Texas-based Fluor announced January 31 that it won an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract from LS Power for the 125-megawatt (MW) “Arlington Valley Solar Energy II” (AVSE II) solar-photovoltaic (PV) power plant in Maricopa County, Ariz.

Siemens announced January 30 that it won its first-ever wind turbine orders in Africa, via a 100 megawatt power deal with Nareva Holding in Morocco.

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI), Hitachi and Mitsubishi Corp. (MC) announced January 27 that they won a joint contract for a “smart community” transport electrification-demonstration project in Spain, which targets electric vehicle (EV) recharging and EV communications systems.

Honda announced January 20 that it delivered a 2013 “Fit” pure electric vehicle (EV) to the city of Torrance, California, in a move the company describes as “one of the first major steps in the Honda Electric Vehicle demonstration program, a prelude to the retail market launch of the ‘Fit’ EV with customers in California and Oregon this summer.”

The massive earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan in March 2011 explains a 16.3% drop in total 2011 passenger car sales, as recorded by the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA).

NYMEX light, sweet crude for March delivery finished at US$96.36 per barrel (/bbl), down $1.25 on February 2, posting losses for the fifth consecutive session.

On January 31, the National Biodiesel Board (NBB) submitted written testimony to the Senate Finance Committee, in which the group said the U.S. biodiesel industry’s record growth and resulting job creation is at risk without immediate action from Congress to reinstate the industry’s US$1 per gallon tax incentive that expired on December 31, 2011.