Monthly Archives: June 2017

Massachusetts' bid to become the nation's leader in offshore wind power is ramping up.

The state's electric utilities National Grid, Eversource and Unitil are slated to release by June 30 their requirements for projects seeking to develop the state's first ocean-based wind farm.

That sets in motion an ambitious effort to put Massachusetts ahead of states like New York, New Jersey and Maryland also seeking to establish their presence in the nascent U.S. industry. Here's a primer on where things stand:

NEW ENERGY LAW

A state law passed last year to boost Massachusetts' use of renewable energy outlines the process for developing offshore wind power.

The law calls for generating at least 1,600 megawatts of power, roughly enough electricity to power 750,000 homes annually, from offshore wind by 2027.

To accomplish this, the utilities are required to secure long-term contracts with wind farm developers in at least two phases: a bid request this June and another in 2019.

The law also calls for generating up to 1,200 additional megawatts from other clean energy sources, including hydropower, onshore wind power and solar power by 2027.

KEY PLAYERS

At least three companies have expressed interest in the bid: Rhode Island's Deepwater Wind, Denmark's DONG Energy and Vineyard Wind of New Bedford, Massachusetts.

Those three have already taken the key step of securing federal leases to develop offshore wind farms miles of the coasts of Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket, where the state is focusing its offshore wind efforts.

Each firm comes with its industry bonafides.

Deepwater Wind opened the nation's first offshore wind farm off Block Island last year a five-turbine project generating 30 MW.

DONG Energy has installed hundreds of turbines in waters off Europe and has partnered with Eversource on its Massachusetts venture.

And Vineyard Wind is partly owned by Portland, Oregon renewable energy developer Avangrid Renewables and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners of Denmark.

ROUGH DRAFT

The utilities in concert with state agencies have been developing their bid requirements for months.

The most recent draft calls for proposals generating between 400 to 800 megawatts of power and outlined key dates, including a December deadline for submitting applications and a May 2018 deadline for picking a winner or winners.

But the utilities have also sought input from offshore wind companies and other stakeholders, so it remains to be seen if those specifics are further tweaked.

SIZE MATTERS?

As the utilities have drafted their bid requirements, there's been some debate about the right size for the wind farms.

DONG Energy argues that larger projects generating up to 800 megawatts provide "efficiencies of scale" that would lead to lower electricity costs for ratepayers.

Vineyard Wind believes the more practical approach is developing four projects of 400 megawatts each. And Deepwater Wind has argued for a range of projects of varying sizes.

"We think a more gradual approach makes the most sense," said Jeffrey Grybowski, Deepwater Wind's CEO. "You need to walk before you run."

TOO SLOW?

Timing also has been a concern among some stakeholders.

The Conservation Law Foundation, a nonprofit environmental advocacy group, has advocated for an accelerated timeline that would allow construction to start as soon as next summer and the wind farm to be operational by 2023.

Vineyard Wind CEO Erich Stephens warns that a prolonged selection process makes it harder for firms to maximize their benefit from federal investment tax credits that are gradually being phased out. That, he said, could ultimately impact costs passed to ratepayers.

"Even just a few months makes a huge difference," Stephens said.

THE TRUMP EFFECT

Offshore wind developers seem united on at least one point: they're not overly concerned about President Donald Trump's policies on renewable energy just yet. Trump was a vocal critic of offshore wind technology as a candidate and businessman.

The companies note that states play a vital role in setting the nation's energy priorities since they regulate utilities, and Massachusetts' Republican Governor Charlie Baker has reaffirmed the state's commitment to its clean energy goals despite the country's withdrawal from the Paris climate change agreement.

"There's no pause for us," said Thomas Brostrom, president of DONG Energy's North American operations. "We're remain really committed to the market here in Massachusetts and the U.S."

Follow Philip Marcelo at twitter.com/philmarcelo.

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Competition for offshore wind ramps up in Massachusetts - ABC News

The local market for office space experienced a big boost in the first quarter, thanks mainly to strong demand from offshore gaming operatorsa subsector of the business process outsourcing (BPO) industry that is growing rapidly with the help of new government regulations.

In a recently published research note, international property consulting firm Pronove Tai described offshore gaming companies as a strong but beleaguered driver in the Philippine office market.

While the office market is still largely driven by the information technology and business process management industry, offshore gaming companies as of end March have been the second single industry demand driver, accounting for 20 percent or 56,000 square meters of the pre-leased office space scheduled for completion in the second quarter, the firm said.

This demand is equivalent to three dedicated high rise office buildings out of the 18 buildings slated for completion in the second quarter of this year.

The property analyst said that a slowdown in the accreditation process by the Philippine Economic Zone Authority for new buildings has resulted in developers taking a second look at offshore gaming clients.

Offshore gaming companies are classified by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation as either service providers or licensed operators, both of which are technology-driven enterprises.

Service providers are gaming and software/platform providers, BPO providers, data/content streaming providers and gaming support providers.

Licensed operators, meanwhile, are gaming agents and those classified as special class BPOs which provide marketing and customer relation services only to duly licensed gaming operators overseas, must not handle betting activities for gaming operators and do not service any Pagcor Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (Pogo) licensee.

To date, the Philippines is the first and only country in Asia to license offshore online gaming. Pagcor believes it can net an additional P10 billion in annual revenues from its Pogo licensees.

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Offshore gaming boosts demand for PH office space - Inquirer.net

Refresh for latest: Universals The Mummy has risen from Saturdays projections to an estimated $141.8M weekend launch in 63 international box office markets. The estimated worldwide total is on track for $174M through today. Those figures give star Tom Cruise his biggest offshore and global openings ever. With No. 1s in 46 markets, the monster movie is also tops for Cruise in 26. China leads with $52.2M, putting the start in the company of such titles as San Andreas and Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

As noted over the weekend, it might seem improbable that Cruise would clear his top overseas and global bows ever given the critical bashing this Dark Universe-starter has taken domestically. But internationally, Cruises star power is combined with growth in key and emerging markets and the fact that the initial rollout of this pic includes China.

His previous top international and worldwide openings were with Steven Spielbergs 2005 sci-fi thriller War Of The Worlds ($102.5M/$167.4M). That films first rollout suite did not include such key markets as Korea or France, but did include Germany and Japan (China was not a major factor back then). France and Japan have yet to unwrap The Mummy.

Korea, which has a fondness for showing Cruise the money, is the 2nd best Mummy opening market this frame with $17.8M. The opening day Tuesday holds the record as the biggest launch day ever for any film at $6.6M. Russia follows for the full frame with $7.6M; Mexico is next at $5.1M; and the UK rounds out the Top 5 at $4.4M. (More details and analysis to follow).

Warner Bros.

Other notable milestones this weekend include Disneys Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales crossing $600M at the global box office. Theres $464.4M in the international treasure chest through June 11, led by China with a strong $161.2M to make it the No. 7 grosser of the year there.

Also, from Universal and Blumhouse, Jordan Peeles Get Out, hit $250M worldwide. In Korea, its $15.4M makes it the highest grossing foreign horror/thriller of all time.

Breakdowns on the above and more are being updated below.

NEW THE MUMMY

Universal

Along with the No. 1 start in China, The Mummy was tops in another 45 markets, and was Cruises best opening weekend in 26. Overall, this is the stars all-time biggest global ($174M) and international launch. Contrary to the domestic bow, his global star power combines with growth in key and emerging markets and the fact that the initial rollout of this pic included China.

While the domestic performance dinged the global outlook this weekend, some non-Universal execs see this as a strong performance internationally. The question now becomes its legs and thats where it gets dicey. Next weekend will be telling with no major new wide releases on deck. Some see at least a 2.2 multiple offshore. And, Cruise has a sizeable footprint in France and Japan where The Mummy has yet to unwrap.

Along with Asia Pacific, Latin America, Russia, Eastern Europe and the Middle East saw good openings this frame. The soft spot was Western Europe where the mercury was high and box office was low. There appears to be a battle for No. 1 with Wonder Woman in the UK on $4.4M. Also, Germany opened The Mummy to just $2.2M and Italy was $1.7M.

But looking back to Asia, Korea is the overall No. 2 market with a big No. 1 start at $17.8M for Cruises biggest opening weekend ever. This is a market that has plenty of time for the star and graced The Mummy with $6.6M on its holiday Tuesday bow to score the biggest opening day ever for any movie.

Russia likewise gave Cruise his biggest opening ever with $7.6M; followed by a similar scenario in Mexico at $5.1M.

Other major cumes include Taiwan ($4.9M), India ($4.6M), Indonesia ($4.5M) and Brazil ($3.6M).

In IMAX, The Mummy launched to $12M worldwide from 1,012 screens in 64 markets. Its the 5th best start in the format for a Universal title. Internationally, $9M came from 675 IMAX screens for the 5th best June start ever in the format and Universals 4th all-time best. From roughly 400 screens in China, IMAX delivered $4.6M of the total there.

There are seven more territories to release. France, French-speaking Switzerland, Greece, Israel and Trinidad open next weekend; Egypt on June 21 and Japan on July 28.

HOLDOVERS/EXPANSIONS WONDER WOMAN

Warner Bros.

The Patty Jenkins-helmed DC title has surpassed the lifetime gross of a key comp, Captain America: The First Avenger, in 13 days internationally. Regionally, Europe/Middle East/Africa saw a 41% drop and Latin America 43%. In Asia (outside China) Gal Gadots sword-wielding Diana Prince has topped the full runs (in local currency) of Suicide Squad, Man Of Steel, Guardians Of The Galaxy 1 & 2, Thor, Iron Man, Wolverine and Logan.

She also held No. 1 in Australia, Brazil and others although theres a question mark hanging over the UK right now with The Mummy.

France was a key opening this weekend where gorgeous weather had an impact on moviegoing. The launch estimate is $4.9M (4.4M euros) and 613K admissions on 655 screens for No. 1 and ahead of comps Cap 1 (+83%) and Ant-Man (+17%).

China continues to lead offshore plays for the Themyscira native. An additional $12.6M on 9,000 screens landed her No. 2 for the weekend with a cume of $68.4M (RMB 469.9M) to pass Man Of Steel, Iron Man, Thor and Cap 1.

In the UK, the cume is $16.1M, followed by Brazil at $15.8M for a 31% dip. With R$ 51.4M, Wonder Woman has exceeded Cap 1, Man Of Steel, Ant-Man, Iron Man, Thor and the first Guardians. Mexico has also topped those Marvel and DC comps, as well as Doctor Strange on $15.5M (Ps 286.2M). Koreas cume is $13.4M (won 15B), and Australia rounds out the Top 5 with $10.7M (A$14.4M) and a drop of just -19%.

Wonder Woman further continues to top comps in the Philippines ($8.2M/PHP 408.6M cume); Taiwan (7.4M/NT$ 222.6M); Indonesia ($7.1M/IDR 88.4B); and Russia ($6.8M/Rbl 386.5M).

On deck this week is Germany, followed by Spain on June 23 and Japan in August.

PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MEN TELL NO TALES

Disney

The 5th Pirates installment added $34.8M in its 3rd frame in 54 markets. Holds were good in parts of Europe where the Johnny Depp-starrer stayed on the No. 1 course in Germany, Belgium, Finland, Lithuania and the Netherlands, (all ahead of The Mummys debuts); Denmark (ahead of the 2nd weekend of Wonder Woman); and also Poland.

In Asia Pacific, China added $7.6M for $161.2M to date. Russia is now at $35.7M, the 2nd biggest play on POTC5 - as well as the No. 1 release of 2017 there, the top Disney Live Action pic ever as and the No. 4 release of all time.

Family-friendly Latin America dipped 48% across the region with particularly strong holds in Chile (-23%), Uruguay (-25%) and Argentina (-34%).

Looking at the same suite of markets at todays rates, POTC5 is currently running 15% ahead of Pirates 4 and 31% ahead of Pirates 3.

Behind China and Russia, Germany ($21.4M), Korea ($21.1M) and the UK ($20.5M) round out the Top 5. This is all ahead of Japans July 1 bow the market has typically been major for the franchise.

BAYWATCH

Paramount

Germany (where the film is No. 2) and the UK (where its No. 5) are tied to lead overseas hubs with $9M each. Germanys 2nd frame was $2.4M from 567 locations. In Britain, Dwayne Johnson, Zac Efron and the gang delivered $1.5M at 495.

Other key totals include Australia ($5.1M), Russia ($3.1M), Austria ($1.9M), Italy and Switzerland (both $1.5M), the Netherlands ($1.4M) and Malaysia ($1.2M).

Up next weekend are Brazil, Mexico and Spain; followed by France on June 21.

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL 2

Disney

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST

Disney

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'The Mummy' Unearths $142M Offshore, $174M Global; 'Wonder Woman' Flies To $230M At International Box Office - Deadline

The word is that the shortfin corvina and halibut are on the chew in the bays. San Diego Bay and Mission Bay can be excellent fisheries for spotted bay bass and sand bass through the summer, but late springtime is when the shortfin corbina and halibut start working the edges before the water warms up and the halibut slide back into the cooler troughs. The corvina tend to move with the bait as the fry grow and move out of the bay over the summer. I have read many accounts of quality shortfin corvina to over 8 pounds from either bay. The current IGFA record is 10.6 pounds.

Shortfin corvina are often mistaken for juvenile white seabass, but there are a few telltale differences that are hard to miss. The white seabass doesnt have the inner fangs at the roof of the mouth that the corvina sports, and white seabass tend to have vertical broad bars on its side and a ridge along its belly called a "zipper." Shortfin corvina are excellent table fare, akin to the other fish in the croaker family with white flakey meat and a mild natural flavor. These fish generally feed in the mid to upper water column and respond well to medium running crankbaits, spoons and swimbaits.

Shortfin corvina first appeared in San Diego Bay around 1990 due, probably, to moving in with warm El Nio water and remaining due to the plethora of baitfish. At first, most caught were smallish, 14 inches or so. Now, after a quarter-century in the bays, they are averaging much larger and towards their max length around 36 inches.

The halibut are biting well, especially off the edges of the channel to the edge of the eelgrass as the low drops into slack. The reason is obvious; they are a broad, flat fish and hunting in the current is not their forte, they are ambush hunters that feed more during lesser tide swings and slacks, in spite of the many anglers out there that insist halibut bite better in a hard-running current. They are flat-wrong as wrong as folks that thought the world was flat. Think about it. If you were built like a kite and had to go catch a chicken, youd have a hard time putting bird on the table on a windy day. Its just that simple.

As the tide slows, the halibut move from their shelter up the edges to nail their prey as it passes. As the tide drops the bait gets pushed to the outer edges of the eel grass, over the holes. Ive caught more decent bay halibut at the edges of these ambush points, whether along the eelgrass cut, or deeper, along the channel cut near the shallower flats leading up to the eelgrass. As the tide slacks, Ill move closer to the eelgrass and cast to the deep edge, right at the edge, and let it sink as though I were flipping on a piling. If it gets hung in the eelgrass, I casted just a tad too far.

On the cast, I let sink and sit an extra count before slowly hopping it across the bottom back to whatever fishing platform I am angling from. I generally use grubs, twin-tail or single, in lighter colors with lots of flake on a plain bullet-style leadhead heavy enough to keep it low and work it back a hop at a time. Most of my bites come right on the sink or when nearly all the way back under the vessel. That method has flat out worked best for me over four decades of fishing for the flat ones.

Top performing boats of the week: The Pacific Queen ran two 1.5 day trips with a total of 65 anglers (32 & 33 respectively) for a total catch of 265 yellowtail, 2 bluefin tuna and 2 yellowfin tuna. The Chief scored well on their only run this past week, a 2.5 day trip wherein 21 anglers put 1 bluefin tuna, 1 yellowfin tuna and 108 yellowtail in the hold. The Pacific Voyager ran two trips this past week; a 3 day outing with 18 anglers aboard and a 2 day run carrying 16 anglers. Total catch for both trips was 11 bluefin tuna, 182 yellowtail, 180 rockfish, 20 calico bass and 64 barracuda.

Dock Totals 6/4 6/10: 2610 anglers aboard 109 boats out of San Diego landings this past week caught 148 bluefin tuna, 11 yellowfin tuna, 665 yellowtail, 670 calico bass, 187 sand bass, 3,180 rockfish, 111 sanddab, 24 lingcod, 104 bonito, 84 barracuda, 65 sculpin, 351 mackerel, 8 whitefish, 28 sheephead, 7 halibut and 1 mako shark.

Fish Plants: No plants scheduled this week.

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Offshore tuna cools a bit while the bays heat up for corvina and halibut - San Diego Reader