Energy and Environment News Roundup – 11.8.13
A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.
EMISSIONS
EU ministers approve carbon market backloading fix (via BusinessGreen)
Brazil greenhouse gas emissions drop to lowest level in 20 years (via Washington Post)
Nine states file brief against EPA emissions regulations (via The Hill)
Enviros, coal advocates push messaging at EPA listening session in DC (via National Journal)
Energy Department approves $84 million for 18 carbon capture projects (via Washington Post)
ENERGY POLICY
Fossil fuels receive $500 billion a year in government subsidies worldwide (via Climate Progress)
US power companies struggle to profit in energy markets (via Reuters)
White House tallies shutdown’s energy and environmental impact (via The Hill)
Energy Department failed to report concerns as green tech firm headed for bankruptcy (via Washington Post)
RENEWABLES
Japan’s solar market surge blows away earlier forecasts (via Greentech Media)
South Africa: Where clean energy is growing the fastest (via Sustainable Business)
China’s ailing solar panel makers see the light, on a farm (via Reuters)
Singapore launches 1st tidal turbine test bed (via Xinhua)
The promise and challenge of developing offshore wind resources (via Forbes)
Biofuels producers brace for major EPA changes as big lobby groups clash (via ClimateWire)
California seen beating renewable energy generation goal (via Bloomberg)
Two new green investing options could help avoid the carbon bubble (via CleanTechnica)
Massachusetts sets itself apart as global clean energy hub (via Renewable Energy World)
KEYSTONE XL/TAR SANDS
Climate impact of Canada’s tar sands is growing (via Climate Progress)
Keystone “not in Canada’s best interests” says federal party (via Globe and Mail)
A small victory for a Texas landowner in Keystone pipeline case (via Dallas Observer)
CLIMATE
Warsaw climate talks expected to deliver loss and damage mechanism (via Thompson Reuters)
Super typhoon Haiyan, one of strongest storms ever, plows across Philippines (via CNN)
NOAA’s new tool puts climate on view for all (via Climate Central)
Amazon deforestation could mean droughts for western US (via Phys.org)
OIL
OPEC acknowledges threat of US oil (via National Journal)
Saudi Arabia throttles back from record high oil output (via Reuters)
Strong dollar drives crude oil prices lower (via Houston Chronicle/AP)
Three Texas universities win bid to launch offshore drilling safety center (via Houston Chronicle)
Bakken boom linked to haze at Theodore Roosevelt National Park (via Greenwire)
TRANSPORTATION
Li-ion battery prices still headed down to $180/kWh by 2020 (via Autoblog Green)
Third Model S fire drives down Tesla stock (via San Francisco Chronicle)
DOE launches alternative fueling station locator app (via Green Car Congress)
NATURAL GAS/FRACKING
Big trucking companies shifting to natural gas across the US (via Autoblog Green)
Colorado cities’ fracking rejection poses political test for natural gas industry (via New York Times)
Colorado’s fracking bans could fall before courts (via Reuters)
OPINION
Five issues to watch at COP 19, the “Construction COP” (via WRI Insights)
The solar industry is red hot – will it get hotter? (via Breaking Energy)
10 reasons you should care about the COP 19 UN climate talks (via RTCC)
Could California’s shale oil boom be just a mirage? (via DeSmog Blog)