Energy and Environment News Roundup – 3.21.14
A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.
EMISSIONS
EU warns biofuel carbon emissions “higher than expected” (via RTCC)
Shuttered coal plants seen cutting cost of carbon rules (via Bloomberg)
NATURAL GAS
EU readies natural gas plan to cut reliance on Russia (via Bloomberg)
Cheap gas will fuel US manufacturing job surge through 2020 (via Houston Chronicle)
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
Efficiency, not just Recession, drove US energy savings since 2007 (via Greentech Media)
LED costs to halve as efficiency doubles by 2020, says US DOE (via RTCC)
California establishing new efficiency standards for consumer appliances (via Energy Manager Today)
RENEWABLES
Over 25% total global solar capacity added in 2013, more to come (via Forbes)
Global solar PV market set to reach 500GW by 2018 (via Renew Economy)
Study finds wind farms can provide surplus of reliable clean energy (via Phys.org)
As net metering battles move to small markets, solar advocates claim early victories (via Greentech Media)
Wind grows as power source in Kansas (via Hutchinson News)
Ethanol industry taking challenge to California LCFS to US Supreme Court (via Green Car Congress)
Compromise may help preserve net metering in Kansas (via Midwest Energy News)
Carnegie unveils 1MW wave energy machine (via Renew Economy)
CLIMATE
Spring is arriving earlier and earlier in the US (via Climate Central)
Exxon Mobil agrees to report on climate change’s effect on business model (via The Guardian)
Chris Christie’s state agencies are worried about climate change, even if he isn’t (via Huffington Post)
OIL
Oil lobby optimistic on repealing renewable fuel standard (via The Hill)
BP’s Gulf redemption may take decades to bestow barrels (via Bloomberg)
TRANSPORTATION
AAA finds electric cars can only go half as far in freezing weather (via Los Angeles Time)
EV project to save Seattle airport $2.8 million in fuel costs (via Environmental Leader)
KEYSTONE XL/TAR SANDS
While America spars over Keystone XL, a vast network of pipelines is quietly being approved (via Think Progress)
Koch Brothers are the biggest leaseholder in Canada’s oil sands (via Washington Post)
ENVIRONMENT
$500 million over budget: How should we pay for fighting wildfires? (via Weather Channel)
Asia is home to most rivers under stress from people (via Bloomberg)
OPINION
The thin green line (via Sightline Daily)
A few numbers for Nate Silver and Roger Pielke Jr on climate change (via Huffington Post)