Energy and Environment News Roundup – 5.27.14
A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.
ENERGY POLICY
Australian power prices to surge, utilities to profit if renewable target scrapped (via Bloomberg)
India PM Modi appoints banker to oversee renewables, coal, power (via Bloomberg)
Wellinghoff to utilities: Time to rethink your business model (via GreenBiz)
CLIMATE
Extreme U.S. and UK winters linked to greenhouse gases (via Bloomberg)
Over 50 trade unions launch global climate action campaign (via BusinessGreen)
COAL
Russian firm studying world’s largest coal-fired plant to supply China (via Reuters)
A bogus claim electricity prices will “nearly double” because of clean coal technology (via Washington Post)
Rural North Carolina sites become coal ash dumping grounds (via News Observer)
RENEWABLES
Danish report says 100% renewables feasible by 2050 (via Renew Economy)
China solar PV exports rise on emerging market expansions (via Renewable Energy World)
Solar farmers in Japan harvest electricity with crops (via Bloomberg)
Half of German solar jobs disappear in 2013 (via Recharge)
Australian navy to join U.S. in switch to biofuels (via Renew Economy)
U.S. to reach 20GW solar PV by end of 2014 (via CleanTechnica)
Wind Production Tax Credit still up in the air (via Energy Manager Today)
U.S. hydro losing edge to wind, solar (via Recharge)
Applying the lessons of politics to green power (via New York Times)
Utah’s solar power homeowners fight proposed utility fee (via Salt Lake Tribune)
Georgia power adding wind, boosting solar (via Atlanta Journal-Constitution)
Smoothing the flow of renewable solar energy in California’s Central Valley (via Energy.gov)
Massive California multi-family apartment complex completes solar installation (via Inhabitat)
SolarCity snaps up another partner – and more money (via SmartPlanet)
SolarCity expands to second island in Hawaii (via CleanTechnica)
Community solar coming of age in Michigan (via Midwest Energy News)
NATURAL GAS/FRACKING
Russia-China natural gas deal fuels U.S. export push (via The Hill)
Putin says Ukraine has no right to demand natgas price discount (via Reuters)
Polish plan on EU Russian natural gas buying gains support (via Reuters)
Shakeout threatens U.S. shale patch as frackers go for broke (via Bloomberg)
Gas boom starts to hit home for residents of Southeastern Pennsylvania (via StateImpact Pennsylvania)
Bill introduced to speed up fracking in Illinois (via Chicago Tribune)
EMISSIONS
Northern hemisphere hits carbon dioxide milestone in April (via Reuters)
“Time is running out” to stop rising CO2 levels, says UN (via Time)
Deep underground carbon deposits could pose global warming threat if exposed (via Raw Story/Agence France-Presse)
South Africa has Africa’s largest carbon footprint (via Africa Science News)
WRI tool shows “history of CO2 emissions” (via Environmental Leader)
OIL
Mexican energy reform seeks to reverse oil production decline (via US EIA)
Sharp rise in West Coast oil trains, fears abound (via Houston Chronicle/AP)
Oil boom places 3 of 5 fastest-growing U.S. cities in Texas, shows census (via AP)
TRANSPORTATION
China to scrap over 5 million old cars in anti-pollution push (via Reuters)
100% of Dutch electric trains could run on renewable energy by 2018 (via CleanTechnica)
Toyota, Honda, Nissan and more collaborating to increase fuel efficiency (via Autoblog)
As of today, Nissan has solar 50,000 Leafs in U.S., 115,000 globally (via Autoblog Green)
KEYSTONE XL/TAR SANDS
Canada oil will flow any way it can to U.S., says transport minister (via Reuters)
New safety requirements set for Keystone XL pipeline (via Kansas City Star)
ENVIRONMENT
Alaska wildfire scorches an area larger than Chicago (via Los Angeles Times)
California drought: State’s flawed water system can’t track usage (via Huffington Post Green)
NUCLEAR
U.S. plants prepare long-term nuclear waste storage facilities (via Houston Chronicle/AP)
GRID
Brazil grid bottlenecks to ease with new transmission (via Recharge)
An almond farm and a “big-ass battery” show future of energy in California (via GigaOm)
POLITICS
One GOP Senate candidate is backing climate change (via The Hill)
Hillary Clinton’s Keystone XL headache (via Politico)
OPINION
Could Australia really dismantle its carbon price? (via The Guardian)
Tough emissions cuts would prove the U.S. is serious about climate change (via Washington Post)
The truth about Stanford’s coal divestment shows hurdles ahead (via New Republic)
No thanks to Congress, America has added 5,600 new clean energy jobs in 2014 (via Climate Progress)
What’s the best way to write U.S. climate rule? (via National Journal)