Energy and Environment News Roundup – 7.3.14

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

COAL 

Port wants to load coal between ships in middle of Great Barrier Reef (via The Guardian)

Study: Mountaintop removal reduces fish population (via Charleston Gazette)

Vanishing coal jobs weigh on U.S.-backed pension plans (via Bloomberg)

Manchin Ex-Im bill proposes rolling back coal restrictions (via The Hill)

Wyoming sticks by coal despite upheaval (via Wall Street Journal)

RENEWABLES 

India plans world’s largest floating solar power project at 50MW (via CleanTechnica)

Australia’s $10 billion clean-energy bank to announce solar deals (via Bloomberg)

Holland: Pioneering sustainable district heating innovations (via Energy Collective)

China’s second-biggest hydropower plant completed (via Reuters)

Desertec’s second wind (via Recharge)

EPA qualifies new biogas, electricity pathways for cellulosic biofuel requirement under RFS (via Green Car Congress)

Will offshore wind pick up speed? (via Huffington Post)

The rise of residential solar PV customers (via Renewable Energy World)

Distributed wind energy: The new cash crop (via Renewable Energy World)

Interior Department to auction site off Maryland for offshore wind (via Bloomberg)

NATURAL GAS/FRACKING 

New York State fracking ruling leaves shale industry weary (via Christian Science Monitor)

CLIMATE 

Researchers say costs of climate change being massively underestimated (via CleanTechnica)

Climate-driven wildfires consume forest service budget (via Bloomberg)

New storm surge maps debut with TS Arthur (via Climate Central)

Why New York City might need canals to survive (via Fast Company)

Sea-level rise cuts across political divide in Norfolk, Virginia (via World Resources Institute)

OIL 

Oil prices decline, despite bullish oil inventory data (via Houston Chronicle/AP)

BP says we have 53.3 years of oil left (via Autoblog)

EMISSIONS 

Glasgow University could ditch £19 million in fossil fuel assets (via RTCC)

EPA moves to slash methane at landfills, oil wells (via Climate Central)

EPA adds hearings on power plan carbon regulations (via The Hill)

Four carbon-pricing pitfalls to avoid (via Sightline Daily)

ENVIRONMENT 

The disaster we’ve wrought on the world’s oceans may be irrevocable (via Newsweek)

UN green fund to seek cash in November; poor nations want $15 billion (via Reuters)

UK take from environmental taxes reaches £43 billion in 2013 (via BusinessGreen)

The costly lobbying war over America’s dying honeybees (via National Journal)

As their yards go brown, Californians pocket the green (via Greenwire)

California drought: America’s golden state runs dry and its farmers are struggling to survive (via The Independent)

POLITICS 

Iraq violence has restarted Bernie Sanders’ gas-price fight with Wall Street

Australian prime minister attempts to undermine global climate action (via EcoWatch)

League of Conservation Voters beefs up with hiring of climate veteran (via National Journal)

OPINION 

How climate change could foil China’s smog-fighting efforts (via New York Times)

Peak coal: Why the industry’s days are numbered (via GreenBiz)

Three signs clean tech is booming in 2014 (via Greentech Media)

Is divestment at catholic universities a climate game changer? (via Huffington Post)

America needs to raise the gas tax – and then get rid of it (via Washington Post)

David Crane’s green vision for carbon-belching NRG Energy (via Forbes)

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 5.23.14

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

CLIMATE 

West Antarctic ice collapse “could drown Middle East and Asia crops” (via The Guardian)

Australia’s pollution U-turn threatening UN climate talks (via Bloomberg)

Saudis accused of deleting part of UN climate science report (via RTCC)

Global warming linked to frigid U.S. winter, say scientists (via NBC News)

Cold U.S. winter caused by warm tropical waters? (via Climate Central)

COAL 

Deutsche Bank won’t fund Australia coal port expansion near reef (via Reuters)

EPA reaches deal with Duke Energy over coal ash spill (via The Guardian)

Petitioners ask Gov. Nixon to halt Missouri coal ash landfill construction (via St. Louis Post-Dispatch)

Over 600 local elected officials back Obama’s coal rules (via The Hill)

RENEWABLES 

India hits US, China with solar imports & anti-dumping duties (via Reuters)

A brief history of ethanol in Brazil (via Green Car Reports)

Abengoa says CSP with storage will beat baseload gas by 2020 (via Renew Economy)

5 trends illustrating the resurgence of solar suppliers in 2014 (via Greentech Media)

Ohio kicks RPS vote to next week (via Recharge)

400-mile transmission line could expand Texas wind market (via Houston Chronicle)

South Carolina prepares for solar revolution with historic vote (via EcoWatch)

Can yieldcos reduce the risk of solar financing? (via Renewable Energy World)

NUCLEAR 

Russia may build eight nuclear reactors for Iran (via Reuters)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

Building efficiency upgrades save $730 million across U.S. (via Greenbang)

Lighting is a “gateway drug to energy efficiency” (via Breaking Energy)

Google won’t serve ads to your Nest, but will find you elsewhere (via Greentech Media)

OIL 

UK says South England holds billions of barrels of shale oil (via Bloomberg)

North Dakota governor warns oil producers on gas flaring (via Bismarck Tribune/AP)

TRANSPORTATION 

Energy consumption falling in the transportation sector (via Navigant Research)

GRID 

U.S. utility’s control system was hacked, says Homeland Security (via Reuters)

NATURAL GAS/FRACKING 

Russia-China deal to damp LNG prices as output rises (via Bloomberg)

Obama faces fracking protesters on New York visit (via The Hill)

EMISSIONS 

How does your state rank on climate emissions? (via Sustainable Business)

California carbon auction sells all allowances (via Environmental Leader)

17 things to know about California’s carbon cap (via Sightline Daily)

Does working from home grow your carbon footprint? (via GreenBiz)

KEYSTONE XL/TAR SANDS 

First shipment of Canadian tar sands heads toward EU shores (via RTCC)

TransCanada eyes “bridge” to Keystone XL pipeline approval (via The Hill)

POLITICS 

Red state, blue state, hot state, cold state: Mapping the politics of climate change (via Politico)

League of Conservation Voters raises $3 million for campaign contributions (via The Hill)

Climate change is on the ballot (via Huffington Post)

Ohio churches fight to save renewables and energy efficiency (via Climate Progress)

OPINION 

When China became the world’s workshop it inherited the world’s air pollution, too (via Grist)

How fossil fuel interests attack renewable energy (via Renewable Energy World)

Dust Bowl days: Will we cut carbon fast enough to prevent permanent droughts? (via Climate Progress)

How green energy won out over fossil fuels in a red state (via National Journal)

The real reason why no one cares about CNN’s climate stories (via Climate Progress)

Why “ratepayer” is a dirty word (via Greentech Media)

Defending clean energy in Ohio and beyond (via Grist)

Why owning your own power plant might not be crazy (via RMI Outlet)

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 2.22.13

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

CLIMATE 

1.5C temperature rise enough to start permafrost melt, scientists warn (via The Guardian)

Poll: one-third of US says action on climate “essential” this year (via The Hill)

Front-runner to lead EPA vows more action on climate change (via The Hill)

Top oil lobbyist: new climate bill will never reach Senate floor (via The Hill)

Inslee: Washington State must do something about climate change (via The Olympian)

PA DEP Secretary pressed on climate change stance (via StateImpact Pennsylvania)

COAL 

2012 US coal exports reach record high (via Climate Progress)

ENERGY INDUSTRY 

Europe to get first EU-wide offshore oil and gas law (via Reuters)

RENEWABLES 

Saudi Arabia backs local content in 7GW renewables drive (via Recharge)

Saudi Arabia invites companies to bid for colossal renewables contracts (via BusinessGreen)

70 percent of China’s new wind is in low-speed regions (via Greentech Media)

Global solar farm capacity doubles inside 12 months (via BusinessGreen)

Renewables still seeking a level playing field (via EarthTechling)

AWEA says utilities “flocking” to wind (via Recharge)

Are local weather patterns impacted by wind farms? (via EarthTechling)

Wet December may boost hydropower output in California this year (via US EIA)

VA governor signs repeal of renewable energy incentives (via Virginian-Pilot)

Cape Wind financing moves forward (via Cape Cod Times)

Nanocrystal “solar paint” could replace panels, be applied to any surface (via The Good Human)

Solar lantern shines a light on energy poverty (via Treehugger)

NATURAL GAS/FRACKING 

Most of Europe’s natural gas supplies still linked to oil prices (via Reuters)

Death on the gas field illustrates high risks of rush to drill (via EnergyWire)

Natural gas hinders Chesapeake’s gains (via Houston Chronicle)

Alaska state regulators consider new fracking rules (via Reuters)

In Illinois, environmentalists and industry compromise on fracking bill (via Midwest Energy News)

EMISSIONS 

China is getting a carbon tax, but how effective will it be? (via Washington Post)

EU carbon prices plunge after German permit auction fails second time (via Bloomberg) 

Study of California cap-and-trade system suggests refinements (via Phys.org)

Researchers develop solar process to covert CO2 to methanol (via Green Car Congress)

GRID 

Study says utilities handled Hurricane Sandy better than governments (via Renew Grid)

PPL investing nearly $1 billion to improve grid reliability (via Renew Grid)

TRANSPORTATION 

Global lithium-ion battery sales will jump sixfold by 2019 (via Autoblog Green)

Numbers don’t lie: plug-in sales ahead of early hybrid sales (via Autoblog Green)

MIT study: fuel economy standards 6-14 times less cost effective than fuel tax for reducing gasoline use (via Green Car Congress)

One of world’s most efficient vehicles unable to enter US (via New York Times)

Colorado renewables law increases environmental benefits of EVs (via Plugin Cars)

NUCLEAR 

Nuclear power another casualty of the shale gas boom (via Washington Post)

Vogtle plant is progressing but nuclear revival is not (via Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

Forget energy efficiency: these office buildings actually make power (via Good)

Software plots how much homeowners can save on energy retrofits (via Greentech Media)

DC announces plans to be America’s greenest city (via Sustainable Cities Collective)

GREEN BUSINESS 

How to get real green from your green certifications (via GreenBiz)

ENVIRONMENT 

US drought to spread in California, Florida, government forecasts (via Reuters)

USDA forecasts record US corn and soy crops, lower prices (via Reuters)

Time is running out to avert a third summer of drought (via Climate Central)

Unprecedented legal verdict will help millions of birds (via Sustainable Business)

OIL 

BP spill pact excluded billions in possible loss claims (via Bloomberg)

POLITICS 

Senate Democrats prepare to defend Obama’s climate change rules (via National Journal)

EPA’s McCarthy mum on new job, says states to lead climate rules (via Reuters)

Interest groups gird for battle as they anticipate McCarthy pick (via Greenwire)

Latest polling finds strong support for clean energy, stricter carbon pollution standards (via Climate Progress)

LCV: 2012 House of Representatives most anti-environmental ever (via Huffington Post)

DOE Secretary Steven Chu to return to Stanford University (via Stanford Daily)

OPINION 

Dirty fossil fuel exports will come back to bite Australia (via The Guardian)

Supply, demand, and activism: what should the climate movement do next? (via Grist)

Keystone XL decision will define Obama’s climate change legacy (via The Guardian)

Five reasons why the Keystone XL pipeline is bad for the economy (via Resilience)

Court the Right: advice for Obama’s next DOE chief (via Bloomberg)