Energy and Environment News Roundup – 3.31.14

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

CLIMATE 

Climate change a threat to security, food, and humankind – UN IPCC report (via The Guardian)

UN panel’s warning on climate risk: Worst is yet to come (via New York Times)

UN report: Effects of climate change seen everywhere (via USA Today)

Pacific Ocean is acidifying faster than expected, shows study (via Climate Progress)

NATURAL GAS 

Record natural gas demand keeps bulls betting on rising prices (via Bloomberg)

RENEWABLES 

UK Green Investment Bank launches £461 million wave of offshore wind funding (via BusinessGreen)

Japan’s ruling parties seek clean energy 2030 target (via Bloomberg)

German regional politicians resist green energy reforms (via Reuters)

Mexico tapping its wind potential (via Houston Chronicle)

US DOE to offer new loan aid program to renewable energy companies (via Reuters)

Wind power sets new 10GW record in Texas (via Houston Chronicle)

Cool Planet closes $100 million capital round for biofuels (via Forbes)

MIT Energy Initiative announces $1.6 million in energy innovation funding (via Green Car Congress)

The pros’ clean energy picks: Solar dominates, emerging markets drag (via Renewable Energy World)

EMISSIONS 

China’s war on smog will be won or lost in polluted Hebei (via Reuters)

Obama considers new climate regulations for oil, gas sectors (via Reuters)

California climate-change fight results in utility bill credits for consumers (via San Francisco Chronicle)

Heartland, rejecting climate change harm, says more CO2 is good for the planet (via ClimateWire)

OIL 

US government: Industry hampering oil train safety (via Houston Chronicle)

5 states and Gulf of Mexico produce more than 80% of US crude oil (via US EIA)

BP raises Lake Michigan oil spill estimate (via Chicago Tribune)

TRANSPORTATION 

GM recall total in 2014 reaches 4.8 million (via New York Times)

Tesla’s $5 billion Giga-Factory factory and deep politics in AZ, TX, NV, and NM (via Greentech Media)

Massachusetts to offer rebates on plug-in EV purchases (via Green Car Reports)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

Energy efficiency progress by America’s utilities: An update (via Energy Collective)

9 ways to get stakeholders to care about energy efficiency (via Greentech Media)

ENVIRONMENT 

Desalination is now a billion-dollar industry, shows report (via Triple Pundit)

Long California drought could harm utility ratings, says Fitch (via Reuters)

Mini gold rush spurred by historic California drought (via Christian Science Monitor)

OPINION 

How climate change will affect where you live (via New Scientist)

When Obama’s “All of the Above” and global warming collide (via National Journal)

4 takeaways from IPCC report show worsening climate change impacts (via WRI Insights)

California regulators hitting climate policies out of the park (via Bloomberg BNA)

Climate change report: Five key points (via The Guardian)

Is a Value of Solar tariff really better than net metering? (via CleanTechnica)

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 2.17.14

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

ENERGY POLICY 

Germany set to cut rebates for companies that generate own power (via Bloomberg)

Renewable mandates, subsidies: At war with each other? (via Christian Science Monitor)

Study highlights benefits of innovative pricing in competitive electricity markets (via COMPETE)

COAL 

EIA increases short-term coal retirement prediction 50% (via Greentech Media)

North Carolina governor denies Duke coal ash deal involvement (via ABC News/AP)

EMISSIONS 

Iran plans carbon emissions trading market (via Reuters)

RENEWABLES 

Australia to review renewable energy target (via Reuters)

Climate skeptic to lead review of Australia’s renewable energy target (via The Guardian)

Wind turbines propel Michigan closer to 2015 renewable energy goal (via Detroit Free Press)

Property rights at heart of battles over Oklahoma wind farm regulation (via The Oklahoman)

NATURAL GAS 

Natural gas prices soar as U.S. stockpiles drop (via Wall Street Journal)

CLIMATE 

Sec. Kerry announces “unique co-operative effort” with China on climate change (via The Guardian)

Climate change an issue of national security, warns Milliband (via The Guardian)

Denmark about to set even more ambitious climate goals than Europe (via Climate Progress)

Kerry urges Indonesia to fight climate change (via Los Angeles Times)

Obama launches climate change fund (via The Hill)

Kerry to begin climate blitz (via The Hill)

Climate trends tell different story for Great Lakes ice (via Climate Central)

Climate change gets its 15 minutes on Sunday interview shows (via The Hill)

San Francisco announces 0-50-100 plan to fight climate change (via Sustainable Business)

Map: Here’s how climate change has impacted your city (via Climate Progress)

KEYSTONE XL/TAR SANDS 

Canadian PM Harper will press Obama on Keystone (via The Hill)

Native Americans vow last stand to block Keystone XL (via Miami Herald/McClatchy)

Enbridge pipeline joins Keystone XL in wait for U.S. permit (via Reuters)

Kerry burnishes his green badge in Asia ahead of Keystone call (via Bloomberg)

Canadian company named U.S. Oil Sands will soon start extracting Utah’s tar sands (via DeSmog Blog)

ENVIRONMENT 

More than 140 Brazilian cities rationing water due to drought (via AZ Central/AP)

Desalination plants a pricey option if drought persists (via San Francisco Chronicle)

Water cleaning technology could help farmers (via New York Times)

In California’s parched Central Valley, a message of aid and a warning from Obama (via Los Angeles Times)

OIL 

US oil demand returns to growth (via Energy Collective)

TRANSPORTATION

World’s largest EV fast charger network to roll out in China (via CleanTechnica)

Wanxiang wins bid for Fisker at $149.2 million (via Autoblog Green)

POLITICS 

Harper government makes moves to silence Canada’s leading environmental groups (via InsideClimate News)

Obama wants Congress to help with climate agenda after all (via National Journal)

John Kerry mocks those who deny climate change (via Houston Chronicle)

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 2.17.14

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

ENERGY POLICY 

Germany set to cut rebates for companies that generate own power (via Bloomberg)

Renewable mandates, subsidies: At war with each other? (via Christian Science Monitor)

Study highlights benefits of innovative pricing in competitive electricity markets (via COMPETE)

COAL 

EIA increases short-term coal retirement prediction 50% (via Greentech Media)

North Carolina governor denies Duke coal ash deal involvement (via ABC News/AP)

EMISSIONS 

Iran plans carbon emissions trading market (via Reuters)

RENEWABLES 

Australia to review renewable energy target (via Reuters)

Climate skeptic to lead review of Australia’s renewable energy target (via The Guardian)

Wind turbines propel Michigan closer to 2015 renewable energy goal (via Detroit Free Press)

Property rights at heart of battles over Oklahoma wind farm regulation (via The Oklahoman)

NATURAL GAS 

Natural gas prices soar as U.S. stockpiles drop (via Wall Street Journal)

CLIMATE 

Sec. Kerry announces “unique co-operative effort” with China on climate change (via The Guardian)

Climate change an issue of national security, warns Milliband (via The Guardian)

Denmark about to set even more ambitious climate goals than Europe (via Climate Progress)

Kerry urges Indonesia to fight climate change (via Los Angeles Times)

Obama launches climate change fund (via The Hill)

Kerry to begin climate blitz (via The Hill)

Climate trends tell different story for Great Lakes ice (via Climate Central)

Climate change gets its 15 minutes on Sunday interview shows (via The Hill)

San Francisco announces 0-50-100 plan to fight climate change (via Sustainable Business)

Map: Here’s how climate change has impacted your city (via Climate Progress)

KEYSTONE XL/TAR SANDS 

Canadian PM Harper will press Obama on Keystone (via The Hill)

Native Americans vow last stand to block Keystone XL (via Miami Herald/McClatchy)

Enbridge pipeline joins Keystone XL in wait for U.S. permit (via Reuters)

Kerry burnishes his green badge in Asia ahead of Keystone call (via Bloomberg)

Canadian company named U.S. Oil Sands will soon start extracting Utah’s tar sands (via DeSmog Blog)

ENVIRONMENT 

More than 140 Brazilian cities rationing water due to drought (via AZ Central/AP)

Desalination plants a pricey option if drought persists (via San Francisco Chronicle)

Water cleaning technology could help farmers (via New York Times)

In California’s parched Central Valley, a message of aid and a warning from Obama (via Los Angeles Times)

OIL 

US oil demand returns to growth (via Energy Collective)

TRANSPORTATION

World’s largest EV fast charger network to roll out in China (via CleanTechnica)

Wanxiang wins bid for Fisker at $149.2 million (via Autoblog Green)

POLITICS 

Harper government makes moves to silence Canada’s leading environmental groups (via InsideClimate News)

Obama wants Congress to help with climate agenda after all (via National Journal)

John Kerry mocks those who deny climate change (via Houston Chronicle)

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 8.30.13

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

Marcacci Communications publishes a daily roundup of energy and climate news and opinion. Inclusion of articles does not mean endorsement. 

COAL 

Doctors petition state regulators to curtail emissions at three Texas coal plants (via Dallas Star-Telegram)

EMISSIONS 

EU seeks more feedback on carbon permit proposal from central bank (via Reuters Point Carbon)

Billions wiped from blue-chips as carbon tax hits Australia’s top companies (via The Telegraph)

California water district dumps fossil fuel investments (via Environmental Leader)

New technology said to neutralize carbon fuel pollution emissions (via TreeHugger)

KEYSTONE XL/TAR SANDS 

Report: Keystone XL will drive oil sands growth, boost emissions (via The Hill)

Bipartisan senators to Obama: Don’t let Keystone decision drag into 2014 (via The Hill)

Enbridge gets approval for some Michigan dredging activity (via Houston Chronicle)

RENEWABLES 

UK’s clean power output rises 30% in 1Q 2013 compared to last year (via BusinessGreen)

Quebec outlines 450MW wind power tender (via Recharge)

Kenya scaling up its wind power program (via Renewable Energy World)

Germany sets another record: 5.1TWh of solar in July (via Greentech Media)

Renewable energy mandatory for all India utilities (via The Times of India)

NREL study says solar & wind to be cost-competitive without subsides by 2025 (via CleanTechnica)

US DOE taps into 1,400TWh of clean ocean power (via CleanTechnica)

NREL patents catalyst that boosts economics of biofuels (via Green Car Congress)

Carnegie Wave Energy plans world’s first wave-powered desalination plant (via Inhabitat)

A startup that would be the eBay of solar (via Greentech Media)

ENERGY POLICY 

Will Mexico’s energy reform hamper its climate change legislation? (via Breaking Energy)

New ideas in energy finance: Crowd-funding (via Energy Trends Insider)

GREEN BUSINESS 

US creates 38,600 new clean tech jobs in Q2 (via Environmental Leader)

Excessive water consumption puts American businesses at risk (via EarthTechling)

Sports sustainability gurus share their all-star plays (via GreenBiz)

OIL 

Saudi Arabia lifts oil output to record 10.5 million bpd (via Reuters)

Feds launch “Bakken Blitz” of oil-by-rail inspections (via The Hill)

TRANSPORTATION 

Americans are driving less in nearly every state (via Climate Progress)

Nissan joins Tesla selling California green car credits (via Bloomberg)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

Department of Energy unveils new efficiency regulations (via The Hill)

Why are some states trying to ban LEED green building standards? (via Atlantic Cities)

Big US utilities add negawatts to their gigawatts (via Renew Economy)

Hidden barriers to energy efficiency (via Energy Manager Today)

GRID 

Grid congestion for renewables may expand to South Japan (via Bloomberg)

Norway approves Arctic transmission line to boost new wind power (via Recharge)

New York State builds smart city technology hub (via GreenBiz)

WILDFIRES 

Future wildfire seasons to be longer, smokier, cover more area (via Yale e360)

Let it burn? Yosemite park officials won’t say that, but it’s policy (via Los Angeles Times)

Gripping time-lapse video of Yosemite wildfire (via Climate Central) 

POLITICS 

Scientists leaving GOP due to attitudes toward science (via Salt Lake Tribune)

Virginia gubernatorial candidates spar over energy issues (via Politico)

OPINION 

It’s God’s creation – let’s protect it (via Washington Post)

Why Terry McAuliffe is in a box on climate change (via National Journal)

See what 1,000 tiny, fracking-caused earthquakes can do to a home (via Atlantic Cities)

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 3.1.13

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

ENERGY POLICY 

US energy intensity projected to continue steady decline through 2040 (via US EIA)

Bipartisan group says US energy policy “like an orchestra without a conductor” (via Midwest Energy News)

Green jobs survey dies as US readies sequestration cuts (via Bloomberg)

GRID 

Global utility smart grid spending almost doubles in 2012 (via Renew Grid)

Industrial demand response peak load payments to hit $4.3 billion by 2019 (via Energy Manager Today)

44% of US broadband households willing to let utilities monitor appliances (via Renew Grid)

27 microgrid projects advance in Connecticut (via New Haven Register)

KEYSTONE XL 

Canadian government hopes US will do “right thing” on Keystone (via Houston Chronicle)

Canada minister doesn’t expect US to veto Keystone pipeline (via Reuters)

RENEWABLES 

Brazil said to be readying tax breaks for ethanol (via Bloomberg)

European offshore wind “faces €50 billion funding gap” (via Recharge)

India’s wind power generation-based incentive set to resume (via Recharge)

(more…)

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 2.14.13

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

CLIMATE 

Satellite data reveals major loss in volume of Arctic sea-ice since 2003 (via Green Car Congress)

60% of Americans agree with Obama on climate change action (via Greentech Media)

Major climate change bill coming to US Senate (via The Nation)

The most influential climate science paper today remains unknown to most people (via InsideClimate News)

The $188 billion price tag from US extreme weather from 2011 to 2012 (via Climate Progress)

KEYSTONE XL/TAR SANDS 

Pressure builds on Keystone pipeline decision after Obama speech (via Reuters)

Keystone pipeline protesters arrested at White House (via The Hill)

GRID 

India faces major energy shortfalls (The National)

CAISO and PacificCorp join forces to boost western grid reliability, integrate renewables (via Renew Grid)

California sets 50MW target for grid energy storage (via Greentech Media)

RENEWABLES 

PwC: shale oil surge poses threat to renewables (via BusinessGreen)

White House outlines request for Congress to create $2 billion green energy fund (via Reuters)

Obama’s energy trust proposal doesn’t include expanded drilling (via Greenwire)

Yet another storm brewing over wind production tax credit (via CleanTechnica)

Net metering debate rages despite calls for calm (via Renewable Energy World)

ERCOT finds 10-13GW of solar PV competitive in Texas power market (via Solar Server)

Conflict of interest: California solar projects compete with prime farmland (via Sustainable Business)

Cape Wind hopes federal loan not blown (via Boston Herald)

In Indiana, seeking to ramp up wind without state mandates (via Midwest Energy News)

OIL 

Exxon Mobil grows Arctic reach in Russia (via Houston Chronicle)

Crude oil and gasoline prices will drop through 2014, EIA projects (via Houston Chronicle)

US oil production forecast to increase 40% from 2011 to 2014 (via Facts of the Day)

Using federal oil revenues to cut America’s oil use (via New York Times)

TRANSPORTATION 

Electric vehicle charging equipment market to surpass $3.8 billion by 2020 (via Pike Research)

Smart highways to be installed in Netherlands this year (via Triple Pundit)

DOE IG: grant money for battery company not “managed effectively” (via Washington Post)

Fisker Karma drivers averaging 150 mpg (via Autoblog Green)

EMISSIONS 

European corporations demand EU carbon market action (via BusinessGreen)

Carbon Disclosure Project investors up 10% in 2013 (via Environmental Leader)

Nations seen going separate ways on carbon as EU efforts falter (via Reuters)

London mayor unveils ultra-low emission zone plan for city (via BusinessGreen)

NATURAL GAS 

Natural gas glut leads to tough times for power generators (via Houston Chronicle)

ENVIRONMENT 

Desalination seen booming at 15% a year as world’s water dries up (via Bloomberg)

South Americans face upheaval in deadly water battles (via Bloomberg)

OPINION 

Obama faces clean energy constraints (via Recharge)

Obama’s threat to act unilaterally on climate change looking empty (via Grist)

Obama wants to double US energy efficiency by 2030 – is that possible? (via Washington Post)

Will Chuck Hagel keep DoD’s commitment to renewable energy? (via Sustainable Business)