positive note, the value of the U.S. dollar continued to increase and curb the appeal of crude oil as a commodity—helping to keep crude prices down.

“Given the current economic news and strength of the dollar, it’s very lik  (read more)

Associated Press -- Gasoline pump prices continued to fall on Monday, offering a bright spot for drivers watching their wallets in the uncertain economy.

The average retail price for a gallon of unleaded regular was $2.708 a gallon Monday, according to AAA, Wright Express and Oil Price Information Service. It has dropped about 4.2 cents in the past week but is around 8.1 cents more than a year ago.

With the summer driving season about to end, experts predict pump prices will drop anywhere from a dime to a quarter a gallon in the weeks ahead.

"I don't think there's going to be a lot of discretionary driving because basically money is still tight for a lot of people," Tradition Energy analyst Gene McGillian said.

In robust economic times, pump prices don't typically begin to fall until after Labor D  (read more)

msnbc.msn.com -- Rwanda is centering its new energy plan on an unlikely, potentially dangerous source: Lake Kivu.

At first glance, the lake's placid blue waters appear harmless enough... But beneath its beautiful exterior lie huge reservoirs of methane and carbon dioxide that, if released onto the surface, would endanger the two million people living around its shores.

Kivu is one of the three known "erupting" lakes in the world. Only a stone's throw away from Nyurangongo volcano, the lake has thousands of years worth of dissolved volcanic gases trapped in its waters.

It's a ticking time bomb, but one with a silver lining. Rwanda's government recently built the Kibuye power plant along the lake's shore, which siphons off the noxious gases and uses the methane as fuel for three large generators.  (read more)

inhabitat.com -- By Cameron Scott

"Finland recently unveiled plans to build the world’s first green highway — an 81-mile stretch of road that would feature charging stations for electric cars and pumps filled with local biofuels. Outfitted with energy-efficient lighting systems and geothermal heat pumps,"

"Waste from the region would be used to produce biofuels and electricity for the service stations."

"The road would also feature smart lighting systems — lights would shut off if there were no cars and the brightness would adjust to weather conditions,"

"...conventional gas stations would also be available."

"The $900-million plan will only become a reality if the European Union provides support."  (read more)

NBC-4, Columbus, OH -- A Whitman, Mass. couple is accused of stealing gasoline from a fuel storage facility in East Boston and selling it out of their home.

Amy Noble and her husband Douglas allegedly turned their home into an illegal filling station.  (read more)

physorg.com/news -- ... Traditional fuel cells usually involve hydrogen or methanol at one side and oxygen or air at the other, separated by a specialised ionic-conducting membrane.

The biggest obstacles to commercialising these proton exchange membrane fuel cells are cost, with the membrane and conventional, platinum-based catalysts, and challenges involving the transportation and storage of the highly flammable hydrogen or the toxic methanol.

The Carbamide Power System involves far cheaper membrane and catalysts, and can be run on urea (also known as carbamide), a mass manufactured industrial fertilizer and a major component of human and animal urine. Carbamide Power Systems would thus offer a non-toxic, low cost, easily transportable viable alternative to high pressure, highly flammable hydrogen gas ...  (read more)

Detnews.com -- By Alisa Priddle

Excerpts

Payoff is quality, fuel efficiency are known, he says

Royal Oak -- Ford Motor Co. Executive Chairman Bill Ford Jr. ...said the angst his family went through three years ago, and the company's decision not to follow GM and Chrysler in accepting a government bailout, are paying off today.

Continued product development, Bill Ford said, helped the company weather dark days.

When Alan Mulally was brought in three years ago to steer the ship as Ford CEO, "I really believed we had the right plan," Bill Ford said.

The payoff, he said, is that consumers are recognizing Ford's quality and fuel efficiency.

Hybrids and electric vehicles "will become a core competency," he said.

With the Mercury line slated for extinction, Ford is concentrated on its Ford and Lincoln  (read more)

BankRate.com -- Let's face it, when you buy a new car, you deal with experienced sales professionals who use a variety of time-tested methods to sell you add-on products and services. With profit margins on new car sales tighter than ever, these adept pitchmen have plenty of incentive to sell us whatever car dealer options they can.

Although some of those dealer options, upgrades and extras can be worth the investment by making life with your new car more enjoyable and adding value to it at trade-in time, the following five dealer options and upgrades are best avoided.  (read more)