Energy and Environment News Roundup – 3.6.13
A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.
EMISSIONS
US scientists report big jump in heat-trapping CO2 (via AP)
China boosts energy and emissions goals after record smog (via Bloomberg)
Report: EU must retire carbon credits or see market credibility lost (via BusinessGreen)
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
Utilities saved enough energy in 2011 to power 9 million US homes (via Greentech Media)
LED lighting to grow 40% in 2013, Phillips executive says (via Bloomberg)
Cree launches an LED bulb for under $10 (via GigaOm)
$65 billion saved in California with energy efficiency (via EarthTechling)
Texas A&M cuts energy bills $140 million despite expanding campus (via Bryan-College Station Eagle)
ENERGY INDUSTRY
Report: US oil and gas production up despite drop on federal lands (via The Hill)
RENEWABLES
US “$1.6 billion clean-energy surplus” with China (via Recharge)
The emerging opportunities in Saudi Arabia’s solar market (via Greentech Media)
Sequester: Treasury cuts renewable energy grants 8.7% (via Greentech Media)
Solar panels rare amid the steeples (via New York Times)
OIL
Saudi Arabia was world’s largest petroleum producer and net exporter in 2012 (via US EIA)
Chavez successors likely to continue using oil as political tool (via Washington Post)
With Hugo Chavez gone, US oil industry eyes Venezuela (via Christian Science Monitor)
Statoil may abandon US Arctic drilling leases (via Houston Chronicle)
State Department envisions proactive role in oil payment disclosure regulations (via The Hill)
Report: search for shale oil, not drilling rules, driving developers off federal lands (via Salt Lake Tribune)
TRANSPORTATION
German automakers building own wind, natural gas plants to get away from nuclear (via Autoblog Green)
Study: increased vehicle travel and decreased occupancy have undercut impact of improved fuel economy (via Green Car Congress)
Honda recycles hybrid battery packs into rare-earth metals for new ones (via Green Car Reports)
Commuting in the US is hellish – but at least it’s not getting worse (via Washington Post)
16 more US employers, 2 stakeholder groups join DOE Workplace Charging Challenge (via Green Car Congress)
GRID
Smart grid cloud services market to reach $4 billion by 2020 (via Renew Grid)
Pace of transmission investment soars at private utilities (via AOL Energy)
NATURAL GAS/FRACKING
China joining US shale boom with $40 billion in cash (via Bloomberg)
The shale gale will go global, but when? (via Houston Chronicle)
Can this contraption make fracking greener? (via Mother Jones)
DOE nominee Moniz foresees global gas trade curbing carbon emissions (via EnergyWire)
TAR SANDS/KEYSTONE XL
Growth in US crude seen complementing Canadian oil sands (via Houston Chronicle)
Canadian minister lauds pipeline to US, eyes other markets (via Reuters)
Critical part of Keystone report done by firms with deep oil industry ties (via InsideClimate News)
ENVIRONMENT
India facing worst drought in decades (via Phys.org)
Ocean acidification affects Northeastern US coast more (via LiveScience)
COAL
The coal industry’s falling productivity (via Sightline Daily)
Los Angeles: “coal-free by 2025” (via CleanTechnica)
POLITICS
Climate challenges face Obama’s EPA and Energy nominees (via USA Today)
Will Republicans block EPA nominee Gina McCarthy? (via Christian Science Monitor)
Interior nominee Jewell owns oil stocks (via Houston Chronicle)
OPINION
Will China’s looming carbon tax make a difference on climate? (via GreenBiz)
The angels and demons of cleantech investment (via Greentech Media)
Do investors care about companies’ climate change disclosure? (via GreenBiz)
Troubling trends for environmental journalism (via WRI Insights)