MAP Royalty, Inc.

1. U.S. Electricity Prices increased 10.9% April '04 to '05
2. Al Gore's new global warming movie (trailer): An Inconvenient Truth
3. NYTimes Editorial on Ethanol, May1
4. California Clean Tech Open Issues Call for Contestants, $$$
5. PARC Forum on "Nanotechnology, New Horizons for Solar Power", May 4th
6. Summer Energy and Water Interns needed at Stanford
7. Microbial fuel cells talk, Noon Seminar, May 5th
8. MAP Sustainable Energy Fellowship at NRDC, deadline May 5
9. Job: Competitive Energy Services - Energy Analyst, Portland, Maine
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1. U.S. Electricity Prices increased 10.9% April '04 to '05
PARK RIDGE, N.J., May 1 /PRNewswire/
The national average price of electricity in the United States rose by a stunning 10.9 percent during the period of April 2005 to April 2006.
The annual survey conducted by an independent consulting company, NUS Consulting Group of Park Ridge, N.J., found that the average price of electricity in the United States was 8.82 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh) as of April 1, 2006 compared with 7.95 cents per kWh in April 2005.
The top five surveyed utilities in terms of price included Consolidated Edison (NY) at 14.56 cents/kWh, Reliant Energy (TX) at 14.01 cents/kWh, Public Service Electric & Gas (NJ) at 12.72 cents/kWh, Texas Utilities (TX) at 12.33 cents/kWh, and National Grid (NY) at 12.09 cents/kWh.
The largest price escalation over the past year occurred in Texas as Texas Utilities customers witnessed their electricity bills increase 46.4 percent. Other utilities with notable increases included Reliant Energy (TX) at 42.3 percent, Florida Power & Light at 28.7 percent, Public Service Electric & Gas (NJ) at 28.4 percent, and Progress Energy (FL) at 24.3 percent.
As demonstrated in previous surveys, the highest power prices can be found in those States that have deregulated their retail electricity markets. Considered in the past by many as a means of lowering electricity prices, the central promise of deregulation has yet to be fulfilled for many consumers.
Web site: http://www.nusconsulting.com/

3. NYTimes Editorial on Ethanol, May1
EDITORIAL Ethanol's Promise
Published: May 1, 2006
The political scramble to find quick answers to rising oil prices has produced one useful result, which is to get people talking about substitute fuels that could make us less vulnerable to market forces, less dependent on volatile Persian Gulf oil producers and less culpable on global warming.

That, in turn, has focused attention on the fuel that seems to have the best chance of replacing gasoline - ethanol. President Bush mentioned ethanol in his State of the Union address. Entrepreneurs like Bill Gates have begun investing in it. And every blue-ribbon commission studying energy has embraced ethanol as a fuel of the future. One leading environmental group, the Natural Resources Defense Council, predicts that ethanol, combined with other strategies, could replace all of the gasoline Americans would otherwise use by mid-century.

[Please see http://www.nytimes.com/ and search the online archives for the complete article. A fee may be attached for access. - Webmaster]

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4. California Clean Tech Open Issues Call for Contestants, $$$

May 1. The California Clean Tech Open, a competition that features the nation's largest cash and service prizes devoted to environmentally-conscious technology development, has begun accepting applications. Clean Edge is a media sponsor of the competition.

This inaugural competition offers cash prizes of $50,000 and a package of professional services, including legal and accounting services, public relations consulting and one year of office space. There will be five category prizes -- one each in energy efficiency, smart power, transportation, water management, and renewable energy -- and an overall winner, which will receive an additional $50,000, for a total of $100,000.

Approximately 50 finalists, 10 from each category, will be selected by a panel of judges and asked to develop complete business plans to be presented at an event in September in San Francisco. The top 50 contestants will have the opportunity to exhibit at the finals event in front of potential investors and other invited guests.

To be considered, applications must include an executive summary of a business concept that falls into one of five clean-tech categories. The competition will accept applications until May 19. Complete rules and eligibility criteria are available at www.cacleantech.com/contestants.

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5. PARC Forum on "Nanotechnology, New Horizons for Solar Power", May 4th

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6. Summer Energy and Water Interns needed at Stanford
The Stanford University Utilities Division is seeking one or two interns for up to 40 hours/week for as long as ten weeks during the summer of 2006. An ideal candidate will be a student who is currently a sophomore or junior with interest and coursework in energy and water resource use efficiency and/or water quality. Applicants should have solid writing and verbal communication skills, analytical ability (including familiarity with MS Excel), web savvy (basic HTML and Dreamweaver would be a plus), and willingness to perform both outdoor and indoor field work. The intern will assist the Campus Energy Manager and Environmental Quality Manager with water conservation, energy efficiency, and water quality activities. Specific responsibilities may include administering a copier rebate program, developing a web-based laboratory equipment purchasing guide, and conducting water audits in campus buildings. Wages $15/hour.

To apply for this position submit a cover letter, resume, and writing sample to Susan Kulakowski at susank@bonair.stanford.edu by May 26, 2006.

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7. Microbial fuel cells talk, Noon Seminar, May 5th
Direct electricity or hydrogen generation using bacteria and biodegradable organic matter in microbial fuel cells
Seminar at Stanford University, May 5, 2006
12:15 - 1:05, Thornton 110

Bruce Logan, Kappe Professor of Environmental Engineering, and
Director of the Penn State Hydrogen Energy (H2E) Center, Penn State University

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) represent a new approach to renewable bioenergy production and simultaneous wastewater treatment. We have shown that it is possible to directly generate electricity from virtually any biodegradable organic matter using bacteria as the biocatalyst. To produce current, bacteria transfer electrons obtained from the oxidation of organic matter to an electrode under anaerobic conditions. The electrons flow to the counter electrode (cathode) where they combine with oxygen and protons (from the anaerobic chamber) to form water. With an easily degraded substrate like glucose, we can produce up to 1500 mW/m2 (based on anode surface area). Using domestic wastewater, it is possible to generate up to 500 mW/m2 while at the same time achieving wastewater treatment (>80% - 99% BOD removal). These power densities and treatment levels are sufficient to make energy recovery from wastewater feasible in the near future due to the high surface areas currently used in some wastewater treatment plants. By modifying the MFC by removing oxygen, and adding a small voltage to the circuit, it is also possible to produce hydrogen gas instead of electricity. Using acetate, we can produce 2.9 moles of hydrogen per mole of acetate (versus a maximum theoretical yield of 4 mol/mol). These findings show that it is possible to recover bioenergy in the form of electricity or hydrogen from domestic and industrial wastewaters, and other waste biomass materials. Further development of these technologies could lead to wastewater treatment processes that are net energy producers rather than consumers, and one day to a completely new method of renewable energy generation.

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8. MAP Sustainable Energy Fellowship at NRDC
Application Deadline: May 5, 2006
The San Francisco office of the Natural Resources Defense Council is soliciting applications for a one-year Sustainable Energy Fellowship. Eligible candidates must have graduated from Stanford University within the last five years. The Fellowship will begin in September 2006. NRDC is a national, nonprofit environmental advocacy institution staffed by attorneys and scientists, with more than 550,000 members nationwide. Since its founding in 1970, NRDC has maintained a substantial energy program that involves staff in all five offices (New York, San Francisco, Washington, DC, Los Angeles, and Beijing). Our focus is on reducing global warming pollution and expanding the contribution of energy efficiency and renewable energy to ensure the clean, reliable and affordable energy services that a healthy and sustainable economy needs. The Fellow will be located in the San Francisco office and will be involved directly in the development of advocacy strategies and in the preparation of NRDC materials designed to influence specific public policy decisions. The Fellow will focus on current, California energy-related issues, and in particular on effective implementation of California's groundbreaking energy efficiency and global warming pollution reduction efforts. Issue responsibilities will likely include: design of a cap on California's utilities' global warming pollution emissions; development of performance-based incentives to expand utility-sector energy efficiency savings; and pursuit of accelerated energy efficiency programs by California's publicly-owned utilities. We particularly encourage candidates with graduate level experience in science, engineering, economics and/or public policy to apply; undergraduates will also be considered. Persuasive written and oral advocacy are vital. Compensation will be based on a nonprofit scale. Please send letters of inquiry, a resume, transcript, writing sample, and three references to Shari Walker, 111 Sutter Street, 20th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94104; or e-mail to swalker@nrdc.org. NRDC is an equal opportunity employer and committed to workplace diversity. Women and people of color are strongly encouraged to apply. No phone calls, please.

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9. Job: Competitive Energy Services - Energy Analyst, Portland, Maine
Competitive Energy Services (CES) is seeking a full time Energy Analyst at its Portland Maine office for immediate employment. CES is a full service energy procurement and consulting firm with offices in Portland Maine and Houston Texas. CES procures electricity, natural gas and oil products for over 15,000 customers in New England, Atlantic Canada and Texas. CES also acts as the only supplier of green power to residential and small commercial customers in Maine through its affiliate Maine Renewable Energy.

In addition to energy procurement and supply services CES is involved in a number of interesting and innovative projects: - Advising the owner of a 40 MW hydroelectric facility on its recent sale for $144 million - Developing a proposed 4.5 MW wind turbine development in mid coast Maine - Advising several manufacturing clients on electric demand response programs - Conducting on-site cogeneration feasibility studies for a hospital, a wood products company, a university campus and a major national laboratory - Acting as consultant to the largest electricity aggregation in Texas - Advising colleges on the procurement of Renewable Energy Credits and biodiesel fuels

Responsibilities: CES is a small and dynamic energy company. The successful applicant will be asked to participate in all aspects of the business. Initial responsibilities will include the following: - Assistance in evaluation of energy markets and preparation of weekly client newsletter - Creation and management of spreadsheets with market pricing and customer usage data - Modeling of gas and electric utility rate tariffs - Forecasting customer budgets and preparing energy use projections - Assisting in fuel switching analysis - Assisting in the design and implementation of fuel arbitrage strategies - Preparation of reports, presentations and other client deliverables - Acting as a point of contact for clients and competitive energy suppliers

Requirements: - College graduate with a BA/BS degree in engineering, math, science or economics. - Energy industry experience is a plus but not required. - Excellent spreadsheet skills. Database skills a plus but not required. - Strong writing skills. - Creative and analytical thinker.

Please send resume and cover letter to Andrew Price at aprice@energymaine.com. CES offers a competitive salary and benefits package. CES's Portland office is located in the heart of Portland's scenic Old Port. Position is open until filled.

Andrew Price - Senior Energy Analyst & Project Manager
Competitive Energy Services
148 Middle Street
Portland Maine, 04101
Phone: (207) 772-6190 Fax: (207) 772-6320