Energy and Environment News Roundup – 10.25.13
A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.
TRANSPORTATION
8 US states target 3.3 million electric vehicles on the road by 2025 (via CleanTechnica)
Pecan Street study shows EVs might not stress grids (via Austin-American Statesman)
EMISSIONS
Wall Street demands answers from fossil fuel producers on “unburnable” carbon (via Inside Climate News)
71 institutional investors urge top oil, power companies to tap clean energy (via Pensions & Investments)
Canada falling far short on emission reduction goals (via Globe and Mail)
Response to a city’s smog points to change in Chinese attitude (via New York Times)
Legislative glitch could doom CO2 rules for existing power plants (via Greenwire)
Ann Arbor asks pension board to consider fossil fuel divestment (via Ann Arbor News)
Report: Smoke from wildfires poses health risks (via National Journal)
RENEWABLES
IEA increases wind power target for global electricity by 2050 (via Phys.org)
GTM research exposes hidden solar growth markets (via Greentech Media)
Japan builds floating windmills to expand offshore power (via New York Times)
Leaked RFS proposal irks both oil and ethanol groups (via Houston Chronicle)
How the Department of Energy is reducing the cost of solar by 75% (via Climate Progress)
Colorado’s first solar rights auction on public lands draws no bids (via Denver Post)
KEYSTONE XL
State Department to hand over Keystone XL documents to environmental group (via The Hill)
Obama’s former climate czar predicts president will reject Keystone XL (via The Hill)
GRID
A guide to 123GW of grid-scale energy storage (via Greentech Media)
USDA awards $960 million for rural grid improvements (via Renew Grid)
One year later, Hurricane Sandy fuels grid innovation (via GreenBiz)
COAL
Poland could halve demand for coal by 2030, study says (via Reuters)
CLIMATE
Arctic temperatures reach highest levels in 44,000 years (via Huffington Post)
West Coast states, British Columbia form climate pact (via National Journal)
Nebraska climate change study opposed by state scientists (via Omaha World-Herald)
Ernest Moniz sees Capitol Hill thaw on climate change (via The Hill)
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
NYC is replacing its 250,000 streetlights with LEDs (via Gizmodo)
OPINION
Investors: Can oil companies thrive in a warming world? (via Climate Central)
5 things you didn’t know about green business in Brazil (via GreenBiz)
Why businesses need to avoid climate’s “inevitable surprise” (via GreenBiz)
Don’t extend the wind production tax credit, fix it (via MIT Technology Review)