Energy and Environment News Roundup – 11.7.13
A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.
CLIMATE
Climate talks will open in Poland amid flurry of new scientific warnings (via InsideClimate News)
UK and South Korea agree to collaborate on tackling climate change (via RTCC)
Resilient cities from Ahmedabad to Atlantic City prepare for climate change (via Energy Collective)
WRI lifts the veil on new climate analysis tool (via GreenBiz)
ENERGY POLICY
Fossil fuel subsidies costing rich countries $112 per person (via BusinessGreen)
Western voters say no to fossil fuels (via Climate Progress)
GRID
North America remains the leading region for microgrid deployments (via Navigant Research)
RENEWABLES
Poland seeks 40% cut in renewable energy costs by 2014 (via Bloomberg)
UK offshore wind capacity grows 80% over past year (via BusinessGreen)
Report highlights values of geothermal in today’s renewable power market (via BusinessWire)
Solar, wind, and biofuels team up to push for funding in farm bill (via Midwest Energy News/E&E Daily)
Reaching beyond the roof: Three strategies for corporate investments in solar (via Renewable Energy World)
US DOE awards $12 million to cut solar soft costs (via Solar Industry Magazine)
Nuclear giant Exelon taps wind tax credit that it’s trying to kill (via Greenwire)
COAL
Two Australian coal mines would create 3x Keystone emissions, 6x UK’s annual emissions (via The Guardian)
Bad news for Big Coal in Whatcom County (via Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
EMISSIONS
“Unburnable” carbon fuels investment concerns (via The Guardian)
China cracks down on emissions to combat choking smog (via The Guardian)
Carbon tax advocate seeks to shake up EPA power plant debate (via The Hill)
Burning biomass pellets could lower China’s mercury emissions (via Phys.org)
Boston cuts emissions from city government operations 16% (via Environmental Leader)
OIL
US oil industry may invoke trade law to challenge export ban (via Bloomberg)
Shell launches formal bid to resume Arctic drilling (via Houston Chronicle)
Exxon faces $2.7 million fine for Arkansas pipeline spill (via Reuters)
TRANSPORTATION
Canada more than doubled number of EVs to pass 4,000 cars last year (via Green Car Congress)
US electric car sales have increased 361% so far in 2013 (via CleanTechnica)
West Coast’s I-5 corridor EV fast charge stations getting lots of use (via Autoblog Green)
For Tesla Motors, success is all about the batteries (via MIT Technology Review)
NATURAL GAS/FRACKING
China’s first coal-to-gas plant soon to pump gas to Beijing (via Reuters)
Local bans set up a showdown over fracking in Colorado (via Time)
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
Building toward “nearly zero energy” cities (via Phys.org)
Massachusetts ranked most energy-efficient state (via National Journal)
Opower planning IPO amidst billion-dollar behavioral efficiency opportunity (via Greentech Media)
NREL’s Energy Systems Integration Facility earns LEED Platinum (via Energy Manager Today)
KEYSTONE XL
Keystone XL developer: Other pipeline companies will face similar hurdles (via The Hill)
ENVIRONMENT
Texas passes $2 billion drought fund, putting faith in government to secure water future (via Climate Progress)
OPINION
How do we secure a strong, international climate agreement by 2015? (via WRI Insights)
Big business wants renewable energy, but it ain’t easy (via RMI Outlet)
Will Warsaw talks fuel a pact? (via Politico)
Crowdfunding for renewables: A game changer? (via Energy Collective)