Energy and Environment News Roundup – 9.12.13

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

EMISSIONS 

China to cut coal use, shut polluters, in bid to clear the air (via Reuters)

EPA to revise climate rule for new power plants, will still require carbon capture (via Washington Post)

Utilities fret about “unrealistic” emissions rules (via The Hill)

1% of America’s power plants emit 33% of energy industry’s CO2 (via Mother Jones)

California carbon price forecast plunges (via Environmental Leader)

COAL 

China sets national coal use target to tackle air pollution (via Reuters)

Study: Damage from mountaintop coal removal mining “staggering” compared to energy benefits (via Charleston Gazette)

RENEWABLES 

Chile’s road to solar grid parity (via Renewable Energy World)

Japan hopes to blow ahead in renewables with floating wind farm (via Japan Times)

Analysis: 50% reduction in cost of renewable energy since 2008 (via CleanTechnica)

New US solar market report: US installs 832MW solar PV in Q2 2013 (via Greentech Media)

What local wind energy ordinances make sense for distributed generation? (via CleanTechnica)

New Mexico commission urged not to change renewable energy rules (via Santa Fe New Mexican)

California bill preserves net metering, “punts” to state regulators (via Solar Industry Magazine)

Study says solar delivers $11 million in annual benefits to Xcel Energy grid (via Solar Industry Magazine)

Michigan utility moves forward on $255M wind farm (via Detroit Free-Press)

Falling into solar: National Solar Tour and Solar Decathlon (via Renewable Energy World)

CLIMATE 

Arctic ice continues thinning to record low, European satellite reveals (via Christian Science Monitor)

Report shows companies still don’t take climate change seriously (via The Guardian)

Summer days “four times hotter” across some parts of Europe (via RTCC)

The most important climate pacts you’ve never heard of (via Climate Central)

States with most federal disaster aid sent most climate deniers to Congress (via Center for American Progress)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

Senate takes up bipartisan energy efficiency legislation (via Huffington Post)

Senate energy efficiency debate becomes battleground (via Houston Chronicle)

What it takes to make energy efficiency programs work (via Greentech Media)

Chicago moves to require building owners to disclose energy use (via Chicago Tribune)

Opower launches behavioral demand response program (via Greentech Media)

NATURAL GAS/FRACKING 

LNG export critics call on DOE for time out (via Houston Chronicle)

Obama administration authorizes new natural gas export terminal (via Houston Chronicle)

California assembly passes new regulations on fracking (via Houston Chronicle)

GRID 

Microgrids become reality as Superstorm Sandy anniversary nears (via ClimateWire)

DOE Energy Systems Integration Facility to help modernize grid (via Energy.gov)

New EV chargers put energy back into local grid (via EarthTechling)

DOE, NREL, Toyota collaborating on integrating EVs into grid (via Green Car Reports)

Why the Lone Star State’s smart grid stands alone (via GreenBiz)

ENERGY SECTOR 

Power sector infrastructure, renewables spending surging (via Houston Chronicle)

Why are some bug utilities embracing small-scale solar? (via InsideClimate News)

TRANSPORTATION 

Volkswagen will be biggest EV maker in 2018, it says (via Green Car Reports)

Nissan Leaf hits South Africa in October – first EV on sale in the country (via CleanTechnica)

Tesla challenges BMW on home turf as Germans go green (via Bloomberg)

What is America’s most fuel-efficient airline? (via Climate Central)

DOE-NASCAR partnership revs deployment of pollution-reducing technology (via Energy.gov)

ENVIRONMENT 

Global warming may “flatten” rainforests (via Mongabay)

Proposal to protect Antarctic waters is scaled back (via New York Times)

Study: Wind farms killed 67 eagles in 5 years (via AP)

OPINION 

Three investment vehicles that could revolutionize solar (via Sustainable Industries)

Naomi Klein’s criticism of environmental groups missed the mark (via Climate Progress)

China’s urban billion: Energy use and greenhouse gases (via WRI Insights)

The trouble with low carbon prices (via Environmental Leader)

What can Canada do to get Keystone approved? (via Politico)

Despite hard push from industry, new coal plants could see serious carbon cuts (via Climate Progress)

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 6.28.13

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

KEYSTONE XL/TAR SANDS 

Environmentalists demand new climate analysis for Keystone XL (via Washington Post)

First Nations group calls for BC to reject Northern Gateway pipeline permits (via Vancouver Sun)

Oil sands leak on northern Alberta weapons range (via CBC News)

EMISSIONS 

World’s highest carbon price faces Australia’s new leader (via Bloomberg)

EU plans to make it mandatory for ship owners to measure carbon emissions (via The Guardian)

US CO2 emissions on the rise again (via Navigant Research)

Why a carbon tax isn’t in Obama’s climate plan (via Energy Collective)

RENEWABLES 

UK boosts Green Bank by £800 million (via Recharge)

India and Turkey to enhance cooperation on renewables (via EnergyNext)

UK green electricity generation leaps 10% (via BusinessGreen)

China plans large-scale solar PV pilot projects (via CleanTechnica)

UK shows offshore wind more costly than solar (via Reuters)

Chinese firm charged in theft of US company’s turbine software (via New York Times)

US military faces trio of renewable energy goals (via EarthTechling)

EPA says ethanol bounty may push refiners over 10% blend wall (via Bloomberg)

A whole new way of thinking about geothermal (via Greentech Media)

After much delay, US offshore wind power set to sail (via Politico)

LA launches nation’s largest solar rooftop program (via Grist)

COAL 

India to eclipse China as world’s largest coal power (via Bloomberg)

The US will stop financing coal plants abroad – that’s a huge shift (via Washington Post)

Coal exports have doubled during Obama’s so-called “war on coal” (via The Week)

Moniz sees coal’s significant role (via AP)

CLIMATE 

Researchers say global warming may affect soil microbe survival (via Phys.org)

More species at risk from climate change than thought (via CBS News)

UN climate chief welcomes Obama plan, wants US energy czar (via Reuters)

Calgary floods spotlight cities’ costly failure to plan for climate change (via CBC News)

OIL 

House advances plan to expand drilling on US-Mexico maritime border (via Houston Chronicle)

House votes to double oil revenue cap for Gulf states (via The Hill)

Deepwater drilling expansion will strain workforce, says study (via Houston Chronicle)

Texas oil output surges past North Dakota (via Reuters)

BP report could cut Gulf oil spill penalties by up to $7 billion (via Houston Chronicle)

TRANSPORTATION 

EU delays CO2 car targets after fierce lobbying from Germany (via BusinessGreen)

BMW forecast for doubled EV range spurs more debate than conclusions (via Autoblog Green)

Anthony Foxx, Charlotte’s transit-friendly mayor, nominated for transportation secretary (via Grist)

Nissan offers up new Leaf battery replacement program (via EarthTechling)

Ikea to add EV charging stations in Houston, nationwide (via Houston Chronicle)

Tesla Motors wins in North Carolina, anti-competitive legislation dropped (via Autoblog Green)

NUCLEAR 

UK nuclear expansion advances with $15 billion loan backing (via Bloomberg)

Senate OKs Macfarlane for full term as NRC chairwoman (via The Hill)

Quarrels continue over nuclear waste repository (via New York Times)

GRID 

Microgrids and energy security: the business case (via Breaking Energy)

California’s timely demand response roadmap (via Navigant Research)

Solar PV, energy storage combine in commercial-scale Maryland microgrid (via Sustainable Business)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

Cloud computing can reduce GHGs 95%, save $2.2 billion (via Environmental Leader)

Obama’s Better Buildings program celebrates first year (via Greentech Media)

Energy efficiency saves AT&T at least $151 million (via Mother Nature Network)

Staples reaches milestone of 500 Energy Star buildings (via Sustainable Business)

NATURAL GAS/FRACKING 

Obama’s climate plan silent on exports but pledges support for global gas markets (via EnergyWire)

Methane scrutiny in Obama climate plan may cost drillers (via Bloomberg)

Ohio law shielding fracking chemical details may violate federal statute (via Columbus Dispatch)

POLITICS 

GOP to make EPA spending bill a climate battleground (via The Hill)

Obama’s EPA nominee in jeopardy from Senate Republicans (via Reuters)

Obama to tap Colorado regulator Binz as new FERC chief (via The Hill)

Moniz optimistic on Obama’s plan to reduce emissions (via New York Times)

OPINION 

India’s EV market falling short (via Navigant Research)

Will Obama’s climate policy spur new energy technologies? (via MIT Technology Review)

US takes key climate change steps, but the world must do more (via Washington Post)

Sports world teams up against climate change (via GreenBiz)

Figures: no country doing enough on climate change (via RTCC)