Energy and Environment News Roundup – 6.27.13

A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.

CLIMATE 

A political skirmish in Australia could have a big climate impact (via Washington Post)

US heat wave could threaten world’s hottest temperature record (via Climate Central)

Melting sea ice, wobbly jet stream seen as culprits in Alberta floods (via Calgary Herald)

Scientists underscore Obama’s concerns about climate change and severe weather (via ClimateWire)

Obama Administration releases state-by-state climate reports (via StateImpact Pennsylvania)

Sea level along Maryland shorelines could rise two feet by 2050 (via Phys.org)

COAL

US, China deliver another double blow to Australian coal (via Renew Economy)

World Bank plans to limit financing of coal-fired power plants (via Reuters)

Big coal to fight Obama climate plan (via Wall Street Journal)

The case for a war on coal (via Slate)

RENEWABLES 

IEA: renewables will exceed natural gas and nuclear by 2016 (via CleanTechnica)

Solar energy a boon for power thirsty off-grid Africa (via Energy Manager Today)

Australian solar growing up as PV market eyes next phase (via Renew Economy)

Is China losing its solar companies? (via Sustainable Business)

UK unveils renewable energy price support, electricity market reforms (via BusinessGreen)

Wells Fargo invests $100 million in distributed solar projects (via Energy Manager Today)

Marines push to front lines in renewable energy innovation (via Yale e360)

LA program lets utility pay customers to generate solar power (via Los Angeles Times)

KEYSTONE XL 

In Canada, pipeline remarks stir analysis (via New York Times)

Visions of a greener pipeline (via New York Times)

API spent $22 million lobbying for Keystone XL; State Department contractor ERM an API member (via DeSmog Blog)

EMISSIONS 

USGS assessment finds 3,000 gigaton CO2 storage potential in US (via Green Car Congress)

US climate plan may boost cap and trade (via Reuters)

Federal study touts Gulf Coast for carbon sequestration (via Houston Chronicle)

OIL 

BP steps up spill payments protest with ad campaign (via Reuters)

Massive tar mat dug up off Louisiana coast, 3 years after Gulf oil spill (via CNN)

TRANSPORTATION 

Germany seeks to block EU CO2 car limits for 2020 (via BusinessGreen)

Electric car industry reps cheered by market growth (via Los Angeles Times)

NATURAL GAS/FRACKING 

UK says shale gas fields twice the size of previous estimates (via Bloomberg)

GRID 

Electricity prices soar in West Texas as shale drilling expands (via Houston Chronicle)

ENVIRONMENT 

Deforestation rising in Amazon countries outside Brazil (via Mongabay)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

Empire State Building efficiency retrofit being replicated across the US (via Sustainable Business)

POLITICS 

Rudd sworn in as Australian PM after overthrowing Gillard (via Reuters)

GOP leaders steer clear of climate science fight (via The Hill)

Republicans shift strategy on climate change (via Houston Chronicle)

OPINION 

Can Kevin Rudd protect Australia’s climate change credibility? (via The Guardian)

Climate target number one: coal (via Los Angeles Times)

Poll: Americans split on Obama’s handling of climate change (via Huffington Post)

Is Obama’s faith in carbon capture a Technicolor dream? (via Desmog Blog)

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 6.5.13

A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.

EMISSIONS 

China sticks to carbon-intensity target, dismisses CO2 cap (via Bloomberg)

UK decarbonization target narrowly defeated in legislature (via The Guardian)

Congress hates carbon pricing – the rest of the world doesn’t (via Washington Post)

KEYSTONE XL 

Climate change and Keystone XL: the numbers behind the debate (via Energy Collective)

Scientists tell State Department key parts of Keystone review are “without merit” (via InsideClimate News)

API says State Department considering Keystone hearing in Washington, DC (via The Hill)

TransCanada digging up defective segments of new pipeline, angering landowners in Texas (via InsideClimate News)

RENEWABLES 

Renewable energy investments in Middle East and North Africa grew 40% in 2012 (via Recharge)

EU solar tariffs may spur short-term imports as deal is sought (via Bloomberg)

EU imposes provisional 11.8% tariffs on Chinese solar imports (via Greentech Media)

Mining-dependent Mongolia pushes renewables as climate change hits (via Reuters)

UK government considers plans to compensate homes near wind farms (via BusinessGreen)

Wine industry dragged into EU-China solar trade war (via BusinessGreen)

New hybrid wind-solar technology could change the future of renewables (via Phys.org)

Offshore wind projects to advance as US sets auction (via Bloomberg)

EPA tool determines viability of solar projects on contaminated sites (via The Good Human)

San Francisco, San Jose dominate ranking of clean tech cities (via San Jose Mercury News)

NATURAL GAS/FRACKING 

Germany drops fracking law until after September’s election (via Reuters)

CLIMATE 

US Forest Service tells Congress climate change causing longer wildfire season (via The Guardian)

GRID 

The billion-dollar smart grid storm and summer spending surge (via Greentech Media)

As energy picture changes, Midwest grid operator considers a longer outlook (via Midwest Energy News)

California takes the lead in using batteries for grid storage (via Green Car Reports)

5MW energy storage system headlines Oregon smart grid project (via Renew Grid)

Siemens installing America’s first regenerative energy storage unit (via CleanTechnica)

OIL 

Large oil firms hit record US spending in 2012 as profits drop (via Houston Chronicle)

TRANSPORTATION 

United Airlines planes to fly on advanced biofuel (via Houston Chronicle)

Tesla loses fight to set up its own dealers in Texas (via Autoblog)

ENVIRONMENT 

EPA says US water infrastructure needs $384 billion upgrade (via Los Angeles Times)

When will the Texas drought end? (via StateImpact Texas)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

Walgreens building net zero energy store outside Chicago (via New York Times)

POLITICS 

GOP attacks landmark offshore wind power plan (via Houston Chronicle)

House panel erupts over Endangered Species Act debate (via The Hill)

Dim GOP enthusiasm for cap-and-trade bill in 2009 even dimmer now (via E&E Daily)

OPINION 

Imagining power utilities for the 21st century (via Grist)

Nuclear energy and my Greenpeace conundrum (via Energy Collective)

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 1.16.13

A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.

GRID 

Offshore transmission line breaks new ground on grid rules (via New York Times)

Why military microgrids influence exceeds their market share (via Pike Research)

ENERGY POLICY 

Large mergers drive changes in ownership of electric generating capacity in 2012 (via US EIA)

Oil lobby touts Keystone XL pipeline, natural gas exports (via Politico)

Oil refiners ask Congress to scrap renewable fuels mandate (via Houston Chronicle)

EMISSIONS 

Hong Kong offers $1.3 billion to replace polluting vehicles (via Bloomberg)

EPA says final revisions to 2010 air quality rule will cut industry costs, health risks (via The Hill)

California cuts GHGs for third year (via Environmental Leader)

RENEWABLES 

“Advanced energy” is a trillion-dollar market, and actually grew in 2012 (via GigaOm)

China passes 60GW grid-connected wind capacity (via Recharge)

Inside MENA countries’ solar energy plans (via Renewable Energy World)

Saudi Arabia will set up power buyer for renewables electricity (via Bloomberg)

Royal family investing £20 million in UK wave and tidal power (via BusinessGreen)

Solar provides 5.6% of Italian electricity demand in 2012 (via CleanTechnica)

Morocco to launch new concentrated solar power tenders (via Recharge)

50% solar cell efficiency could be in sight (via EarthTechling)

PTC in place, the US wind industry looks ahead (via Greentech Media)

Solar net metering will provide over $92 million in benefits to California ratepayers (via Electric Light & Power)

Sungevity scores $125 million for third-party solar financing (via Greentech Media)

ALEC to attack North Carolina renewable energy initiative (via DeSmogBlog)

Virginia attorney general targets utility renewable energy incentives (via Washington Times/AP)

NATURAL GAS/FRACKING 

Texas study finds increase in water used for fracking (via Texas Tribune)

CLIMATE 

2012 was Earth’s 10th warmest year on record, warmest with a La Nina (via Weather Underground)

US climate diplomat says emissions deal is in nations’ core interest (via The Hill)

Black carbon 2x larger cause of climate change than previously assessed (via Green Car Reports)

Record taxpayer cost is seen for US crop insurance (via New York Times)

Decades of temperature changes where you lived mapped online (via The Guardian)

National Flood Insurance Program – a mighty engine that couldn’t (via ClimateWire)

Science and religion meet at a climate protest (via New York Times)

Do cities really take the lead on climate change? (via Grist)

Sandy relief bill passes House despite conservative opposition (via Huffington Post)

TRANSPORTATION 

Cadillac and Nissan press the case for electric cars (via New York Times)

Tesla Model S to hit UK market in early 2014 (via BusinessGreen)

Cadillac introduces 2014 ELR extended range electric vehicle (via Green Car Congress)

Nissan to use US battery plant for hybrid vehicles (via Bloomberg)

Johnson Controls offers start-stop battery system for vehicles (via New York Times)

GREEN BUSINESS 

Google makes new electricity push with funding to Energy Foundation (via The Hill)

How Ford and Adidas are making climate change work in their favor (via GreenBiz)

US government seeing big savings from green buildings (via Greentech Media)

COAL 

10 things to know about leasing coal on public land (via Oregon Public Radio)

POLITICS 

Interior Secretary Ken Salazar to leave Obama administration (via Reuters)

Ken Salazar’s legacy includes push for wind, solar energy (via Politico)

Chuck Hagel’s Chevron tie not criticized (via Houston Chronicle)

OPINION 

2013: the year of climate decision (via Climate Progress)

Can the Chinese rescue Fisker? (via Autoblog)

For greater job growth, invest in clean energy, not US coal exports (via National Geographic)

Wind might not roar in 2013, even with PTC (via EarthTechling) 

The extreme weather threat that’s all around us (via Huffington Post)

Why is net metering under attack? (via Greentech Media)

A holding pattern at Tesla (via New York Times)