Category Archives:biofuels

29
Jan

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 1.29.15

A daily roundup of the most important energy and environment as well as climate news from around the world.

EMISSIONS 

Asian air pollution may be changing U.S. weather patterns (via OnEarth)

Hearing on Inslee plan to charge polluters draws divided crowd (via Seattle Times)

A tax or a cap? Debating the path to carbon pricing in Oregon (via Portland Business Journal)

COAL 

Federal coal program costing taxpayers and states more than $1 billion per year in lost royalties (via Climate Progress)

Swedish, U.S. universities divest from coal, Oxford “meets to discuss” (via CleanTechnica)

RENEWABLES 

New report urges western governments to reconsider reliance on biofuels (via New York Times)

China connected 18.7GW of wind to the grid in 2014, says NEA (via Recharge)

Germany adds 4.75GW onshore wind, breaking 12-year record (via Recharge)

Lowering interest rates “could cut Indian solar cost by a third” (via PV Tech)

China’s wind energy output dropped in 2014 (via CleanTechnica)

U.S. wind power quadruples in 2014 as Texas leads installations (via Bloomberg)

GE, Siemens, Vestas dominate U.S. wind market in 2014 (via Recharge)

Walmart tops EPA’s on-site generation list (via Energy Manager Today)

Charting Hawaii’s spectacular solar growth (via Greentech Media)

CALSEIA issues California net metering update (via Solar Industry)

Minnesota: Where solar is about to take off (via Sustainable Business)

SolarWorld sees 6-8GW U.S. solar PV market over next decade (via Recharge)

First week of February is “Solar Education Week” (via Renewable Energy World)

Energy and Environment

NATURAL GAS 

Scotland announces moratorium on fracking for shale gas (via The Guardian)

Kansas earthquakes likely tied to rise in fracking wastewater, say state geologists (via International Business Times)

CLIMATE 

Climate models don’t over-predict warming, shows study (via Los Angeles Times)

British belief in climate change on the rise, finds research (via The Guardian)

House panel agrees to prioritize climate change (via The Hill)

TV networks now cover climate change, but they’re doing it wrong (via Grist)

OIL 

EIA chief: Cheap oil won’t last forever (via Christian Science Monitor)

Shell shaves $15 billion off three-year spending plans (via Forbes)

Shell wants to resume Arctic drilling this year (via The Hill)

Chevron and BP in deal to search for oil deep beneath Gulf of Mexico (via New York Times)

Senate votes on fracking, endangered species pave way for Keystone XL passage (via Houston Chronicle)

TRANSPORTATION : Energy and Environment

Sales of electric trucks and buses expected to reach nearly 160,000 annually by 2023 (via Navigant Research)

Psychological barriers are holding back EV adoption (via CleanTechnica)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

UK energy use falls by 7.5 percent (via BusinessGreen)

Ikea sees green product sales soar 58% to over €1 billion (via BusinessGreen)

Finally, an energy issue everybody (mostly) likes (via National Journal)

ENERGY POLICY

China’s overseas investments, explained in 10 graphics (via WRI Insights)

Northrup Grumman cuts ties with ALEC (via National Journal)

OPINION : Energy and Environment

Is surging U.S. wind power headed off a cliff? (via Breaking Energy)

The solar-utility battle is getting ugly (via Greentech Media)

The best idea in a long time: Covering parking lots with solar panels (via Washington Post)

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Posted:   |   Categories: ALEC, arctic, Asia, biofuels, BP, california, CALSEIA, cap and trade, carbon tax, Chevron, China, climate, Climate Change, coal, Divestment, eia, electric vehicles, emissions, Energy Efficiency, EPA, ev, Fossil fuel divestment, fracking, GE, germany, global warming, Gulf of Mexico, Hawaii, Ikea, india, jay inslee, kansas, Keystone XL, minnesota, natural gas, Net metering, News, Northrup Grumman, offshore drilling, oil, oregon, Oxford University, renewables, Scotland, Shale gas, Shell, Siemens, solar, Solarworld, Sweden, texas, Transportation, united kingdom, vestas, Walmart, Washington State, wind
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29
Dec

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 12.29.14

A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.

CLIMATE

Greenland ice loss outpaces climate models (via RTCC)

Pope Francis expected to instruct one billion Catholics to act on climate change (via Climate Progress)

Hedegaard: Credibility of UN climate process hangs on Paris talks (via The Guardian)

Almost 7,000 UK properties to be sacrificed to rising seas (via The Guardian)

2014 may be Anchorage, Alaska’s first year ever with no below-zero temperatures (via Huffington Post)

ENERGY POLICY

UK, Germany, Australia all see energy and emissions drop in 2014 (via Treehugger)

China forms $32 billion energy company to help clean up Beijing (via Bloomberg)

RENEWABLES

Hanwha subsidiaries merging into world’s largest solar cell manufacturer (via CleanTechnica)

Spain “has to install up to 6.5GW of wind by 2020” (via Recharge News)

Scotland’s solar capacity climbs 32 percent in 2014 (via BusinessGreen)

Raizen to invest $927 million in sugarcane cellulosic ethanol plants in Brazil by 2024 (via Green Car Congress)

Distributed renewables will reduce utility revenues up to $124 billion a year by 2025 (via CleanTechnica)

OIL

Canadian oil surge to U.S. Gulf puts Mexico on defensive (via Bloomberg)

India refiners boom amid global oil bust as investors eye risks (via Bloomberg)

Race to build on Columbia River could block Pacific oil route (via New York Times)

Residents along Kinder Morgan pipeline from Ohio to Gulf concerned about use (via Houston Chronicle/AP)

As oil prices fall, Alaska governor halts project spending (via Houston Chronicle/AP)

TRANSPORTATION

China’s Shenzen caps new car plates to control smog, congestion (via Bloomberg)

Germany plans EV motorway charging station expansion (via Reuters)

Tesla Roadster 3.0 prototype announced with 400-mile possibilities (via Autoblog)

Report: Millennials own fewer cars, seek other ways to travel (via Green Car Reports)

Hawaii #2 behind California in EV registrations per 1,000 vehicles (via Inside EVs)

EMISSIONS

UK government unveils £35 million fund to curb air pollution (via BusinessGreen)

Curbing fugitive methane costs little, buys time on climate change (via The Hill)

Washington State offers ambitious cap-and-trade plan (via Climate Central)

GRID

This year’s key developments in distributed energy and utility disruption (via Greentech Media)

Smart thermostat programs roll on in Texas, Arizona, and Maryland (via Energy Collective)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY

Stronger energy codes don’t limit construction, says SEEA (via Energy Manager Today)

Energy efficient buildings could save Chicago $77 million (via Energy Manager Today)

OPINION

2015: A year for carbon pricing, peer pressure, and Paris (via RTCC)

New York takes the wrong approach to fracking (via Washington Post)

The biggest winter energy myth: That you need to idle your car before driving (via Washington Post)

Posted:   |   Categories: alaska, arizona, australia, biofuels, Brazil, california, canada, cap and trade, Carbon pricing, cellulosic ethanol, chicago, China, climate, Climate Change, Connie Hedegaard, COP21, Electric Vehicle, emissions, Energy codes, Energy Efficiency, ev, ev charging, fracking, germany, global warming, greenland, grid, Hanwha, Hawaii, india, Kinder Morgan, maryland, methane, mexico, new york state, News, Ohio, oil, Oil exports, Pipeline, Pope Francis, Raizen, renewables, Scotland, Sea level rise, Shenzen, solar, Spain, Tesla, texas, Transportation, unfccc, united kingdom, Washington State, wind
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19
Dec

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 12.19.14

A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.

CLIMATE

Climate change could cut global food production 18% by 2050 (via BusinessGreen)

Major coral bleaching in Pacific may become worst die-off in 20 years (via The Guardian)

NASA satellite sends back most detailed view yet of CO2 (via Climate Central)

Much of coastal U.S. will see over 30 days of flooding due to sea level rise, projects NOAA (via Huffington Post)

White House floats new climate guidelines for energy, infrastructure development (via National Journal)

RENEWABLES

China solar exports may face increase in EU duties (via Bloomberg)

Japan’s new FiT rules draw criticism from Japan Renewable Energy Foundation (via PV Tech)

India’s biggest wind company plans to enter solar market (via Greentech Media)

This new finance policy tweak boosts India solar energy (via CleanTechnica)

BNDES approves $222 million in loans for Brazil ethanol plant (via Bloomberg)

EBRD backs Polish wind farm with €23.8 million (via Bloomberg)

South Africa fights blackouts with concentrating solar power (via TriplePundit)

GE ships first Brazil wind turbine nacelle under tough local-content rules (via Recharge News)

U.S power sector employment declines, except for renewable electricity generators (via U.S EIA)

U.S. solar-plus-storage market to surpass $1 billion by 2018 (via Greentech Media)

EIA expects 2014 U.S. wind installations to total less than 5GW (via Recharge)

New money coming home: Investors likely to continue backing residential solar in 2015 (via Solar Industry Magazine)

U.S. could easily power itself 100x over with just solar power (via Treehugger)

Businesses get solar at no upfront cost, encourage customers and employees to invest (via Treehugger)

Duke prepares South Carolina distributed solar program (via Renewable Energy World)

Coalition plans push to expand Minnesota’s renewable energy standard in 2015 (via Star-Tribune)

Illinois solar gets closer to game time (via Renewable Energy World)

COAL

U.S. EPA set to issue long-anticipated rules for coal ash disposal (via Reuters)

Coal ash waste about to be federally regulated for the first time (via Climate Progress)

EMISSIONS

Polluting is getting expensive again in Europe: Carbon & climate (via Bloomberg)

The National Hockey League is going carbon neutral (via National Journal)

OIL

Bankers see $1 trillion in investments stranded in the oil fields (via Bloomberg)

Oil price bloodbath to spark energy sector buying spree (via Reuters)

Nebraska Supreme Court decision on Keystone XL punted to 2015 (via The Hill)

Oil crunch could cost Texas 128,000 jobs, says Fed model (via Houston Chronicle)

TRANSPORTATION

U.S. gasoline drops below $2.50 in U.S. for first time in 2009 (via Bloomberg)

Tax breaks for EV charging, natural gas cars back through end of 2014 (via Green Car Reports)

Analyst slashes Tesla sales forecast 40% due to fuel prices (via Autoblog)

2016 Chevy Volt to add on-demand regenerative braking (via Green Car Reports)

ENERGY POLICY

German energy use sinks to lowest level since reunification (via BusinessGreen)

U.S. power sector needs $2.1 trillion in investment by 2035, says EIA (via Greentech Media)

EBay just became the latest tech company to leave conservative group ALEC (via Climate Progress)

GRID

Smart thermostat programs roll on in Texas, Arizona, Maryland (via Greentech Media)

Alaska leads the world in microgrid deployments (via Navigant Research)

NATURAL GAS

The state of shale (via Phys.org)

Here's the grassroots political story behind the New York fracking ban (via Washington Post)

ENVIRONMENT

Companies pay $9.7 million in EPA enforcement actions (via Environmental Leader)

OPINION

The top five energy and climate stories of 2014 (via Forbes)

Global biofuels industry: A promising future (via Navigant Research)

Three ways renewables could benefit from low oil prices (via Forbes)

Will coal plant retirements and fracking threaten electric reliability? (via Navigant Research)

The surprising link between what makes us happy and what saves energy (via Washington Post)

Solyndra? Solyndra! The legacy of government loan guarantees beyond politics (via Greentech Media)

Six lessons learned from the front lines of the climate fight (via Huffington Post)

Solar tariffs: Throttling America’s biggest job creation machine (via Renewable Energy World)

How Denmark and Texas became wind energy kings (via StateImpact Texas)

Posted:   |   Categories: alaska, ALEC, arizona, biofuels, BNDES, Brazil, chevy volt, China, climate, Climate Change, coal, coal ash, Coral bleaching, denmark, duke energy, ebay, EBRD, eia, Electric Vehicle, emissions, energy storage, environment, ethanol, European Union, ev, ev charging, feed-in tariff, Flooding, fracking, GE, germany, Illinois, india, japan, maryland, Microgrid, minnesota, National Hockey League, natural gas, new york state, News, noaa, oil, Poland, Renewable energy standard, renewables, Sea level rise, Shale gas, solar, Solar concentrating power, solyndra, South Africa, south carolina, suzlon, Tesla, texas, wind
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15
Dec

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 12.15.14

A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.

EMISSIONS

Lawyers gird for fight against EPA’s Clean Power Plan based on states’ rights (via ClimateWire)

Half of Republicans support carbon limits, survey finds (via The Hill)

Fossil fuel companies grow nervous as divestment movement grows stronger (via Grist)

Capturing carbon as a byproduct of running a fuel cell (via New York Times)

Gov. Inslee says if polluters were charged, state would benefit (via Seattle Times)

NATURAL GAS

Can China’s shale gas help it reach peak coal by 2020? (via Motley Fool)

Ukraine says Chevron plans to pull out of $10 billion shale gas deal (via Reuters)

RENEWABLES

EnergyTrend calls 2014 solar demand at 44GW with 2015 to top 50GW (via PV Tech)

The global biofuels industry: A future in doubt (via Navigant Research)

Analysis: Can Japan exceed 10GW of solar capacity installation in 2014? (via Renewable Energy World)

SunEdison to supply 570GWh of solar energy to Chile grid (via PV Tech)

Vestas gets biggest wind order as Africa market accelerates (via Bloomberg)

Solar industry trends: Capital costs continue to drop while solar companies reinvent themselves as energy companies (via Forbes)

South Carolina avoids a battle, reaches settlement on net energy metering (via Greentech Media)

New York State doubles solar net metering cap (via PV Tech)

430,000 advanced energy jobs in California…today (via CleanTechnica)

Solar and wind give California second camel hump (via Renewables International)

Study: Nebraska grid has capacity to export more wind energy (via Lincoln Journal Star)

Minnesota city freezes ground-mounted solar due to zoning concerns (via Greentech Media)

CLIMATE

International negotiators strike last-minute deal to reduce carbon emissions (via ClimateProgress)

UN agrees way forward on climate change but path is unclear (via The Guardian)

Paris climate summit faces tougher job after modest Lima deal (via Reuters)

Catholic bishops from every continent call for “end to the fossil fuel era” (via ClimateProgress)

Most Americans aren’t aware of the health impacts of climate change (via ClimateProgress)

People don’t work as hard on hot days – on a warming planet (via Washington Post)

COAL

Coal demand growth to slow in next five years on China, says IEA (via Bloomberg)

Coal demand set to break 9 billion tonne barrier this decade (via The Guardian)

As Japan burns more coal, climate policies under pressure (via Reuters)

First U.S. coal ash regulations in the offing (via The Hill)

GRID

Fitch: U.S. utilities “well positioned” to deal with upcoming obstacles (via Renew Grid)

MISO board approves $2.5 billion in new transmission (via Renew Grid)

OIL

Mexico shale boom outlook dims as U.S. drillers struggle (via Bloomberg)

Despite lower crude oil prices, U.S. crude oil production expected to grow in 2015 (via U.S. EIA)

Early slowdown signs emerge for U.S. oil states after crude slide (via Reuters)

U.S. taxpayers help fund oil train boom amid safety concerns (via St. Louis Post-Dispatch)

TRANSPORTATION

Electric cars: A review of 2014 (via Forbes)

Gasoline prices tend to have little effect on demand for car travel (via U.S. EIA)

Street lights add EV charging (via Navigant Research)

Tesla’s stationary storage strategy: “Everywhere we look, there’s an opportunity” (via Greentech Media)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY

$140 million DOE innovation hub focuses on energy efficiency in manufacturing (via Energy Manager Today)

ENVIRONMENT

Earth faces sixth “Great Extinction” with 41% of amphibians set to go to the way of the dodo (via Huffington Post)

23 pollinating species in Britain have gone extinct in last 150 years (via Inhabitat)

Congress protects new national parks and wilderness areas for first time in five years (via ClimateProgress)

OPINION

COP20 lays groundwork for Paris climate pact: 7 key developments (via WRI Insights)

Five takeaways from the Lima climate talks (via National Journal)

How the ”war on coal” went global (via Politico)

How the U.S. can beat OPEC in an oil prices war (via Christian Science Monitor)

The basic reason oil keeps getting cheaper and cheaper (via Washington Post)

Insights from the solar industry in rural Peru (via Clean Energy Finance Forum)

10 energy numbers to remember from 2014 (via Outlier)

Will cheap oil kill Keystone XL? (via Politico)

Posted:   |   Categories: biofuels, california, carbon capture, Chevron, Chile, China, Clean Power Plan, climate, Climate Change, coal, coal ash, COP20, Divestment, DOE, electric vehicles, emissions, Energy Efficiency, EPA, ev charging, EVs, Extinction, Fossil fuel divestment, fuel cell, gas prices, green jobs, grid, japan, jay inslee, Keystone XL, mexico, minnesota, MISO, natural gas, Nebraska, Net metering, new york, News, Oil trains, OPEC, Peru, renewables, Shale gas, Shale oil, solar, south carolina, SunEdison, Tesla, transmission, Transportation, Ukraine, united kingdom, vestas, War on Coal, wind
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02
Dec

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 12.2.14

A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.

CLIMATE

Over 190 nations meet in Lima to talk climate (via The Hill)

At climate talks, UN calls fossil fuels “high risk” investment (via Reuters)

Lima climate talks: EU and U.S. at odds over legally binding emissions targets (via The Guardian)

Rich nations will make $100 billion climate goal, says U.S. (via Bloomberg)

China: Climate laggards must join in pre-2020 efforts (via RTCC)

As climate warms, more disease outbreaks for sea life (via Seattle Times)

RENEWABLES

China’s solar energy progress sputters (via Renewable Energy World)

European wind market to stabilize in 2014 (via CleanTechnica)

Poll: 89% of Australians object to renewable energy cuts (via PV Tech)

E.ON split to fortify German green energy transformation (via Bloomberg)

E.ON shakeup could create new solar giant (via Recharge)

France to launch new offshore wind tender next year (via Reuters)

Argentina province schedules auction to build first solar farm (via Bloomberg)

New world record for solar cell efficiency set at 46% (via Renew Economy)

Solar power’s stunning growth: U.S. generation up 100% this year (via Breaking Energy)

Strategic or VC investors? Where clean tech startups are finding funding (via Greentech Media)

AWEA sees billions of dollars in savings within SPP from wind energy (via Recharge)

SunPower’s solar panel manufacturing capacity to triple in five years (via CleanTechnica)

Fuel manufacturer threatens to sue EPA over 2015 renewable fuel mandate (via The Hill)

EMISSIONS

China’s carbon goal a tough sell in coal country (via Huffington Post/AP)

Australia power emissions continue to climb in absence of carbon price (via Renew Economy)

Bank of England to investigate carbon bubble risks (via Business Green)

Comment period for EPA’s climate rule closes after 1.6 million comments (via The Hill)

OIL

OPEC squeeze on oil spares renewables from energy turmoil (via Bloomberg)

Saudi-Venezuela OPEC split plays out behind closed doors (via Bloomberg)

Report: Falling prices could eliminate U.S. oil production growth (via Houston Chronicle)

What plunging oil prices mean for your pocketbook (via Washington Post)

Junk bonds funding shale boom face $8.5 billion of losses (via Bloomberg)

TRANSPORTATION

Merkel backs incentives in 1 million German EV push (via Bloomberg)

BMW unveiled three plug-in hybrids last week (via Green Car Reports)

Plug-in EV sales in November: Leaf grows, Volt wanes (via Green Car Reports)

Washington State to give EV cars tax breaks, carpool-lane access (via Green Car Reports)

GRID

New relay technology transforming the grid (via Navigant Research)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY

Property owners reduce financial risk, raise property value with energy upgrades (via Energy Manager Today)

Honolulu airport receives $150 million energy retrofit (via Energy Manager Today)

ENVIRONMENT

Commercial fisheries likely to collapse by 2048 (via EcoWatch)

How three inches of rain could cut GDP growth: Corporate Brazil (via Bloomberg)

2014 Atlantic Hurricane season ends with below-average activity (via Weather Underground)

POLITICS

Hillary Clinton wades into debate over fracking but avoids Keystone XL (via Climate Progress)

OPINION

A blueprint for an effective international climate agreement (via WRI Insights)

Five ideas for EPA’s Clean Power Plan (via C2ES)

The fight over EPA’s climate rule is just getting started (via Climate Progress)

Can shale withstand a drop in oil prices? (via National Journal)

Why do black and Latino Americans support climate action so much more than whites? (via Washington Post)

The perfect storm: Why now is the time to seize the 30% credit on commercial and industrial solar (via Renewable Energy World)

Posted:   |   Categories: 3m, Angela Merkel, Argentina, Bank of England, biofuels, BMW, Brazil, Carbon bubble, chevy volt, China, Clean Power Plan, climate, Climate Change, coal, drought, E.ON, Electric Vehicle, emissions, Energy Efficiency, EPA, European Union, France, germany, grid, hillary clinton, Honolulu, hybrid, itc, Keystone XL, News, nissan LEAF, offshore wind, oil, OPEC, Renewable Fuels Standard, renewables, saudi arabia, Shale oil, solar, Southwest Power Pool, SunPower, Transportation, united nations, Venezuela, Washington State, wind
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03
Nov

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 11.3.14

A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.

UN IPCC REPORT 

UN climate report rings alarm, offers guidance (via Climate Central)

IPCC final report: We’ve blown two-thirds of our carbon budget (via Weather Underground)

UN warns planet headed toward “irreversible” climate damage (via The Hill)

10 things you need to know from the new IPCC climate report (via Grist)

RENEWABLES 

PSE&G building largest solar farm to date (via Renew Grid)

Emerging markets are leading the way on clean energy growth (via Forbes)

Brazil’s first solar PV power auction sets very low $86.79/MWh mark (via PV Tech)

German solar PV installations may undershoot target (via Recharge News)

Germany to reach more than 30% renewable power by 2015 (via Renewables International)

For cellulosic ethanol makers, the road ahead is still uphill (via Yale e360)

CLIMATE 

Climate change is making it harder to get to space (via National Journal)

U.S. Postal Service is worried about what climate change will mean for mail (via Huffington Post)

COAL 

Australia coal mining marks challenge for UN green push (via Reuters)

EMISSIONS 

Rio 2016 to offset Olympic Games’ entire carbon footprint (via Environmental Leader)

OIL 

Crude exports and re-exports continue to rise; some volumes sent to Europe and Asia (via U.S. EIA)

Hedge funds cut bullish oil bets on rising global output (via Bloomberg)

Public opposition has cost tar sands industry $17 billion, says report (via The Guardian)

Oil sands seen reaching Gulf without Keystone XL (via Bloomberg)

BOEM increases Arctic oil estimates in move to appease court (via The Hill)

For Texas farmers, drilling boom comes with a cost (via Houston Chronicle)

TRANSPORTATION 

Were small cars exactly the wrong way to launch EVs? (via Green Car Reports)

More cities experiment with electric buses and other clean mass transit (via ClimateWire)

GRID 

U.S. leads demand response, but not for long (via Energy Manager Today)

Superstorm Sandy motivates New York to explore microgrids (via Climate Central)

The next big opportunity to drop balance-of-system costs: Battery storage (via Greentech Media)

POLITICS 

Energy issues play role in Tuesday elections (via Houston Chronicle)

Coal, carpetbaggers, and Congressional candidates (via Forbes)

Post-Election Day tax extenders will be a bipartisan opportunity (via Energy Collective)

What a Republican-controlled Senate would mean for the climate (via Climate Progress)

Why oil and gas giants are trying to buy three local elections in California (via Climate Progress)

OPINION 

The UN just gave us an 85-year deadline on global warming (via National Journal)

Enough with the fat climate change reports already (via Bloomberg)

EIA study removes final barrier to U.S. oil exports (via Reuters)

The struggle to combine energy efficiency and solar power (via Clean Energy Finance Forum)

Millennials: Core of the green economy or overhyped as the green generation? (via Greentech Media)

Posted:   |   Categories: AR5, arctic, australia, battery, biofuels, BOEM, Brazil, california, Carbon budget, cellulosic ethanol, climate, Climate Change, coal, Demand response, eia, electric vehicles, emissions, Energy Efficiency, ev, fracking, germany, grid, Gulf of Mexico, IPCC, Keystone XL, Microgrids, new york state, News, offshore drilling, oil, Oil exports, Olympics, PSE&G, public transportation, renewables, solar, tar sands, texas, Transportation, UN, united nations
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20
Oct

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 10.20.14

A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.

CLIMATE 

EU climate chief says energy, climate deal next week “feasible” (via Reuters)

When island nations drown, who owns their seas? (via Boston Globe)

Some cities try to stem the flood in South Florida (via USA Today)

Climate change takes center stage on Instagram (via Climate Central)

NATURAL GAS 

Russia, Ukraine reach tentative gas deal in tough Milan talks (via Reuters)

Tracers developed for tracking frack fluids (via Environmental Leader)

RENEWABLES 

A multibillion-dollar opportunity – service for China’s wind farms (via Bloomberg)

UK wind industry sets new generation record with 24% power share (via BusinessGreen)

UK green investment bank’s wind fund raise “going well” (via Bloomberg)

Labor is most variable cost for solar, wind projects (via Energy Manager Today)

New biofuels facility converts plant waste to ethanol, is 90% cleaner than gasoline (via Huffington Post/AP)

New software modeling tool a wind industry boon (via Renewable Energy World)

Solar EPC firms must adapt to industry changes via new business models (via Solar Industry)

For taller wind turbines, Iowa engineer looks to concrete (via Midwest Energy News)

Another blow to Ohio’s solar industry as PUCO nixes in-state sourcing rule (via Columbus Business First)

COAL 

Study links mountaintop removal dust to cancer (via Charleston Gazette)

EMISSIONS 

Fossil fuel divestment: climate change activists aim at Australia’s banks (via The Guardian)

Renewables, not shale, biggest driver in US emissions cuts: study (via BusinessGreen)

EPA moves to phase out ozone-depleting chemicals (via The Hill)

OIL 

Saudi August oil exports fall to lowest level in three years (via Reuters)

Deeper oil slump seen as “disaster” risk for Australian LNG (via Bloomberg)

Fracking to make U.S. an “energy superpower” (via Saudi Gazette)

Despite slumping prices, no end in sight for U.S. oil production boom (via New York Times)

North Dakota aims to reduce natural gas flaring (via US EIA)

Murky waters: Chicagoans worry petcoke moving to barges (via Midwest Energy News)

TRANSPORTATION 

The coming era of long-range electric cars (via Plugin Cars)

CARB’s next meeting could dramatically change the EV landscape (via Autoblog Green)

GM expands zero-waste agenda worldwide (via TriplePundit)

Ford edges closer to “growing” its own car parts (via TriplePundit)

GRID 

Lawyers to debate $590 million Houston transmission project (via Houston Chronicle)

ENVIRONMENT 

The Chinese people care more about the environment than Americans (via Grist)

EPA finds little benefit to pesticide linked to bee declines (via The Hill)

GM, Dow, others launch zero-waste initiative (via Environmental Leader)

POLITICS 

Brazil’s Rouseff on the offensive a week from runoff vote (via Reuters)

Fossil fuel lobby spent $213 million last year on U.S., EU politicians (via DeSmog Blog)

How to get Republicans to stop using the “I’m not a scientist” dodge (via Grist)

First wind, now gas: Texas tax breaks face scrutiny (via Texas Tribune)

OPINION 

Are tumbling oil prices food or bad news for the world economy? (via The Economist)

Political capital needed for clean energy finance to flourish (via Clean Energy Finance Forum)

Is EPA too conservative in its clean energy projections under new carbon rules? (via Greentech Media)

LEDs are a bright idea whose time has come (via Climate Central)

Posted:   |   Categories: australia, biofuels, Brazil, CARB, cellulosic ethanol, chicago, China, climate, coal, Connie Hedeegard, Dilma Rouseff, Divestment, Dow, electric vehicles, emissions, EPA, ethanol, EU, European Union, EVs, Florida, Ford, Fossil fuel divestment, fracking, Gasoline, GM, Green bank, grid, Iowa, LED, Liquefied natural gas, LNG, methane, Mountaintop coal removal, natural gas, Neonictinoids, News, north dakota, Ohio, oil, Oil exports, Pesticide, Petcoke, renewables, Russia, saudi arabia, Sea level rise, Shale gas, solar, texas, transmission, Transportation, Ukraine, united kingdom, wind, Zero waste
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13
Oct

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 10.13.14

A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.

ENERGY POLICY

U.S. opposing China’s plan for Asian Development Bank (via New York Times)

Germany says it can’t exit coal-fired energy at same time as nuclear (via Reuters)

COAL 

China sets coal resource tax between 2%-10% (via Reuters)

RENEWABLES 

Merkel eyes multinational power market to cut renewables cost (via Bloomberg)

Renewables to drive power generation growth in Africa, says IEA (via Bloomberg)

India faces mounting calls to move solar to fixed tariffs (via Bloomberg)

China to promote utility-scale solar power projects (via Bloomberg)

Off-grid solar installation fund announced in Australia (via PV Tech)

Indian PV manufacturing insufficient to meet government ambition (via PV Tech)

40% drop in solar PV cost is brightest spot in global energy picture (via InsideClimate News)

SolarCity: PV panel supply crunch coming (via Recharge)

Biden: “Energy revolution” calls for more investment in alternatives (via The Hill)

North Carolina renewable energy boom being driven by solar (via CleanTechnica)

CLIMATE 

World’s fish leaving tropics, moving to poles (via United Press International)

Expanding Antarctic sea ice is flooding “warning bell” (via Climate Central)

Penny pinching risks global climate deal success in 2015, says France (via The Guardian)

U.S. may make “significant” climate fund pledge, says Peru minister (via Reuters)

NATURAL GAS 

Groups call for wastewater disposal halt in Oklahoma (via The Oklahoman)

In Texas, traffic deaths climb amid fracking boom (via NPR)

ENVIRONMENT 

Cyclone in India kills 8 as typhoon hits Japan (via New York Times)

Sao Paulo water supply at risk in extreme drought (via Huffington Post/AP)

Nation’s wildland firefighters grapple with relentless blazes (via Wall Street Journal)

Obama says he’s “not finished” after naming new monument (via The Hill)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

DOE sets new green standard certifications for federal buildings (via The Hill)

EMISSIONS 

IKEA may tighten carbon rules to protect environment (via Reuters)

Unions, greens press Obama to propose methane regulations (via The Hill)

Methane hotspot is huge, but nothing compared to other methane sources (via Climate Progress)

Methane hot spot in U.S. predates fracking boom, says study (via National Geographic)

OIL 

Spectators push oil into bear market as supply rises (via Bloomberg)

GRID 

Brazil planning transmission auction to link 7.5GW wind (via Recharge)

How microsynchrophasors could keep solar-saturated grids stable (via Greentech Media)

POLITICS 

GOP to investigate environmental groups’ influence on carbon rule (via New York Times)

Iowa candidates clash over EPA in U.S. Senate debate (via Politico)

Why climate hawks should still vote for fossil-fuel loving Democrats (via Grist)

OPINION 

The $10 billion question: Will the Green Climate Fund live up to expectations? (via World Resources Institute)

The price of oil is tumbling, the cost of finding it is not (via Economist)

Charting China’s carbon horizon (via Energy Collective)

Three things to know about Obama’s newest climate plan (via Bloomberg)

Posted:   |   Categories: africa, Angela Merkel, Antarctic, australia, biofuels, Brazil, China, climate, Climate Change, coal, DOE, drought, emissions, Energy Efficiency, environment, EPA, ethanol, fracking, France, germany, global warming, Green Climate Fund, grid, IEA, Ikea, india, Iowa, Japan Extreme weather, Joe Biden, methane, natural gas, News, North Carolina, nuclear, oil, oklahoma, Peru, renewables, Sao Paulo, Sea ice melt, solar, SolarCity, Synchrophasors, tariffs, texas, transmission, Wastewater disposal, wildfires, wind
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09
Oct

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 10.9.14

A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.

CLIMATE 

UN sets six-month deadline for delivery of draft climate agreement (via RTCC)

EU nations mull funds to aid clean energy in 2030 climate deal (via Bloomberg)

EU 2030 compromise could weaken climate action (via RTCC)

NOAA: Antarctic sea ice growth linked to loss of land ice (via Climate Progress)

Prepare for climate change or risk loss of funds, says FEMA (via Sustainable Business)

California leads U.S. on climate change preparation, says 50-state tool (via USA Today)

RENEWABLES 

Solar’s $30 billion splurge proves too much for Japan’s grid (via Bloomberg)

China solar demand in doubt as rooftop installations lag target (via Reuters)

Solar outlook in Ontario promising despite FiT cut (via PV Tech)

Ukraine wants 1GW of wind by 2016 (via Recharge News)

UK energy minister sets sights on “subsidy-free” solar by 2020 (via PV Tech)

Brazil eliminates taxes on wind parts to spur turbine production (via Bloomberg)

Mercom reports strong quarterly solar financing activity (via Solar Industry)

Slow-growing geothermal seeks bigger piece of U.S. renewable energy pie (via Breaking Energy)

Honda, SolarCity expand sun-powered partnership with new $50 million fund (via Autoblog Green)

Buying renewable power for data centers poses major challenges for Internet companies (via Greentech Media)

Wind energy innovation: Hybrid concrete and steel towers (via Navigant Research)

Proposed U.S. solar trade tariff changes “illegal” (via PV Tech)

Massachusetts offshore wind auction to include 4-5 zones (via Recharge News)

Renexia plans 500MW offshore wind for Maryland coast (via Recharge News)

NUCLEAR 

EU approves plan for new nuclear power station in UK (via New York Times)

Federal inspector faults regulator on San Onofre nuclear plant review (via CBS Los Angeles)

EMISSIONS 

Glasgow University to ditch £18 million fossil fuel investments (via BusinessGreen)

EPA sends ozone regulation for White House review (via The Hill)

California moves to revoke carbon credits after inquiry (via Bloomberg)

OIL 

Canadian crude exports to U.S. top 3 million bpd for first time (via Reuters)

Oil bulls keep faith Saudi supply cuts will revive price (via Houston Chronicle/Bloomberg)

In the U.S., a turning point in the flow of oil (via New York Times)

Environmental groups ramp up crude-by-rail fight in courtroom (via Breaking Energy)

Lego scraps Shell deal after Arctic drilling protest (via Houston Chronicle/AP)

TRANSPORTATION 

UK invests £11 million to get hydrogen cars on the road (via BusinessGreen)

Tesla sets up shop in Japan, sells first EVs (via Green Car Reports)

EPA says 24.1-mpg new car average is best ever (via Autoblog Green)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

Efficiency worth more than renewables at $310 billion, says IEA (via Bloomberg)

Which states have the most efficient cars and homes? Study ranks them (via Green Car Reports)

ENERGY POLICY 

Canadian support for joint U.S. energy policy falls (via Bloomberg)

GRID 

New Hampshire could be the next state to take on microgrids (via GreenBiz)

ENVIRONMENT 

Sugar shortage seen looming amid drought in Brazil (via Bloomberg)

Beijing raises smog alert as pollution envelops North China (via Bloomberg)

Obama to declare national monument in San Gabriels (via Los Angeles Times)

California’s firefighting air tanker fleet grounded after deadly Yosemite crash (via Los Angeles Times)

OPINION 

Fossil fuel divestment: A brief history (via The Guardian)

2014 extreme weather: looking for climate ties (via Climate Central)

Fourth quarter PV installation forecasts turning into a lottery (via PV Tech)

Advanced ethanol makers trying to give Big Oil a run for its money (via Forbes)

The big problem with letting small railroads haul oil (via Sightline)

Firsthand lessons on public charging for EVs (via Energy Collective)

California’s drought is so bad it’s literally moving mountains (via National Journal)

Documentary “The Overnighters” shows dark side of North Dakota oil boom (via Reuters)

Posted:   |   Categories: Antarctica, arctic, Beijing, biofuels, Brazil, california, canada, cap and trade, China, climate, Climate Change, Divestment, drought, electric vehicles, emissions, Energy Efficiency, EPA, ethanol, European Union, ev, Extreme weather, FEMA, Fossil fuel divestment, geothermal, global warming, grid, honda, hydrogen, japan, Lego, maryland, massachusetts, Mercom, New Hampshire, News, noaa, north dakota, nuclear, offshore drilling, offshore wind, oil, Oil train, ontario, OPEC, renewables, San Onofre, Sea ice, Shell, solar, Solar trade war, SolarCity, Tesla, Transportation, Ukraine, united kingdom, Wildfire, wind
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06
Oct

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 10.6.14

A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.

CLIMATE 

Past measurements may have missed massive ocean warming (via Science)

Could climate change affect the number of boys and girls born? (via Smithsonian)

Miami Beach prepares for annual “King Tide” flooding and a taste of sea level rise (via Huffington Post)

COAL 

U.S. sees drop in coal exports in 2014 (via Mining.com)

U.S. coal exports fall on lower European demand, increased global supply (via U.S. EIA)

U.S. coal companies having tough 2014 so far (via Knoxville News Sentinel)

New regulations, competition have coal industry reeling (via Tuscaloosa News)

RENEWABLES 

7 renewable energy lessons from Germany (via Renewable Energy World)

German solar PV market continues shrinking (via Renewables International)

U.S. DOE says 54GW of offshore wind power waiting to be tapped (via TriplePundit)

Siemens says wind power needs subsidy to compete in U.S. (via Financial Times)

U.S. DOE awarding $25 million to reduce CSP costs (via Solar Industry Magazine)

OSU researchers build rechargeable solar battery (via Houston Chronicle/AP)

USDA provides $91 million for biogasoline blendstock plant (via Green Car Congress)

First commercial quantities of cellulosic ethanol from woody biomass marketed (via Phys.org)

OIL 

Shell suspends Siberian oil project, says Russian partner (via Wall Street Journal)

Orphaned Russian oil heads to U.S. west on Asia overflow (via Bloomberg)

Rosneft CEO says he’ll develop Arctic oil with or without Exxon (via Bloomberg Businessweek)

BP seeks revised verdict or new trial on spill negligence (via Bloomberg)

Gov. Inslee: “Outdated, inadequate, and dangerous” oil trains crossing state (via Seattle Post-Intelligencer)

TRANSPORTATION 

European regulators say incorrect C02 ratings could cost drivers $580/year (via Autoblog Green)

Carnival cruises toward $2.5 billion in fuel savings (via GreenBiz)

UMTRI monthly report shows large drop in new-vehicle fuel economy in September (via Green Car Congress)

Toyota racks up 7 million hybrids sold since 1997 (via Green Car Reports)

ENERGY POLICY 

EU seeks faster energy market integration amid crisis (via Bloomberg)

GRID 

Brazil keeps renewable energy transmission & distribution discounts (via Recharge News)

Building wind power superhighways (via Chicago Tribune)

Grid-scale energy storage continues making inroads (via Renew Grid)

NATURAL GAS 

An industry you’ve never heard of is trying to cut $1.8 billion in wasted natural gas (via Climate Progress)

Two gas drillers agree to disclose fracking risks to investors (via The Hill)

Maryland report: Fracking poses little risk to drinking water in the state (via Climate Progress)

Drilling waste site roils tiny Texas town (via Texas Tribune)

EMISSIONS 

Fish failing to adapt to rising CO2 levels in ocean (via The Guardian)

China emissions rising on high-carbon economic growth (via RTCC)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

Tougher energy efficiency target would boost UK economy by £62 billion (via The Guardian)

Johnson Controls, WRI partnership targets energy efficiency in cities (via Environmental Leader)

ENVIRONMENT 

Wilderness as economic stimulus? A closer look at the evidence (via The Hill)

In virtual mega-drought, California avoids defeat (via Los Angeles Times)

POLITICS 

Brazil’s Rousseff in tight runoff against pro-business Neves (via Reuters)

Clashing visions of conservation shake Brazil’s presidential vote (via New York Times)

Democrats lean heavily on PACs in coordinated push to counter GOP (via New York Times)

McConnell on climate change: “Not a scientist” (via Courier-Journal)

This woman could become one of the world’s most influential environmentalists (via National Journal)

OPINION 

India’s mixed climate change forecast (via Washington Post)

Why the oil majors are backing away from renewable energy (via EnergyWire)

Cold days for coal could mean a better forecast for our climate (via Energy Collective)

A carbon tax will create jobs for Americans (via CNN)

Congress should fix the gas tax (via Washington Post)

NASA explains how climate change is like the flu (via National Journal)

Will investors flock to SunEdison’s emerging market YieldCo? (via Greentech Media)

Posted:   |   Categories: arctic, battery, biofuels, BP, Brazil, california, carbon tax, cellulosic ethanol, China, climate, Climate Change, coal, Coal exports, Concentrating solar power, department of energy, Dilma Rousseff, drought, emissions, Energy Efficiency, energy storage, European Union, fracking, Fuel Economy, Gas tax, germany, global warming, grid, india, jay inslee, Johnson Controls, maryland, methane, Mitch McConnell, NASA, natural gas, News, offshore drilling, offshore wind, oil, oil spill, Oil trains, renewables, Rosneft, Russia, Sea level rise, Shell, Siemens, solar, SunEdison, texas, Toyota, Transportation, united kingdom, wind, YieldCo
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