Energy and Environment News Roundup – 1.18.13
A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.
KEYSTONE XL/TAR SANDS
Keystone’s tar sands waste said to warm climate more than coal (via Bloomberg)
As State Department nears completion of Keystone XL review, both sides dig in (via Washington Post)
Two report on oil sands paint a dire picture (via New York Times)
Federal study reignites pollution concern in expanding tar sand region (via DeSmog Blog)
GOP governors, Canadian leader press Obama to approve Keystone pipeline (via The Hill)
TransCanada on the climate impacts of its Keystone XL pipeline (via Huffington Post)
CLIMATE
Temperature hits all-time high in Sydney (via Phys.org)
Survey finds businesses trusted more than government on climate change (via Environmental Leader)
US frost-free season grows to 21 days (via Facts of the Day)
RENEWABLES
High-tech energy attracts $1.12 trillion in global revenue (via Houston Chronicle)
Germany may widen FIT reforms (via Recharge)
Report: solar could meet global electricity needs in 2050 using under 1% of world’s land (via Climate Progress)
Rising solar energy output drives German and French power prices to record lows (via CleanTechnica)
Developers will invest $1.9 trillion in clean energy over next five years (via Renewable Energy World)
2013 could be make or break year for algae fuel (via GigaOm)
US wind power accounted for 6% of generation capacity in 2012 (via Bloomberg)
FERC proposes rule to speed up solar energy grid interconnections (via Renewable Energy World)
US Army’s New Mexico solar array world’s largest of its kind (via EarthTechling)
Study: US must increase clean energy efforts (via United Press International)
Utilities, environmentalists behind study of Montana’s renewable power mandate (via Billings Gazette)
MIT builds material that generates electricity from water vapor (via Treehugger)
GRID
Report predicts 3.5 million lost jobs, $3.1 million lost economic output without US transmission upgrades (via Renew Grid)
What US smart grid investments have done so far (via Renew Grid)
FERC proposes streamlining small generator interconnections (via Renew Grid)
PJM, NYISO begin market-to-market coordination (via Renew Grid)
First four months of municipal aggregation save Champaign, IL $700,000 (via News-Gazette)
OIL
Global refining boom could challenge US exports (via Houston Chronicle)
OPEC forecasts record US oil supply growth in 2013 (via Christian Science Monitor)
As Shell’s Arctic drilling hopes hit snags, its rivals watch (via New York Times)
BP says North American shale oil boom will pressure OPEC (via Wall Street Journal)
TRANSPORTATION
Mexico relaxes auto fuel-efficiency rule to quell legal threat (via Reuters)
How important is charging infrastructure to EV adoption? (via GreenBiz)
US grounds fuel-efficient Boeing Dreamliner (via Environmental Leader)
DOE partnership aims to realize EV-to-grid dream (via Triple Pundit)
As electric future unfolds, gasoline remains king (via Midwest Energy News)
GM says next generation Chevy Volt will be “thousands of dollars” cheaper (via Autoblog Green)
Fisker Karma production stoppage reaches 6 months, company claims “sufficient supply” (via Autoblog Green)
COAL
Coal’s “lifeline to Asia” emerges as new front in global warming fight (via ClimateWire)
Scrutiny rises for royalties paid on US coal exports to Asia (via The Oregonian)
Coal mine safety rule prompted by explosion faces industry blowback (via The Hill)
EMISSIONS
RWE starts carbon capture at UK coal plant (via Reuters)
Fraud-free cap and trade: what California learned from Europe (via GreenBiz)
New York Governor Cuomo proposes tougher RGGI carbon cap (via AOL Energy)
NATURAL GAS/FRACKING
Top economies face fuel price spike as LNG supply drops (via Reuters)
Report recommends changes to tax exemption for fracking (via Texas Tribune)
ENVIRONMENT
Canada’s environmental health last in developed world (via Huffington Post)
As US drought persists, many scramble to save every drop of water (via Reuters)
About a dozen environment reporters left at top five US papers (via InsideClimate News)
POLITICS
Obama’s climate challenge (via Rolling Stone)
DOE Secretary Chu said to plan departure from cabinet (via Bloomberg)
US environmentalists challenged to get climate change laws through Congress (via The Guardian)
If you want to pass climate legislation, fix US politics (via Grist)
DOE names new BPA administrator (via Renew Grid)
New Washington governor sets his sights on climate change solutions (via Los Angeles Times)
OPINION
Why the climate bill failed: it’s not that simple (via Grist)
How are we doing on energy efficiency? (via Grist)
Obama to confront oil pipeline, climate change in second term (via US News/AP)
What corporations can learn from green revolving funds (via GreenBiz)