Energy and Environment News Roundup – 5.21.14

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

NATURAL GAS/FRACKING 

China and Russia sign huge natural gas supply deal, pricing unclear (via Reuters)

EU tells Putin Russia is responsible for ensuring European natural gas supply (via Reuters)

New York, New Jersey, Connecticut rush to keep fracking wastewater out (via Climate Progress)

Drilling and water interests clash on Texas disposal wells (via Texas Tribune)

North Dakota natural gas plant opening will significantly reduce methane flaring (via Forum of Fargo-Moorhead)

GRID 

Hawaii passes the point of no return on distributed generation (via Greentech Media)

Duke-PJM drama raises more questions about energy market alignment (via EnergyWire)

RENEWABLES 

Brazil aims to complete delayed wind farms (via Recharge)

Enel Green Power building 100MW of new Chile solar PV (via Recharge)

World’s first community-owned tidal energy device powers up (via BusinessGreen)

Green bonds from companies seen doubling to $20 billion in 2014 (via Bloomberg)

Global solar PV monitoring deployments outpace plant installations in 2013 (via Greentech Media)

Australia wind power shown to slash wholesale power prices, cut network volatility (via Renew Economy)

China’s new private equity investment giant eyes solar (via Renewable Energy World)

South Africa is primed for major solar development (via Renewable Energy World)

Cumulative US solar PV market to approach 20GW by end of 2014 (via NPD Solarbuzz)

EPA mulls ethanol change as industry profits soar (via AP)

Look to everything but hardware to reduce cost of solar (via GigaOm)

Ohio poised to break from U.S. push for renewable energy (via Bloomberg)

Solazyme produces algae-based lubricant for cleaner fracking (via Triple Pundit)

CLIMATE 

April 2014 tied for Earth’s warmest April on record (via Weather Underground)

Global warming threatens more deadly Everest-like avalanches (via NBC News)

The climate context for “unprecedented” Balkans flooding (via Climate Central)

Biggest loser: Thawing Greenland competes with collapsing Antarctic for fastest ice loss (via Climate Progress)

El Nino alert remains as Australia expects pattern by August (via Bloomberg)

Climategate had only fleeting effect on global warming skepticism (via The Guardian)

Climate change hurts shipping industry (via Environmental Leader)

COAL 

China’s thirst for coal is drying up (via Huffington Post)

EMISSIONS 

UK urged to fast track carbon-capture plans (via Bloomberg)

ENVIRONMENT 

Water goes “missing” with snow loss (via BBC News)

Stumpy Brazil cane crop signaling global sugar deficit (via Bloomberg)

PwC: Stockholm, Sydney top sustainable city ranking (via Environmental Leader)

US wildfires pose new budget challenge (via Politico)

EPA finalizes power plant water intake rules to save billions of aquatic animals every year (via Climate Progress)

EPA rule on fish kills at power plants angers environmentalists (via Bloomberg)

OIL 

Norway loses reputation as stable investment as oil firms recoil (via Bloomberg)

U.S. EIA cuts estimate of recoverable Monterey Shale oil by 96% (via Los Angeles Times)

Bank loan standards bending for oil companies amid Texas shale rush (via Houston Chronicle)

Shell hits back at “carbon bubble” claims (via The Guardian)

TRANSPORTATION 

U.S. fuel-efficiency loan program looking beyond Big Three automakers (via Midwest Energy News)

California Air Resources Board scraps plan for $60,000 limit on EV rebates (via Autoblog Green)

NUCLEAR 

Japan court rules against nuclear restart in rare ruling (via Reuters)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

Philips LED down to $1.97 some places, CREE LED down to $6.97 at Home Depot (via CleanTechnica)

POLITICS 

Senators aim to divide Obama appointees over global warming plan (via National Journal)

Cape Wind pours hundreds of thousands of dollars into key lawmaker campaigns (via Boston Herald)

Green groups implore Hillary Clinton to oppose Keystone XL (via Politico)

OPINION 

Australia’s extreme budget meets extreme climate (via The Guardian)

This summer’s politics of climate change will be worse than Obamacare’s (via New York Magazine)

Levelized cost of energy: A limited metric (via GreenBiz)

Solar grid parity – why Australia leads the world (via Renew Economy)

When can we call the U.S. shale boom a bubble? (via Bloomberg)

Keeping cool in a hotter United States (via Center for American Progress)

First Solar CTO: Dos and Don’ts of boosting solar market growth (via Forbes)

If Ohio eases green-energy rules, will it spark national trend? (via Columbus Dispatch)

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 5.21.14

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

NATURAL GAS/FRACKING 

China and Russia sign huge natural gas supply deal, pricing unclear (via Reuters)

EU tells Putin Russia is responsible for ensuring European natural gas supply (via Reuters)

New York, New Jersey, Connecticut rush to keep fracking wastewater out (via Climate Progress)

Drilling and water interests clash on Texas disposal wells (via Texas Tribune)

North Dakota natural gas plant opening will significantly reduce methane flaring (via Forum of Fargo-Moorhead)

GRID 

Hawaii passes the point of no return on distributed generation (via Greentech Media)

Duke-PJM drama raises more questions about energy market alignment (via EnergyWire)

RENEWABLES 

Brazil aims to complete delayed wind farms (via Recharge)

Enel Green Power building 100MW of new Chile solar PV (via Recharge)

World’s first community-owned tidal energy device powers up (via BusinessGreen)

Green bonds from companies seen doubling to $20 billion in 2014 (via Bloomberg)

Global solar PV monitoring deployments outpace plant installations in 2013 (via Greentech Media)

Australia wind power shown to slash wholesale power prices, cut network volatility (via Renew Economy)

China’s new private equity investment giant eyes solar (via Renewable Energy World)

South Africa is primed for major solar development (via Renewable Energy World)

Cumulative US solar PV market to approach 20GW by end of 2014 (via NPD Solarbuzz)

EPA mulls ethanol change as industry profits soar (via AP)

Look to everything but hardware to reduce cost of solar (via GigaOm)

Ohio poised to break from U.S. push for renewable energy (via Bloomberg)

Solazyme produces algae-based lubricant for cleaner fracking (via Triple Pundit)

CLIMATE 

April 2014 tied for Earth’s warmest April on record (via Weather Underground)

Global warming threatens more deadly Everest-like avalanches (via NBC News)

The climate context for “unprecedented” Balkans flooding (via Climate Central)

Biggest loser: Thawing Greenland competes with collapsing Antarctic for fastest ice loss (via Climate Progress)

El Nino alert remains as Australia expects pattern by August (via Bloomberg)

Climategate had only fleeting effect on global warming skepticism (via The Guardian)

Climate change hurts shipping industry (via Environmental Leader)

COAL 

China’s thirst for coal is drying up (via Huffington Post)

EMISSIONS 

UK urged to fast track carbon-capture plans (via Bloomberg)

ENVIRONMENT 

Water goes “missing” with snow loss (via BBC News)

Stumpy Brazil cane crop signaling global sugar deficit (via Bloomberg)

PwC: Stockholm, Sydney top sustainable city ranking (via Environmental Leader)

US wildfires pose new budget challenge (via Politico)

EPA finalizes power plant water intake rules to save billions of aquatic animals every year (via Climate Progress)

EPA rule on fish kills at power plants angers environmentalists (via Bloomberg)

OIL 

Norway loses reputation as stable investment as oil firms recoil (via Bloomberg)

U.S. EIA cuts estimate of recoverable Monterey Shale oil by 96% (via Los Angeles Times)

Bank loan standards bending for oil companies amid Texas shale rush (via Houston Chronicle)

Shell hits back at “carbon bubble” claims (via The Guardian)

TRANSPORTATION 

U.S. fuel-efficiency loan program looking beyond Big Three automakers (via Midwest Energy News)

California Air Resources Board scraps plan for $60,000 limit on EV rebates (via Autoblog Green)

NUCLEAR 

Japan court rules against nuclear restart in rare ruling (via Reuters)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

Philips LED down to $1.97 some places, CREE LED down to $6.97 at Home Depot (via CleanTechnica)

POLITICS 

Senators aim to divide Obama appointees over global warming plan (via National Journal)

Cape Wind pours hundreds of thousands of dollars into key lawmaker campaigns (via Boston Herald)

Green groups implore Hillary Clinton to oppose Keystone XL (via Politico)

OPINION 

Australia’s extreme budget meets extreme climate (via The Guardian)

This summer’s politics of climate change will be worse than Obamacare’s (via New York Magazine)

Levelized cost of energy: A limited metric (via GreenBiz)

Solar grid parity – why Australia leads the world (via Renew Economy)

When can we call the U.S. shale boom a bubble? (via Bloomberg)

Keeping cool in a hotter United States (via Center for American Progress)

First Solar CTO: Dos and Don’ts of boosting solar market growth (via Forbes)

If Ohio eases green-energy rules, will it spark national trend? (via Columbus Dispatch)

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)