Energy and Environment News Roundup – 4.24.14
A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.
ENVIRONMENT
China says more than half of its groundwater is polluted (via The Guardian)
China to impose tougher penalties on polluters under new law (via Reuters)
Up to a third of wild US seafood likely “illegal” (via Environmental Leader)
New map could refocus California’s pollution battles (via Los Angeles Times)
COAL
Poland pushes coal on Europe as Putin wields gas weapon (via Bloomberg)
Federal government lowers level of coal dust allowed in mines (via Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
Investment in aging coal plants a losing proposition (via Energy Manager Today)
CDC: West Virginia symptoms “consistent” with coal ash chemical health effects (via Charleston Daily Mail)
RENEWABLES
Green bonds could cut India clean energy costs 25% (via Bloomberg)
UK approves five offshore wind projects with capacity to power three million homes (via Sustainable Business)
Biomass: The world’s biggest provider of renewable energy (via Energy Collective)
Environmental groups ask US trade rep to drop complaint over India’s solar policy (via Huffington Post)
DOE Secretary: Federal loans possible for Cape Wind project (via Cape Cod Times)
Google and SunPower join forces to fund solar homes (via Forbes)
Unlocking solar energy’s value as an asset class (via Renewable Energy World)
Three new finance models for non-profits to go solar (via Renewable Energy World)
Report says ethanol generates $19.3 billion in economic activity, supports 73,000 jobs in Iowa (via The Gazette)
Illinois still in search of solution for “broken” renewable energy standard (via EnergyWire)
EMISSIONS
Australia slashes emission penalties in new climate plan (via RTCC)
Ireland outlines low-carbon transition plans with new climate bill (via RTCC)
Two-thirds of mayors can quantify carbon emissions cuts (via Environmental Leader)
Washington University sit-in against Peabody Coal enters third week (via Huffington Post)
OIL
Report says US not ready for Arctic drilling (via The Hill)
Oil price declines as US oil supplies rise (via Houston Chronicle/AP)
TRANSPORTATION
US to remain largest plug-in market over next 10 years; Tokyo to take metro lead spot from LA (via Green Car Congress)
Lufthansa says helping to test new aviation biofuel (via Reuters)
Tesla could build EVs in China as soon as 2017 (via Autoblog Green)
KEYSTONE XL
White House disputes report on Keystone XL (via National Journal)
Spirit camp embodies Sioux opposition to Keystone pipeline (via National Journal)
CLIMATE
Greenland’s icecap losing stability (via Alaska Dispatch/Deutsche Welle)
African Development Bank launches new climate change fund (via RTCC)
Climate change threatens California’s air quality, says report (via Los Angeles Times)
Storm surge could flood New York City one in every four years (via Climate Central)
NATURAL GAS
In landmark ruling, jury says fracking company must pay $3 million to sickened family (via Climate Progress)
GRID
PSE&G frustrated by resistance to “Energy Strong” effort (via Philadelphia Inquirer)
CalCharge: A model for California energy storage dominance (via Greentech Media)
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
EU warned energy efficiency plans are slipping (via BusinessGreen)
Five million reasons for communities to lower their energy use (via Energy.gov)
Opower IPO signals growing market for energy management tools (via Navigant Research)
California schools get $381 million in first wave of energy efficiency upgrades (via Sustainable Business)
Advocates of Ohio’s green energy law say it saves $2 for every $1 spent (via Columbus Dispatch)
OPINION
Obama’s last shot (via Rolling Stone)
The left’s secret club (via Politico)
Which US universities are the greenest? (via Climate Progress)
What a win-win on unburnable carbon looks like (via GreenBiz)
The green heroes of the Time 100 (via Time)
What’s climate change got to do with lung cancer? (via EcoAffect)