Energy and Environment News Roundup – 9.12.13
A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.
EMISSIONS
China to cut coal use, shut polluters, in bid to clear the air (via Reuters)
EPA to revise climate rule for new power plants, will still require carbon capture (via Washington Post)
Utilities fret about “unrealistic” emissions rules (via The Hill)
1% of America’s power plants emit 33% of energy industry’s CO2 (via Mother Jones)
California carbon price forecast plunges (via Environmental Leader)
COAL
China sets national coal use target to tackle air pollution (via Reuters)
Study: Damage from mountaintop coal removal mining “staggering” compared to energy benefits (via Charleston Gazette)
RENEWABLES
Chile’s road to solar grid parity (via Renewable Energy World)
Japan hopes to blow ahead in renewables with floating wind farm (via Japan Times)
Analysis: 50% reduction in cost of renewable energy since 2008 (via CleanTechnica)
New US solar market report: US installs 832MW solar PV in Q2 2013 (via Greentech Media)
What local wind energy ordinances make sense for distributed generation? (via CleanTechnica)
New Mexico commission urged not to change renewable energy rules (via Santa Fe New Mexican)
California bill preserves net metering, “punts” to state regulators (via Solar Industry Magazine)
Study says solar delivers $11 million in annual benefits to Xcel Energy grid (via Solar Industry Magazine)
Michigan utility moves forward on $255M wind farm (via Detroit Free-Press)
Falling into solar: National Solar Tour and Solar Decathlon (via Renewable Energy World)
CLIMATE
Arctic ice continues thinning to record low, European satellite reveals (via Christian Science Monitor)
Report shows companies still don’t take climate change seriously (via The Guardian)
Summer days “four times hotter” across some parts of Europe (via RTCC)
The most important climate pacts you’ve never heard of (via Climate Central)
States with most federal disaster aid sent most climate deniers to Congress (via Center for American Progress)
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
Senate takes up bipartisan energy efficiency legislation (via Huffington Post)
Senate energy efficiency debate becomes battleground (via Houston Chronicle)
What it takes to make energy efficiency programs work (via Greentech Media)
Chicago moves to require building owners to disclose energy use (via Chicago Tribune)
Opower launches behavioral demand response program (via Greentech Media)
NATURAL GAS/FRACKING
LNG export critics call on DOE for time out (via Houston Chronicle)
Obama administration authorizes new natural gas export terminal (via Houston Chronicle)
California assembly passes new regulations on fracking (via Houston Chronicle)
GRID
Microgrids become reality as Superstorm Sandy anniversary nears (via ClimateWire)
DOE Energy Systems Integration Facility to help modernize grid (via Energy.gov)
New EV chargers put energy back into local grid (via EarthTechling)
DOE, NREL, Toyota collaborating on integrating EVs into grid (via Green Car Reports)
Why the Lone Star State’s smart grid stands alone (via GreenBiz)
ENERGY SECTOR
Power sector infrastructure, renewables spending surging (via Houston Chronicle)
Why are some bug utilities embracing small-scale solar? (via InsideClimate News)
TRANSPORTATION
Volkswagen will be biggest EV maker in 2018, it says (via Green Car Reports)
Nissan Leaf hits South Africa in October – first EV on sale in the country (via CleanTechnica)
Tesla challenges BMW on home turf as Germans go green (via Bloomberg)
What is America’s most fuel-efficient airline? (via Climate Central)
DOE-NASCAR partnership revs deployment of pollution-reducing technology (via Energy.gov)
ENVIRONMENT
Global warming may “flatten” rainforests (via Mongabay)
Proposal to protect Antarctic waters is scaled back (via New York Times)
Study: Wind farms killed 67 eagles in 5 years (via AP)
OPINION
Three investment vehicles that could revolutionize solar (via Sustainable Industries)
Naomi Klein’s criticism of environmental groups missed the mark (via Climate Progress)
China’s urban billion: Energy use and greenhouse gases (via WRI Insights)
The trouble with low carbon prices (via Environmental Leader)
What can Canada do to get Keystone approved? (via Politico)
Despite hard push from industry, new coal plants could see serious carbon cuts (via Climate Progress)