Energy and Environment News Roundup – 5.10.13
A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.
GRID
North America boasts 95% of demand response projects (via Energy Manager Today)
Microgrids for military bases to surpass $377 million in annual market value by 2018 (via Navigant Research)
PacifiCorp continues high-voltage transmission grid expansion (via Renew Grid)
Nest aims to shake up residential demand response (via Navigant Research)
GREEN BUSINESS
Global green trade to reach $2.2 trillion by 2020 (via Environmental Leader)
How are China’s overseas investments affecting the environment? (via WRI Insights)
Patagonia’s new VC fund to invest in trailblazing green firms (via GreenBiz)
An effort to thwart sale of Tribune Company papers to the Kochs (via New York Times)
RENEWABLES
EU to hit 100+ China solar panel makers with anti-dumping tariffs (via Greentech Media)
Wind PTC secured for now, industry focuses on long-term growth (via Greenwire)
Unique floating wind turbine base could provide glimpse into future (via Bangor Daily News)
Doubling wind power could save Mid-Atlantic consumers $6.9 billion a year (via Climate Progress)
New Hampshire governor opposes Connecticut’s plans to change renewable energy standard (via New Haven Register)
Rate design matters: utility tariffs and solar project economics (via Greentech Media)
Big gust of new wind power coming Iowa’s way (via EarthTechling)
Illinois Senate backs Lake Michigan offshore wind study (via News-Gazette)
NATURAL GAS
DOE using broad criteria to judge LNG exports (via Houston Chronicle)
CLIMATE
Studies of the past show an ice-free Arctic could be in our future (via Time)
Countries finding new ways to address climate change (via Sustainable Business)
Prince Charles: climate change skeptics are turning Earth into dying patient (via The Guardian)
Is it time to abandon the 2-degree warming target? (via RTCC)
Obama Administration rolls out climate and health data tool (via The Hill)
GREEN BUILDING
Green building now mandatory in Dubai (via Sustainable Business)
“Monumental shift” in US buildings sector may surprise you (via Greentech Media)
TRANSPORTATION
2013 Nissan Leaf named “Top Safety Pick” in IIHS crash tests (via Autoblog Green)
Nissan Leaf moves beyond early adopters to cost conscious (via Forbes)
Australian researchers more than double EV battery capacity (via Autoblog Green)
OIL
New blowout preventer mandates coming – but companies won’t have to comply overnight (via Houston Chronicle)
Oil industry: BLM preventing job creation by postponing oil, gas lease auctions (via Washington Post/AP)
BIOMASS
Europe’s new biomass satellite will map Earth’s forests to calculate carbon stores (via Inhabitat)
Does burning wood instead of fossil fuels increase GHG emissions? (via Midwest Energy News)
POLITICS
Republicans boycott vote on Obama’s EPA pick (via Mother Jones)
EPA nomination faces some hard math (via The Hill)
McCarthy’s nomination in doubt, angering Democrats (via Politico)
Major Obama donors compare Keystone decision to outlawing of slavery (via Washington Post)
OPINION
Conventional wisdom about clean energy is still way out of date (via Greentech Media)
Once more, with feeling: EPA is required to regulate carbon from existing power plants (via Grist)
Why you can’t talk about fixing the electric grid without talking about climate change (via Climate Progress)
Time to reconsider “baseload” power (via Midwest Energy News)
California’s new energy crisis centers on nuclear power (via Forbes)