From IATA report: Fuel replaces labour as largest cost for airlines in 2006:

The Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA) reports that a recent International air Transport Association (IATA) sample of the financial reports of 45 major global airlines reveals that fuel replaced labour as the largest single cost item for the global airline industry in 2006. This marks the first time ever that fuel costs have outpaced that of labour.

According to the IATA analysis, fuel accounted for 25.5 per cent of total operating costs for carriers in 2006, up from 22.5 per cent in 2005, while labour (including pension) expenses fell from 24.2 per cent in 2005, to 23.3 per cent in 2006.

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According to CAPA, the silver lining in the cloud for the global airline industry is that IATA expects fuel prices to soften slightly over the next two years, with the average price per barrel of jet fuel tipped to fall from $80 in 2007 and $75 in 2008.

Of course fuel has risen in cost share relative to labor–fuel costs rose in absolute terms and labor costs dropped, dramatically in some cases, thanks to salary cuts and downsizing at some airlines.

As for the prediction that fuel prices will drop slightly in 2008, that’s entirely possible. Oil and oil product prices will trend upwards, but will also show a lot of volatility and even some short-term down periods as the world economy adjusts to those higher prices.

From GE Unit’s First Investment in NY Wind Energy to Boost State’s Wind Power by Over 70 Percent:

GE Energy Financial Services, a unit of GE (NYSE: GE), will help boost wind energy capacity in New York State by more than 70 percent with an investment in three Noble Environmental Power windparks that will generate 282 megawatts in Clinton and Wyoming Counties. The GE unit’s first investment in wind energy in New York State will increase the state’s wind energy capacity to 671 megawatts. The projects, located in the towns of Clinton and Ellenburg in Clinton County, and Bliss in Wyoming County, New York, represent a $564 million investment in clean, renewable energy that will bring an estimated $352 million in new revenue to the regional economies over the next 20 years.

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The 100.5-megawatt Noble Clinton Windpark, employing 67 GE 1.5-megawatt SLE wind turbines, is located three miles south of the US-Canadian border and 15 miles northwest of Plattsburgh, NY, in the town of Clinton in Clinton County. Also located in Clinton County, the 81-megawatt Noble Ellenburg Windpark uses 54 GE 1.5-megawatt SLE turbines. The 100.5-megawatt Noble Bliss Windpark, which uses 67 GE 1.5-megawatt SLE turbines, is located 30 miles southeast of Buffalo in the town of Eagle in Wyoming County.

More wind power = goodness

Big-ass wind power project not too far from Lou = more goodness

Continued acceptance of wind power by the public (despite the continued wailing of the remaining Luddites) = priceless

From How Does the U.S. Ocean Energy Industry Compare with the Rest of the World?:

The International Energy Agency published a Report last year that shows the U.S. running second behind the U.K. in the number of ocean renewable technologies being developed. According to the report, the United Kingdom is working on 29 different types of technologies while the U.S. is working on 13. Canada and Norway are tied for third — each working on seven different types of technology.

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The good news is that ocean renewables have begun to capture the attention of U.S. lawmakers and a number of ocean renewable bills are working their way through the halls of Congress. Washington Congressman Jay Inslee introduced a bill last month “to promote the development and use of marine and hydrokinetic renewable energy technologies.” The legislation has 17 co-sponsors. Oregon Congresswoman Darlene Hooley recently introduced a marine renewable energy research and development bill with nine co-sponsors. West Virginia Congressman Nick Rahall has introduced a broad energy package that includes ocean renewables as part of the solution “to reduce our Nation’s dependency on foreign oil by investing in clean, renewable, and alternative energy resources, promoting new emerging energy technologies, developing greater efficiency, and creating a Strategic Energy Efficiency and Renewables Reserve to invest in alternative energy.”

See the article for links to the report mentioned above and the Ocean Renewable Energy Coalition’s web site.