Category Archives:California Solar Initiative

05
Nov

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 11.5.14

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

CLIMATE 

Kerry: U.S., China cannot solve climate problems alone (via The Hill)

Queen Elizabeth admits “one has climate change concerns” (via BusinessGreen)

Tasmanian devils decline due to climate change, says research (via The Guardian)

Jersey retreating from rivers, but not coast, after Sandy (via Climate Central)

More activists arrested as climate demonstration continues at FERC (via Greenwire)

EMISSIONS 

South Korea carbon market unlikely to deliver climate target, say analysts (via BusinessGreen)

Germany looks to fast-track exit from coal, as well as nuclear (via Renew Economy)

California readies for cap-and-trade next steps (via TriplePundit)

Church of England failing to heed call to divest from fossil fuels (via The Guardian)

RENEWABLES 

How renewables in developing countries are leapfrogging traditional power (via Climate Progress)

Concerns amid low Brazil solar PV prices (via Recharge News)

Severe droughts hasten hydropower’s slow decline (via Navigant Research)

The end of a solar era: The Legacy of the California Solar Initiative (via Greentech Media)

Enphase posts record quarterly revenue with more expected (via PV Tech)

KEYSTONE XL 

TransCanada says Keystone XL project costs rise to $8 billion (via Bloomberg)

The Senate has a filibuster-proof pro-Keystone XL majority (via National Journal)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

LED efficiency soars in 2014 (via Greentech Media)

NREL, U.S. Army validate energy savings for net zero energy installations (via Phys.org)

OIL 

Halliburton CEO expects shale to reverse oil price slump (via Bloomberg)

GRID 

PGE takes energy storage to the distribution substation (via Greentech Media)

EU plans power supergrid to boost renewables (via RTCC)

NATURAL GAS 

Denton voters pass first fracking ban in Texas (via Houston Chronicle)

Three of four Ohio towns reject anti-fracking measures (via Midwest Energy News)

ENVIRONMENT 

Pollution halves India’s potential grain yield (via Hindustan Times/Reuters)

California passes $7.5 billion water bond (via Huffington Post)

POLITICS 

The new GOP Senate is already gearing up to cause climate mayhem (via Grist)

Elections a half victory for climate billionaire Steyer (via The Hill)

RNC Chair Priebus: Obama will sign Keystone XL bill (via The Hill)

Congratulations, voters. You just made this climate denier the most powerful senator on the environment (via The New Republic)

OPINION 

Why two crucial pages were left out of the latest UN climate report (via Washington Post)

Despite everything, 2014 is another growth year for solar PV (via Renewable Energy World)

Which hybrids save you money? Not as many as you might think (via Autoblog Green)

There’s still no consistent way to value solar on the grid (via Greentech Media)

The California Water Bond is a beginning, not an end: Here’s what’s next (via Huffington Post)

Posted:   |   Categories: Brazil, california, California Solar Initiative, cap and trade, Carbon market, China, Church of England, climate, Climate Change, coal, Divestment, drought, emissions, Energy Efficiency, energy storage, Enphase, European Union, ev, FERC, Fossil fuel divestment, germany, grid, Halliburton, hybrid, Hydropower, india, IPCC, james inhofe, john kerry, Keystone XL, LED, natural gas, Net zero, new jersey, News, NREL, nuclear, Ohio, oil, PGE, renewables, Shale oil, solar, South Korea, Superstorm Sandy, texas, Tom Steyer, TransCanada
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19
Aug

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 8.19.13

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

CLIMATE 

UN panel finds humans 95% likely cause of climate change (via The Hill)

More frequent heat waves by 2020 “almost certain” (via Climate Central)

Global flood damage could exceed $1 trillion annually by 2050 (via Mother Jones)

Climate change brings another flood onslaught in Pakistan (via Pakistan Daily Times)

Worst Colorado River drought in century prompts feds to cut Lake Powell releases (via Deseret News)

Many Floridians face rising tide of flood insurance costs (via Sun Sentinel)

KEYSTONE XL/TAR SANDS 

Interior Department says Keystone XL could harm parks, wildlife (via The Hill)

TransCanada acknowledges tar sands crude could sink if spilled (via EnergyWire)

Steyer launches $1 million anti-Keystone XL ad push (via The Hill)

RENEWABLES 

Despite slowdown, China to hold wind power market leadership to 2020 (via Renewable Energy World)

Czech lawmakers axe renewable energy support (via Recharge)

European climate policy drives wood pellet boom in North Carolina (via News Observer)

New hydropower laws could add 60GW of clean energy to US grid (via CleanTechnica)

Investors welcome new environmental standards for solar (via BusinessGreen)

Energy cane “could yield five times more ethanol than corn” (via Environmental Leader)

Texas claims cheapest solar installations as prices drop nationwide (via Houston Chronicle)

California Solar Initiative aims to preserve project resources as funding ends (via Energy Manager Today)

EMISSIONS 

Australia’s carbon markets to survive federal election (via Bloomberg)

California to discuss additional compliance options for cap-and-trade program (via Bloomberg BNA)

Waste carbon dioxide could be used as energy (via RTCC)

NATURAL GAS/FRACKING 

Shale gas company halts fracking at British site (via New York Times)

Shale grab in US stalls as falling values repel buyers (via Bloomberg)

Methane leakage from Utah gas rigs higher than EPA estimates (via RTCC)

Aubrey McClendon is back, with deals in the Utica (via Forbes)

GREEN BUSINESS 

Sweden named “most sustainable country in the world” (via BusinessGreen)

Auto manufacturers aim to produce vehicles at sustainable facilities (via Energy Manager Today)

Investors slow to embrace sustainability, Accenture says (via Environmental Leader)

US rare earths mining rush enters its “survival moment” (via Greenwire)

OIL 

Shale gas and oil production soaring in 2013 (via Houston Chronicle)

Experts clash on estimates of oil spilled into Gulf (via Houston Chronicle)

TRANSPORTATION 

America’s new vehicles are more fuel efficient than ever (via Greentech Media)

Electric car charging at work: The next big push (via Green Car Reports)

Is Tesla Model S the best way to sell politicians on EVs? (via Green Car Reports)

Hybrids take 7% of California market in 1H 2013; PHEVs 0.7%, EVs 1.1% (via Green Car Congress)

GREEN BUILDING 

USGBC report highlights growth in green building industry (via Bloomberg BNA)

Arizona hosts world’s largest net-zero energy building (via CleanTechnica)

GRID 

UK’s first large-scale battery storage project goes live (via Renew Grid)

Designing grid batteries to live long and prosper (via Greentech Media)

Distributed generation grabs power from centralized utilities (via Forbes)

Trees vs. transmission: Utility arborist seeks better approach (via Midwest Energy News)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

EIA publishes state fact sheets on residential energy consumption and characteristics (via US EIA)

Smart windows just got a lot smarter at saving energy (via Breaking Energy)

How much is a Nest thermostat worth? (via Breaking Energy)

ENVIRONMENT 

We’ve covered the world in pesticides – is that a problem? (via Washington Post)

In West’s expanding tinderbox, questions about development (via Stateline)

10,000 homes threatened as Idaho wildfire spreads to 92,000 acres (via NBC News)

Bare trees are a lingering sign of Hurricane Sandy’s high toll (via New York Times)

OPINION 

The future China chooses will dictate the future of Earth (via The Guardian)

Can climate science be rendered conservative-friendly? (via Grist)

Can hacking the stratosphere solve climate change? (via NPR)

Could suburbs become the future of renewable energy? (via ClimateWire)

Is Washington in a “post-policy era”? (via Washington Post)

Obama Administration rushes to expand fracking on public lands despite frightening evidence (via Climate Progress)

Posted:   |   Categories: arizona, Aubrey McClendon, australia, battery, BP, california, California Solar Initiative, cap and trade, China, climate, Climate Change, colorado river, Czech Republic, deforestation, distributed generation, drought, eia, Electric Vehicle, emissions, Energy Efficiency, energy storage, environment, ethanol, europe, ev, Flood, Florida, fracking, Geoengineering, global warming, green building, green business, grid, Gulf of Mexico, Heat waves, Hurricane Sandy, hybrid, Hydropower, Idaho, interior department, IPCC, Keystone XL, Lake Powell, LEED, natural gas, Nest, Net zero building, News, North Carolina, Ohio, oil, oil spill, pakistan, Pesticides, Rare earths, renewables, Shale gas, Shale oil, solar, Sugarcane, Sweden, tar sands, Tesla Model S, texas, Tom Steyer, TransCanada, transmission, Transportation, uk, united kingdom, USGBC, Utica Shale, Wildfire, wind
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12
Jul

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 7.12.13

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

CLIMATE 

Rising global temperatures accelerate drought-induced forest mortality (via Phys.org)

DOE to boost energy sector climate change efforts (via The Hill)

States seek flexibility in Obama climate plan (via Stateline)

Rising temperatures, shrinking snowpack fuel western wildfires (via Climate Central)

US admirals, generals link climate change to national security (via Public News Service)

ENERGY POLICY 

Japan’s “third arrow” aims for renewables, energy storage (via Renewable Energy World)

Use of coal to generate power rises; greenhouse gas emissions next? (via Los Angeles Times)

Pumping water underground for geothermal or fracking could trigger major earthquake, say scientists (via The Guardian)

RENEWABLES 

Q2 2013 global green investment at $53.1 billion (via Greentech Media)

France wind power feed-in tariff dispute nears finish line (via Recharge News)

New offshore wind turbines begin turning in Europe, but cash scarce (via Reuters)

California fast-tracks renewable energy projects (via Greentech Media)

California Solar Initiative shines with 391MW-installed record year (via CleanTechnica)

Walgreens taking on big boxes for solar energy leadership (via Midwest Energy News)

OIL 

IEA sees 20-year supply peak outpacing demand in 2014 (via Bloomberg)

Fracking pushes US oil output to highest level since 1992 (via Houston Chronicle)

US oil soars above $106 to 15-month high (via Wall Street Journal)

Gulf oil spill settlement payment offers reach nearly $4 billion (via Houston Chronicle)

Leaner BP blanches at bill for oil spill cleanup (via New York Times)

TRANSPORTATION 

OECD countries invest on average around 1% of GDP on road and rail infrastructure (via Green Car Congress)

The business model for solar-powered electric car charging (via Plug-in Cars)

Tesla Model S output speeds past 400 per week (via Bloomberg)

ENVIRONMENT 

Air pollution kills more than 2 million people every year (via The Guardian)

Russia and Ukraine likely to block huge proposed Antarctic marine reserve (via The Guardian)

Glass sponge invasion follows Antarctic ice shelf retreat (via Los Angeles Times)

US drought grows for fourth straight week, South driest in weeks (via Reuters)

For Western landscapes, fire may be an agent of change (via ClimateWire)

Steep drop in coastal fish found in California power plant records (via Los Angeles Times)

GRID 

Global smart meter unit shipments will peak at 131 million annually in 2018 (via Navigant Research)

Distributed management systems help utilities balance complex loads (via Navigant Research)

ComEd deploying 4 million smart meters in Illinois (via Renew Grid)

NATURAL GAS/FRACKING 

China raises natural gas prices 15% (via Energy Manager Today)

Distant seismic activity can trigger quakes at fracking sites (via Reuters)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

How utilities can make any customer care about efficiency (via GreenBiz)

EIA launches energy efficiency program tracker (via Greentech Media)

Natgas industry push to repeal zero-carbon building law splits green community (via InsideClimate News)

POLITICS 

Infographic: the anti-science climate denier caucus (via Climate Progress)

Reid, McConnell spar on EPA nomination in “nuclear” debate (via The Hill)

Congress tries to turn off lights on efficient bulb mandates (via Houston Chronicle)

Over 10,000 Google users protest company’s Inhofe fundraiser (via Climate Progress)

OPINION 

German tariffs make green energy too expensive to store (via BBC News)

Hey utilities – have you seen the traffic in Los Angeles lately? (via RMI Outlet)

How climate change makes it harder to keep the lights on (via Washington Post)

Posted:   |   Categories: Air pollution, Antarctica, barack obama, BP, california, California Solar Initiative, China, climate, Climate Change, coal, ComEd, deforestation, DOE, drought, eia, Electric Vehicle, emissions, Energy efficeincy, energy storage, EPA, ev, feed-in tariff, fracking, France, geothermal, Gina McCarthy, global warming, google, green building, grid, Gulf of Mexico, harry reid, IEA, Illinois, investment, japan, Jim Inhofe, los angeles, Mitch McConnell, natural gas, News, offshore wind, oil, oil spill, renewables, Russia, Shale oil, smart meter, solar pv, Tesla Model S, Transportation, Ukraine, Walgreens, Wildfire, wind
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11
Jul

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 7.11.13

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

EMISSIONS 

US, China agree on climate steps to curb emissions (via Washington Post)

Australia carbon emissions fell 7% in first year of carbon tax (via Platts)

A new one-stop shop for greenhouse gas emissions data (via WRI Insights)

Use of coal to generate power rises; greenhouse gas emissions next? (via Los Angeles Times)

Nanomaterials could accelerate CO2 removal from coal power plants (via RTCC)

Two more financial institutions divest from fossil fuels (via Energy Collective)

NATURAL GAS 

China wants bigger share of US shale revolution (via Reuters)

RENEWABLES 

Clean energy investment rises 22% led by US, China (via Bloomberg)

Wind to double and solar to triple in 6 years, says IEA (via Greentech Media)

Worldwide solar PV market will pass $134 billion in annual revenue by 2020 (via Navigant Research)

HSBC: wind at parity with new coal in India, solar to join by 2018 (via Renew Economy)

Peru to use solar panels to provide electricity to 2 million people (via Latin American Herald Tribune)

EU parliament approve proposals to reduce biofuels emissions (via BusinessGreen)

Uncertainty over Australian Renewable Energy Target delays 1GW new wind (via Recharge)

State RPSs hold steady or expand in 2013 (via Energy Manager Today)

DoD, Interior inch closer to cooperation on renewable energy projects (via Federal Times)

Six Sioux tribes collaborate on biggest US wind farm (via Sustainable Business)

$1 billion cost to meet Colorado’s renewable-energy goal (via Denver Business Journal)

Rooftop solar takes off across California as costs come down (via San Jose Mercury News)

New York awards $54 million for 79 solar projects (via Solar Industry Magazine)

Texas A&M plans world’s largest solar testing center (via Sustainable Business)

OIL 

IEA says US oil boom to erode OPEC market share in 2014 (via Reuters)

Russia to lift oil exports to Asia at expense of Europe (via Reuters)

Report says feds should expand damage assessment of BP oil spill (via Greenwire)

Canadian officials: death toll from train crash presumed at 50 (via Los Angeles Times)

TRANSPORTATION 

China widens car-purchase restrictions to fight pollution (via Bloomberg)

Upgraded urban travel could save $70 trillion by 2050 (via Phys.org)

European Commission launches $1.8 billion fuel cell and hydrogen research initiative (via Green Car Congress)

Ford refocuses, cuts price of 2014 electric car by 10% (via NBC News/Reuters)

GRID 

Climate change will cause more energy system breakdowns, warns US (via New York Times)

Power grids to spend $64 billion on new gear by 2020 (via Reuters)

Japan sets up hydrogen “task force” to advance fuel-cell infrastructure (via Autoblog Green)

Canada represents $7 billion in smart grid potential (via Renew Grid)

Continuous test operation begins for large-format Li-ion energy storage system (via Green Car Congress)

CLIMATE 

New report tracks decades of climate change (via Rolling Stone)

Study says some trees use less water amid rising carbon dioxide (via New York Times)

A scientific storm is brewing over the hurricane-climate connection (via Mother Jones)

Dangerous global warming could be reversed, say scientists (via The Guardian)

Chicago-sized iceberg calves off Antarctic glacier (via The Guardian)

NUCLEAR 

Japanese nuclear plant may have been leaking for two years (via New York Times)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

New EIA inventory tracks state energy efficiency programs (via US EIA)

House votes to block light bulb efficiency standards (via Climate Progress)

Nest and Opower talk strategy for residential demand response (via Greentech Media)

Curtailing energy during “peak power hour” reduces next year’s rates (via Energy Manager Today)

GREEN BUSINESS 

Carbon Trust unveils supplier directory for green businesses (via BusinessGreen)

Report: reducing emissions and increasing manufacturing can go hand in hand (via Greentech media)

Nike’s new “Making” app shows sustainability of clothing material (via Inhabitat)

Sustainability exchange for cities to collaborate on best practices (via Energy Manager Today)

POLITICS 

Battle rages over Obama’s climate standards for Keystone XL pipeline (via Washington Post) 

What David Vitter got for blocking Gina McCarthy (via Politico)

Conservative climate hawks to GOP: wake the hell up (via Mother Jones)

GOP aide writing anonymously: party should “reclaim” climate debate (via The Hill)

House panel approves bill curtailing EPA power on climate regulations (via The Hill)

OPINION 

Bad news: fossil fuels are more than keeping up with clean energy (via Washington Post)

The money behind fossil fuel exports (via Sightline Daily)

Green energy policy matters in selling EVs (via Houston Chronicle)

Posted:   |   Categories: Antarctic, australia, barack obama, biofuels, BP, california, California Solar Initiative, canada, carbon capture, carbon tax, Carbon Trust, China, Climate Change, coal, colorado, David Vitter, Defense Department, Demand response, distributed generation, Divestment, eia, electric vehicles, emissions, Energy Efficiency, energy storage, EPA, EU, European Union, ev, Ford, Fossil fuel divestment, fuel cell, Gina McCarthy, green business, grid, Grid Parity, Gulf of Mexico, HSBC, hydrogen, IEA, india, interior department, International Energy Agency, investment, japan, Keystone XL, Nanomaterials, natural gas, Natural gas exports, Nest, new york state, News, nike, nuclear, oil, Oil exports, oil spill, OPEC, Opower, Peru, renewable portfolio standard, renewables, rooftop solar, rps, Russia, Shale gas, Shale oil, smart grid, solar, solar pv, Texas A&M, Transportation, wind
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19
Jun

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 6.19.13

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

COAL 

US coal exports set monthly record (via US EIA)

Army Corps won’t consider global emissions from coal exports (via The Hill)

EMISSIONS

China carbon permits trade 22% below EU on market debut (via Bloomberg)

EU emission trading system set for second “backloading” vote (via RTCC)

Autism tied to air pollution, brain-wiring disconnection (via Bloomberg)

Cutting carbon could save US corporations $780 billion over 10 years (via BusinessGreen)

GRID 

Smart grid market revenue will hit $73 billion annually by 2020 (via CleanTechnica)

Obama nourishes smart grid to feed his legacy (via Forbes)

RENEWABLES 

European utilities switch off investment in fossil fuel plants (via New York Times)

Japan’s journey from nuclear to solar power (via EarthTechling)

Moniz sees bright future for solar (via Breaking Energy)

Cape Wind gets $200 million investment from Danish fund (via Phys.org)

California’s solar energy initiative is ending – what has it left behind? (via Energy Collective)

Getting it right in New England’s regional process for Canadian hydropower imports (via CLF Scoop)

CLIMATE 

World Bank says world’s poorest will feel brunt of climate change (via The Guardian)

Small global warming rise would have “alarming” impact, says World Bank (via Reuters)

California and Shenzen, China sign agreement to cooperate on climate change (via Green Car Congress)

Ernest Moniz keeps cool as House GOP disputes climate change (via Politico)

Record-shattering heat bakes Alaska (via Washington Post)

Seattle adopts carbon neutral climate action plan for 2050 (via Climate Progress)

NATURAL GAS/FRACKING 

EPA official says fracking study won’t be done until 2016 (via Houston Chronicle)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

Bahrain launches green plan to tackle growing energy consumption (via Gulf Daily News)

Firing up Minnesota’s “energy efficiency power plant” (via Midwest Energy News)

Making energy efficiency attractive for owners of older Seattle buildings (via New York Times)

OIL 

US considers exporting more oil for first time since 1970’s (via Bloomberg)

Canada raises liability for offshore oil spills to $1 billion (via Globe and Mail)

Why did officials slap Exxon with an oil spill lawsuit so quickly in Arkansas? (via InsideClimate News)

TRANSPORTATION 

South Africa starts three-year study to see if it’s ready for EVs (via Autoblog Green)

Vermont and Quebec announce electric car corridor (via Fox News/AP)

Will you or the grid control your electric car? (via Scientific American)

ENVIRONMENT 

This year’s Gulf of Mexico dead zone could be biggest on record (via Time)

“Extreme” Arizona wildfire burns 5,000 acres in just 7 hours (via NBC News)

LA approves ban on plastic grocery bags (via Los Angeles Times)

OPINION 

Why you should care about Solar Impulse and renewable energy’s long journey (via Washington Post)

How reliance on trees can help forests (via New York Times)

Posted:   |   Categories: alaska, arizona, Arkansas, Bahrain, barack obama, california, California Solar Initiative, canada, cap and trade, cape wind, Carbon neutral, carbon trading, China, climate, Climate Change, coal, Coal exports, Electric vehicle charging, electric vehicles, emissions, Energy Efficiency, Energy efficiency retrofits, EPA, Ernest Moniz, EU, EU ETS, European Union, ev, ev charging, Extreme weather, Exxon, fracking, global warming, green business, grid, Gulf of Mexico, Hydropower, japan, los angeles, minnesota, natural gas, New England, News, nuclear, offshore wind, oil, Oil exports, oil spill, Plastic bag ban, Quebec, renewables, seattle, Shenzen, smart grid, solar, Solar Impulse, South Africa, Transportation, V2G, vermont, Wildfire, wind, World Bank
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