Energy and Environment News Roundup – 4.3.13
A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
Berkeley Lab researchers release guide to financing energy upgrades for K-12 school districts (via Phys.org)
California to set energy efficiency standards for video game consoles (via Los Angeles Times)
Los Angeles includes cool roofs in building code (via Sustainable Business)
OIL
Arkansas attorney general plans investigation into oil spill (via AP)
At oil spill cleanup in Arkansas, Exxon running the show, not feds (via InsideClimate News)
Dolphin deaths still high after Gulf oil spill, says NWF (via Houston Chronicle)
Mishaps shouldn’t impede energy expansion, oil industry economist says (via Houston Chronicle)
RENEWABLES
Solar PV industry now operating as net energy producer (via EarthTechling)
The drought is drying up all our ethanol (via Mother Jones)
Utilities challenge net metering as solar power expands in California (via ClimateWire)
BP puts wind farm business up for sale (via Reuters)
Citigroup blows by Santander as greenest bank on wind power push (via Bloomberg)
CLIMATE
World Bank plans to take lead in climate challenge (via RTCC)
Climate change making extreme events worse in Australia (via The Guardian)
Geoengineering schemes need global sign-off, researchers say (via The Guardian)
Public trusts scientists on climate change, says poll (via RTCC)
NASA’s most famous climate scientist is retiring – here’s a look back at his work (via Washington Post)
ENERGY POLICY
Sequester looms over DOE’s energy labs (via Politico)
Poll: two-thirds back Keystone pipeline, global warming belief trends upward (via The Hill)
House Natural Resources Committee democrats launch “EVIZ” iPad app (via Climate Progress)
TRANSPORTATION
Emissions rules put alternative-fuel vehicles in a bind (via New York Times)
US Parks Service launches clean transportation initiative (via Green Car Reports)
Tesla announces lease option for Model S starting at $1,500/month (via Autoblog Green)
Nissan Leaf has best sales month ever with 2,236 sold, Chevy Volt steady at 1,478 (via Autoblog Green)
Tesla, Fisker, and what could have been: a tale of two electric car startups (via GigaOm)
GRID
Demand response payments increase significantly in PJM (via Greentech Media)
ComEd says smart grid efforts created 2,400 jobs in 2012 (via Renew Grid)
Northeast Utilities still can’t reveal “new route” for Northern Pass (via CLF Scoop)
COAL
Oregon environmental coalition gives notice on coal dust lawsuit (via New York Times)
OPINION
For energy tech, the boring stuff (business model innovation) will be key (via GigaOm)
Is the Internet too hot for data centers to handle? (via Scientific American)
8 myths about wind energy (via Renewable Energy World)
Expensive batteries are holding back electric cars – can that change? (via Washington Post)