Energy and Environment News Roundup – 11.15.13
A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.
COP 19
US, EU reject Brazil’s call for climate equity metric (via Bloomberg)
US envoys told to block climate compensation plans at UN (via RTCC)
COAL
China’s smog threatens health of global coal projects (via Reuters)
Tennessee Valley Authority to close eight large coal-fired power plants (via Washington Post)
Coal-free power from Constellation will save Chicago $1.2 million over two years (via Energy Manager Today)
RENEWABLES
Global PV module pricing to stay flat in 2014, polysilicon pricing to increase 25% (via Greentech Media)
Bonds backed by solar power payments get nod (via New York Times)
US EPA to unveil biofuel rules as soon as Friday (via Reuters)
32 US senators urge administration to support US biodiesel (via National Journal)
Clean Energy Pipeline reports US clean tech project investment falloff (via Solar Industry Magazine)
Google to invest in six more large solar panel farms in the Southwest US (via GigaOm)
Arizona preserves net metering by charging a small fee to solar owners (via Greentech Media)
Clean energy adds jobs, growth to Michigan and New York (via EarthTechling)
Top 10 things you didn’t know about concentrating solar power (via Breaking Energy)
Are solar panels facing the wrong direction? (via Greentech media)
OIL
Bakken oil production forecast to top 1 million barrels per day in December (via US EIA)
Exxon overlooked, masked safety threats in years before Pegasus pipeline burst (via InsideClimate News)
TRANSPORTATION
Study: US drivers have fewer cars, drive them less, use less gas (via Green Car Reports)
Can California charge ahead to one million EVs within ten years? (via CleanTechnica)
EPA chief: Fuel mandate safe for cars (via The Hill)
NATURAL GAS/FRACKING
Gas exports could put nation in “danger zone,” trade group tells Moniz (via Houston Chronicle)
Colorado’s new fracking bans may be on shaky legal ground (via Denver Business Journal)
EMISSIONS
Japan slashes climate reduction target amid nuclear shutdown (via BBC News)
California approves offsets to ease compliance with carbon rules (via Sacramento Bee)
California court upholds state’s right to sell carbon permits (via Reuters)
California marks first anniversary of cap-and-trade (via Energy Collective)
NUCLEAR
Last shipment of nuclear fuel from Russian bombs heads to US (via New York Times)
In Illinois, nuclear industry sees no urgency on waste storage (via Midwest Energy News)
CLIMATE
Panel warns of “catastrophic” gap in weather satellite data (via Climate Central)
Want to piss off the White House? Talk about climate change (via Mother Jones)
Delaware governor links typhoon and climate change (via Politico)
GRID
CEOs of 16 largest power grid operators call for greater investment in reliability and resilience (via Renew Grid)
Tennessee Valley Authority move demonstrates market for Clean Line project (via The Oklahoman)
ENVIRONMENT
These maps show where the Earth’s forests are vanishing (via Washington Post)
Amazon deforestation increases by nearly a third in one year (via The Guardian)
POLITICS
Obama filling out energy team (via The Hill)
Chief of Natural Resources Defense Council to retire in 2014 (via The Hill)
The four most frustrating moments from Thursday’s EPA hearing (via Climate Progress)
OPINION
Is nuclear power the answer? (via New York Times)
Five ways buildings have reached a “GREEN” tipping point (via GreenBiz)
Variety is critical to growing EV charging market (via Navigant Research)
Can Europe meet its 2020 offshore wind targets?