Energy and Environment News Roundup – 1.21.14
A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.
ENVIRONMENT
China’s exports linked to western U.S. air pollution (via CNN)
Study finds handful of species most important to ecosystem health (via Mongabay)
NUCLEAR
Japan says new leak detected at Fukushima reactor (via New York Times)
Texas company, alone in US, cashes in on nuclear waste (via New York Times)
RENEWABLES
World can double renewables share at low cost, says report (via RTCC)
Germany’s offshore wind capacity hits 520MW (via Recharge)
4,000MW of new solar PV capacity added in Japan (via CleanTechnica)
India surpasses 2013 solar energy goal, adds 1GW to grid (via EcoBusiness)
Solar PV clipped Australia’s peak demand by 4.6% during heat wave (via Renew Economy)
Germany’s industrial base at risk if green energy shift fails (via Reuters)
A new way to harvest more light and make solar cells more efficient (via GigaOm)
Report reveals U.S. military’s renewable energy victories (via GreenBiz)
Study: Active power control of wind turbines can improve grid reliability (via NREL)
Explosive growth for California’s surviving solar firms (via San Francisco Chronicle)
New York PSC signals big changes to prioritize clean energy (via Breaking Energy)
OIL
Domestic oil output surge puts pressure on decades-old export ban (via National Journal)
Price-rigging probes jammed by oil industry bid to protect its secrets (via EnergyWire)
TRANSPORTATION
New data shows electric cars won’t be a problem for utilities (via Green Car Reports)
More than 25,000 Teslas on road as company sets sales record in 4Q (via Facts of the Day)
EMISSIONS
China’s carbon markets risk missteps without transparent data (via Reuters)
Europe split over stronger pollution limits (via The Hill)
Europe energy investment seen at risk without 2030 carbon target (via Bloomberg BusinessWeek)
CLIMATE
Soil microbes alter DNA in response to climate change, says study (via Yale e360)
Climate change: Don't get scared, get ready (via The Guardian)
As uses of biochar expand, climate benefits still uncertain (via Yale e360)
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
Final specifications released for ENERGY STAR version 6.0 (via Energy Manager Today)
OPINION
Buy green, sell stranded (via Slate)
Clean-energy experts offer Obama a path forward without Congress (via National Journal)
New research: How to move Americans on climate (via EcoAffect)
Washington is silent on West Virginia’s chemical spill (via Washington Post)