Energy Roundup: Apache Cuts Staff, Wal-Mart Doubles Solar Effort, and More

(MoneyWatch)  Apache cuts 200 staff as activity slows -- Independent oil and gas firm Apache still may be looking to buy up assets from cash-strapped companies, but that doesn't mean it's not hurting from a decrease in oil prices. Apache joined a growing list of oil-related companies including ConocoPhillips, Baker Hughes and Halliburton by laying off about 6 percent or 200 of its 3,600-person workforce. [Source: Forbes]

Wal-Mart plans to expand sustainable energy effort within 18 months -- California Gov. Schwarzeneggar wants solar panels on every commercial rooftop and today pointed to Wal-Mart's announcement that it is going to double its use of solar panels on its own facilities as to how he'd like to see it happen. Wal-Mart's new solar panels will be supplied by BP Solar and will be added to 10 to 20 of its facilities in California. [Source: Greentech Media]

Two proposed solar projects would bring 500 MW to Arizona -- Sempra Generation wants to build at least 300 megawatts of solar power projects on land it owns in Arizona and Spain's Albiasa also has proposed a 200 megawatt project in the Grand Canyon State. The Sempra project would be housed on 1,400 acres of land near Phoenix next to its 1.25 gigawatt natural gas power plant. Albiasa plans to build its $1 billion concentrated solar power plant near Kingman. [Source: Cleantech, Greentech Media]

BP venture bids for stake of Sibir Energy -- A Russian venture of BP has bid for a stake in Sibir Energy, a move that highlights how the economic crisis has increased consolidation in the oil-and-gas industry. [Source: WSJ]

Climate change legislation debate asks 'how much will this cost the average American? -- Republicans and Democrats on the House Energy and Commerce Committee as well as three White House cabinet members spent at least part of Earth Day debating the merits and shortcomings of legislation that would create a cap-and-trade plan aimed at cutting greenhouse gas emissions. Hearings, which will last throughout the week, focused, in large part, today on the cost to American families [Source: Grist, Washington Post]