Energy and Environment News Roundup – 1.3.14
A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.
EMISSIONS
Global carbon markets’ value dropped 38% in 2013 (via The Guardian)
EPA publishes final carbon capture regulations for coal plants (via The Hill)
GRID
California’s grid takes two big steps to add more renewables and EVs (via CleanTechnica)
In Pacific Northwest, engineers map a power grid in flux (via ClimateWire)
Researchers find ways to minimize power grid disruptions from wind power (via Phys.org)
RENEWABLES
New 1,000MW solar project in China marks “significant shift” for global market (via Climate Progress)
US solar manufacturer says Chinese companies evading import tariffs (via Forbes)
UK wind farms generated record electricity in December (via Bloomberg)
US biodiesel production hits record high (via Environmental Leader)
A US solar company makes a rare move: Setting up factory in China (via Forbes)
OIL
Warning issued about oil shipped from North Dakota, Montana (via ABC News/AP)
Shares of Bakken oil producers plunge after US warning (via Reuters)
North Dakota’s explosive Bakken oil: The story behind a troubling crude (via Globe and Mail)
Barnett Shale drilling permits fall to lowest level in a decade (via Houston Chronicle)
TRANSPORTATION
Few transportation fuels surpass the energy densities of gasoline and diesel (via US EIA)
As battery cost falls, fast charging becomes key electric car issue (via Green Car Reports)
Legal setbacks slow California high-speed rail (via Stateline)
CLIMATE
Australia endures hottest year on record (via Agence France-Presse/Google)
Climate change damage to poor countries goes far beyond money (via Scientific American/ClimateWire)
One problem with geoengineering: Once you start, you can’t really stop (via Bloomberg)
Five basic Antarctic facts for climate change skeptics (via The Guardian)
Kerry quietly makes priority of climate pact (via New York Times)
NATURAL GAS/FRACKING
All Oklahoma fracking operations now must disclose chemicals used (via Tulsa World)
Colorado ballot measure could let towns ban fracking (via Climate Progress)
ENVIRONMENT
Plastic in oceans making own ecosystem, could pose threat to humans (via Los Angeles Times)
Will Congress go another year without designating new wilderness? (via Huffington Post Green)
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
Energy efficiency markets face financing, big data challenges in 2014 (via Energy Manager Today)
The aggressive acceleration of deep-energy retrofits (via GreenBiz)
Nest value could reach $2 billion on latest financing round (via SmartPlanet)
POLITICS
Climate to be 2014 political battlefield (via The Hill)
448 new wind turbines in Iowa could swing the 2016 presidential election (via Business Insider)
OPINION
Dear Donald Trump: Winter does not disprove global warming (via Mother Jones)
Oil and gas price forecast for 2014 (via SmartPlanet)
California’s pioneering spirit endures under cap and trade (via EDF/California Dream)
Favorable consumer attitudes toward clean energy have rebounded significantly in the last year (via Navigant Research)