Energy and Environment News Roundup – 3.1.13

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

ENERGY POLICY 

US energy intensity projected to continue steady decline through 2040 (via US EIA)

Bipartisan group says US energy policy “like an orchestra without a conductor” (via Midwest Energy News)

Green jobs survey dies as US readies sequestration cuts (via Bloomberg)

GRID 

Global utility smart grid spending almost doubles in 2012 (via Renew Grid)

Industrial demand response peak load payments to hit $4.3 billion by 2019 (via Energy Manager Today)

44% of US broadband households willing to let utilities monitor appliances (via Renew Grid)

27 microgrid projects advance in Connecticut (via New Haven Register)

KEYSTONE XL 

Canadian government hopes US will do “right thing” on Keystone (via Houston Chronicle)

Canada minister doesn’t expect US to veto Keystone pipeline (via Reuters)

RENEWABLES 

Brazil said to be readying tax breaks for ethanol (via Bloomberg)

European offshore wind “faces €50 billion funding gap” (via Recharge)

India’s wind power generation-based incentive set to resume (via Recharge)

Modest cuts to UK solar feed-in tariffs confirmed (via BusinessGreen)

Solar energy forecasts could boost industry outlook (via CleanTechnica)

US lawmakers seek offshore wind incentive (via Recharge)

Federal agency undermining state offshore wind plans, backers say (via InsideClimate News)

Duke Energy explores rooftop solar as panels slow demand (via Bloomberg)

9 ways to continue California’s local clean energy boom (via Forbes)

Bills to weaken Kansas renewable energy mandate rejected (via Topeka Capital-Journal)

NATURAL GAS/FRACKING                                                                                                                     

Shell projects natural gas could become world’s energy backbone (via Houston Chronicle)

China’s natural gas drive may cut transportation oil demand by a tenth (via Reuters)

Water: the big issue for fracking (via Christian Science Monitor)

Bullish gas outlook fires up LNG export debate (via Wall Street Journal)

Shale gas boom a “game changer” for manufacturing (via Environmental Leader)

Chesapeake, CEO McClendon under SEC investigation (via Reuters)

Colorado will sue Fort Collins over fracking ban (via Sustainable Business)

CLIMATE 

Study of Ice Age bolsters carbon and warming link (via New York Times)

IPCC urges Obama to raise awareness of science behind climate change (via The Guardian)

Australia’s record-breaking hottest summer (via The Guardian)

South Korea’s climate change laws updated (via RTCC)

NOAA to map Alaska’s increasingly ice-free Arctic waters (via Climate Central)

Reality Drop: a new way to fight climate denial (via Good)

OIL 

BP oil spill probe did not address cost overruns – exec (via Reuters)

North Dakota may reduce shale oil tax rate (via Fargo-Moorhead Forum)

EMISSIONS 

Beijing air pollution tops hazardous levels day before party congress (via Bloomberg)

Toward a reporting standard for financial services emissions (via GreenBiz)

Economists slice, dice carbon tax at forum (via Greenwire)

Californians set to benefit from cap-and-trade proceeds (via Triple Pundit)

NUCLEAR 

WHO finds higher cancer risk after Fukushima nuclear disaster (via Reuters)

Japanese nuclear safety costs put at $10 billion (via United Press International)

US nuclear regulators on hot seat over post-Fukushima rules (via The Hill)

Taking a fresh look at nuclear waste (via New York Times)

Florida nuclear power plant had safety procedures flaw for over a decade (via Tampa Bay Times)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

DOE, USDA partner to support energy efficiency in rural America (via Energy Manager Today)

Why the New York Times building is saving so much energy (via Greentech Media)

ENVIRONMENT 

Study finds Earth unlikely to face an ecological tipping point (via Yale e360)

In California, what price for water? (via New York Times)

TRANSPORTATION 

Electric car company Coda about to be unplugged? (via EarthTechling)

Amtrak carried record passenger traffic in 2012 (via Washington Post)

POLITICS 

Environmentalists still waiting for Obama to act on climate change (via The Guardian)

Duke Energy won’t be repaid $10 million from DNC (via Charlotte Observer)

OPINION 

The new energy ROI: resilience, optionality, intelligence (via Bloomberg New Energy Finance)

The era of energy dinosaurs is coming to an end (via Grist)

Why the US needs a national climate and energy plan (via Forbes)

Making the economic case for offshore wind (via Climate Progress)

I’m with the treehuggers (via Time)

Why the telecom sector should take renewables seriously (via Greentech Media)

Smart meters, dumb science (via Huffington Post Green)