Energy and Environment News Roundup – 3.18.14
A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.
CLIMATE
Climate change is putting world at risk of irreversible changes, warns AAAS (via The Guardian)
Global warming may double Japan’s heat-related deaths, says study (via Bloomberg)
42% of Americans think global warming exaggerated, suggests poll (via The Hill)
Study: Rockies’ wildflower season 35 days longer from climate change (via Los Angeles Times)
White House to host climate change resilience event (via The Hill)
EMISSIONS
China mandates firms must start reporting carbon emissions (via Reuters)
RENEWABLES
37GW of new solar capacity installed worldwide in 2013 (via CleanTechnica)
African Renewable Energy Fund secures $100 million for Sub-Saharan renewables (via Renewable Energy World)
UK invests $6.6 million to cut offshore wind costs (via Recharge)
India cuts renewable funds, impeding solar rooftop growth (via Bloomberg)
Biofuels production drives growth in overall US biomass energy use since 2002 (via US EIA)
US ethanol profits in 2013 second highest on record (via Des Moines Register)
Oceans stand to deliver abundant carbon-free energy (via Climate Central)
States look to green banks to leverage private clean tech investment (via Energy Collective)
Kansas co-op plans state’s largest solar array (via Midwest Energy News)
First Solar seeking growth to replace giant desert plants (via Bloomberg)
COAL
Tweak to North Carolina law protected Duke’s coal ash pits (via ABC News/AP)
William Koch, pessimistic about coal’s future in US, gets out of the business (via ClimateWire)
GRID
Japan launches battery storage subsidy for homes, businesses (via Renew Economy)
Ontario grid operator issues RFP for up to 35MW energy storage (via Renew Grid)
Midwest wind power transmission line plan irks farmers (via Huffington Post/AP)
NATURAL GAS/FRACKING
New Jersey eyes ban on fracking waste from any state (via Sacramento Bee/AP)
Ohio’s earthquake average has risen since 2010 (via Houston Chronicle/AP)
Not into fracking? How about some nuclear waste? (via Bloomberg)
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
Who will emerge as the Opower of commercial building efficiency? (via Greentech Media)
OIL
US Department of Energy releases results from Strategic Petroleum Reserve sale (via Reuters)
Alaska sues Obama administration for rejecting Arctic drilling plan (via The Hill)
Oil spill reaches Missouri River in North Dakota (via Bismarck Tribune/AP)
TRANSPORTATION
How more EV sales in America hurts China’s environment (via Autoblog)
GM executive chief EV engineer says reducing cost of plug-in vehicles “huge priority” (via Autoblog Green)
KEYSTONE XL
60% of pro-Keystone XL comments tied to industry, says group (via InsideClimate News)
ENVIRONMENT
Warmest winter on record worsens California drought (via Yahoo! News/Reuters)
1,500-year-old Antarctic moss brought back to life (via Scientific American)
OPINION
China’s “solar bubble” may be a coal bubble in disguise (via Navigant Research)
Is Canada the next energy superpower? (via Christian Science Monitor)
The US can’t really undermine Russia by exporting gas (via MIT Technology Review)
Shielding the transmission grid means protecting the economy (via Forbes)
Transparent utility pricing will make the smart grid smarter (via Greentech Media)
Could Minnesota’s “value of solar” make everyone a winner? (via Grist)
What is PACE financing? (via Energy Collective)
POLITICS
Democrats’ anti-Koch strategy is risky (via Washington Post)
Solar industry worries Wyden’s ties to SolarWorld may affect China trade case, ITC (via SNL Energy)
