Energy and Environment News Roundup – 12.16.14

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

EMISSIONS

Carbon markets link in $500 million clean energy investment (via CleanTechnica)

Tropical rainforests not absorbing as much carbon as expected (via The Guardian)

Emissions growth slows as economies clean up (via RTCC)

United Kingdom renewables displaced 38 million tonnes of CO2 in 2013 (via CleanTechnica)

COAL

China slashes coal export tariff as mining in crisis (via Reuters)

Coal-heavy rural electric cooperatives take hard line on EPA Clean Power Plan (via EnergyWire)

RENEWABLES

Year-end rush in China leads Asia-Pacific solar PV market to record Q4 level (via Solar Industry Magazine)

Five key stats reveal Latin American’s breakthrough year in solar (via Greentech Media)

New wind power record in Germany (via Renewables International)

Honduras in line for 81.7MW of SunEdison solar (via PV Tech)

IKEA to start selling solar panels in Switzerland (via Renewable Energy World)

Kyocera to build world’s largest floating PV project near Tokyo (via Recharge News)

Local market conditions and policies strongly influence solar PV pricing (via Phys.org)

Minnesota regulators authorize state’s largest solar power project (via Star-Tribune)

Austin, Texas plans to get hover half its power from renewables by 2025 (via ClimateProgress)

SEIA board facing call to resign over stance on US-China trade spat (via PV Tech)

SunPower backs Tendril, plans to use its energy software (via GigaOm)

CLIMATE

White House to healthcare providers: Prepare for climate impacts (via The Hill)

U.S. and India to announce joint climate change action during Obama visit (via The Guardian)

Scientists are worried Greenland might melt even faster than expected (via Washington Post)

OIL

Plunging oil prices could boost geopolitical risks, says Bank of England (via Reuters)

Big Oil could chop $930 billion in projects as prices fall (via Houston Chronicle)

U.S. oil falls to new low of $55.91 per barrel (via The Hill)

In Canada’s oil sands, a boomtown starts feeling the chill (via Reuters)

Oil plunge seen as boon for U.S. banks as traders benefit (via Bloomberg)

TRANSPORTATION

Only five countries will sell over 10,000 EVs in 2014 (via Autoblog Green)

France could soon have EV charging stations every 25 miles (via Green Car Reports)

2015 U.S. household gasoline expenditures on track to be lowest in 11 years (via U.S. EIA)

Electric cars could be cheaper than gas guzzlers within a decade (via Quartz)

Sunswift solar electric car reaches crowdfunding goal to hit the streets (via CNET)

GRID

Europe’s “biggest battery” sparks into life (via BusinessGreen)

United Kingdom set for £2.5 billion capacity auction to keep lights on (via Bloomberg)

ABB, Hitachi set up power grid joint venture in Japan (via Reuters)

NATURAL GAS

U.S. shale junk debt tumbles amid oil crunch (via Houston Chronicle)

ENERGY POLICY

Evaluating 15 years of IEA energy forecasts (via Energy Collective)

The energy system in 2014 – did the ice really crack? (via Bloomberg)

A $48 billion opportunity for U.S. electric customers (via Renewable Energy World)

The race is on for solar companies to woo utilities (via Forbes)

While seeking “bailout,” Ohio utilities keep cost data secret (via Midwest Energy News)

POLITICS

Elizabeth Warren, GOP rookies set up energy panel for pyrotechnics (via National Journal)

OPINION

9 things scientists did this year to ensure a better climate future (via Climate Progress)

Why climate change is forcing some environmentalists to back nuclear power (via Washington Post)

Winners and losers at the UN climate talks (via RTCC0

Cleantech IPOs: Predictions revisited, 2014 winners, 2015 picks (via Greentech Media)

Will the 2,250-foot solar-wind tunnel ever be more than a pipe dream? (via Greentech Media)

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 7.15.14

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

CLIMATE 

Military bases face hurdles in climate change adaptation (via Climate Central)

The business cost of climate change: What the science says (via The Guardian)

Heat waves replacing drought as deadliest climate disaster (via Vox)

Corporate America steadily steering climate solutions despite Congressional stalemate (via Forbes)

NATURAL GAS 

States with fracking see surge in earthquake activity (via Huffington Post/AP)

RENEWABLES 

Anti-dumping duty on solar gear unlikely to reduce India imports (via Panchabuta)

The Central American solar market is set to boom (via Greentech Media)

Record-breaking offshore wind deal helps drive up Q2 clean energy investment (via Bloomberg)

U.S. clean tech leaders announced (via Environmental Leader)

Leased solar panels can cast a shadow over a home’s value (via NPR)

Without state regulation, Iowa counties get tougher on wind projects (via Iowa City Gazette)

June bloom: Ten clean energy stocks for 2014, Q2 update (via Renewable Energy World)

COAL 

Coal plant carbon pollution injects life in old oil wells (via Bloomberg)

NRG’s $1 billion bet to show how carbon capture could work for coal power plants (via Forbes)

EMISSIONS 

Australia’s carbon tax repeal set for final showdown (via Reuters)

In lead up to carbon price, South Africa preps carbon offset program (via Climate Progress)

Emitters in China’s largest carbon market meet targets amid falling prices (via Reuters)

Switzerland threatens 40% carbon tax rise if targets not met (via Reuters)

Study: States can handle EPA power plant rules (via The Hill)

Texas utilities preparing for new EPA emissions regulations (via Texas Tribune)

OIL 

North Dakota expects “big surge” in summer crude output (via Bloomberg)

TRANSPORTATION 

UK auto industry is booming, largely thanks to clean technology (via BusinessGreen)

Low U.S. gasoline taxes may lead to waste, says IEA chief (via Reuters)

U.S. oil and rail sector agree on train tanker safety (via Reuters)

Which states have the worst roads in America? (via Washington Post)

White House says won’t help Tesla sell cars online (via The Hill)

Tesla wins approval to sell cars in Pennsylvania (via Los Angeles Times)

GRID 

Amidst extreme weather surge, distributed energy takes on new meaning for U.S. grid (via Greentech Media)

California ready to fund the next wave of microgrids paired with renewables and storage (via Greentech Media)

ENERGY POLICY 

Corporate cannibals: Electricity sector may have to kill gas to save itself (via Renew Economy)

Greatest growth opportunity for electric companies: Devour oil’s market (via Energy Trends Insider)

Colorado ranked least energy-expensive state (via Energy Manager Today)

ENVIRONMENT 

Nestle bottling water straight from heart of California’s drought (via Salon)

OPINION 

How climate change changed me (via Politico)

The decline of coal (via Charleston Gazette)

Global warming is coming, but climate hysteria doesn’t help anyone (via Time)

The point everyone’s missing about the Polar Vortex’s return (via Climate Progress)

Electric vehicles will change the way you power your home (via Time)

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 8.21.13

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

CLIMATE 

A new way to make climate treaties work from Stanford and Switzerland (via Stanford News)

5 terrifying statements in the leaked climate report (via Mother Jones)

USGS moves to create climate change vulnerability database (via The Hill)

How hospitals can help fight climate change (via Midwest Energy News)

COAL 

Coal ship breaks apart off South Africa’s east coast (via Reuters)

Declining value of coal just killed another export terminal (via Climate Progress)

Fishing industry says coal facilities threaten salmon (via Sustainable Business Oregon)

What coal trains would cost Seattle (via Sightline Daily)

RENEWABLES 

Wind power business potential in India ranked 5th globally (via Panchabuta)

Australian government says renewables future no more costly than fossil fuels (via Renew Economy)

Japan approves 19GW of commercial solar in 2012 after incentives (via Renewable Energy World)

Solar manufacturers may boost capacity as demand surges (via Bloomberg)

World’s largest community wind farm forms in Texas (via Sustainable Business)

Small wind power popping up everywhere (via EarthTechling)

US Army stares down sequestration to ramp up renewables recruiting drive (via Renewable Energy World)

All eyes on California: Should “smart inverters” be mandated for solar? (via Renew Grid)

Colorado solar zones first up for auction (via EarthTechling)

In Texas, Big Wind jumps on new transmission (via EarthTechling)

Construction begins on 218MW Texas wind project (via Renew Grid)

Michigan town buys wind energy cheaper than coal power (via Michigan Live)

ENERGY POLICY 

Data centers become battleground in war between fossil fuels, renewables (via Greenwire)

What’s holding consumers back from buying green power? (via GreenBiz)

Texas-sized power bills dwarf electricity use in other states (via Houston Chronicle)

NUCLEAR 

300 tons of contaminated water leak at Fukushima nuclear plant (via New York Times)

ENVIRONMENT 

Google Street View will document changes to world’s coral reefs (via Yale e360)

Peak water in the American West (via Science Blogs)

Wildfires across the American West push spending past $1 billion (via San Francisco Chronicle/AP)

War of words builds over possible regulation of lead bullets (via The Hill)

Critics say California relies on outdated approach to fire prevention (via Los Angels Times)

Seven animals imperiled by the Keystone pipeline (via Mother Jones)

OIL 

Eagle Ford shale oil production jumps 60% in June (via Houston Chronicle)

Exxon pipeline rupture oil spill amount is still guesswork (via InsideClimate News) 

GREEN BUSINESS 

Shoppers around the world more likely to pick greener goods (via BusinessGreen)

The biggest, greenest office buildings in the United States (via Inhabitat)

Three thousand teams enter EPA’s “Battle of the Buildings” (via Energy Manager Today)

Diners say they’ll pay more for sustainable restaurant meals (via Environmental Leader)

2014 Chevy Volt $5,000 price cut pushed along by Internet searches (via Autoblog Green)

NATURAL GAS 

Mapped: where natural gas is in Texas (via StateImpact Texas)

Natural gas pipeline explodes in Oklahoma (via Reuters)

GRID 

China grid says half of $100 billion high-voltage network underway (via Reuters)

Can a tweak to Texas’ energy market unlock demand response? (via Greentech Media)

POLITICS 

Sen. Collins popular in Maine, buoyed by green policy positions (via The Hill)

OPINION 

How to talk to your Republican dad about global warming (via Mother Jones)

Energy reform starts outside the Beltway (via Huffington Post)

Can solar PV help balance Europe’s electricity grid? (via Renewable Energy World)

How extreme will future heat waves be? Choose your own adventure (via The Guardian)