Category Archives:canada

16
Jan

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 1.16.15

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

CLIMATE 

EU plans diplomatic offensive ahead of Paris climate summit (via RTCC)

New Pew survey shows Americans may finally be serious about global warming (via Washington Post)

COAL 

Michigan governor wants to wean state off coal as an energy source (via Lansing News)

RENEWABLES 

Solar, wind power to become cheapest energy source in Asia (via Business Standard)

Brazil wind financing deals surged 83% last year to $2.5 billion (via Bloomberg)

Wind farms could save UK £7.4 billion in gas import costs, says report (via BusinessGreen)

2015 will see first solar equipment produced in Brazil, says BNDES (via Recharge)

Merkel says Germany needs “a respite from solar” (via PV Magazine)

Dubai doubles capacity of “lowest cost” PV plant to 200MW (via PV Tech)

Yingli Green kick-starts China PV project pipeline in 2015 (via PV Tech)

Queensland businesses turn to solar to offset soaring bills (via Renew Economy)

Australian households installed a rooftop solar system every 2.8 minutes in 2014 (via Renew Economy)

U.S. solar industry adds 31,000 jobs in 2014 (via The Hill)

California regulators consider west-facing incentives for solar (via Solar Industry)

Missouri net metering bills could aid battered solar industry (via Midwest Energy News)

In Wisconsin, solar “new math” could equal big impacts (via Midwest Energy News)

Minnesota group wants state energy assistance to fund solar for low-income families (via Sustainable Business)

Solar cell efficiency jumps 50% with hand-build Perovskite layer (via CleanTechnica)

Small-scale hybrid energy device harvests both sun and wind (via Treehugger)

Solar Decathlon 2015 kicks off with Irvine workshop (via CleanTechnica)

OIL 

Mexico considers delaying some oil exploration bidding (via Houston Chronicle/AP)

Canada postpones North American summit amid Keystone XL tension (via Reuters)

Lifting U.S. crude export ban could boost production, cut gas prices, says study (via Reuters)

Judge puts BP’s top fine at $13.7 billion for Gulf oil spill; U.S. sought $18 billion (via Bloomberg)

U.S. oil train safety proposal due in May (via Reuters)

Gravy train derails for oil patch workers laid off in downturn (via Bloomberg)

TRANSPORTATION 

Korea’s target: 200,000 EVs by 2020 (via Inside EVs)

Nissan to have longer-range EVs “relatively quickly,” says executive (via Green Car Reports)

Elon Musk: Hyperloop test track may be built in Texas (via San Francisco Chronicle)

GRID 

India’s power sector moves into the 21st century (via Navigant Research)

PJM files “stop-gap” proposal with FERC to allow demand response in capacity auctions (via SNL Energy)

Opower says 95 utility partners have saved 6TWh energy (via Energy Manager Today)

California takes lead in developing energy storage (via GreenBiz)

Solar and utilities can co-exist through EVs, says Elon Musk (via Renew Economy)

POLITICS 

Poll: GOP clashes with voters on oil industry priorities (via Houston Chronicle)

Solar alliance in Sunshine State may be bad news for Jeb Bush (via Forbes)

OPINION 

How beyond-the-grid solar firms and lenders can make better use of capital (via Greentech Media)

A reminder to investors dumping solar stocks: PV and oil rarely mix (via Greentech Media)

Center for Public Integrity reveals how PR firms manufacture consent for oil firms (via DeSmogBlog)

Wind must cut costs in face of cheap crude (via Renewable Energy World)

Posted:   |   Categories: Angela Merkel, australia, BNDES, BP, Brazil, california, canada, China, climate, Climate Change, coal, COP22, CPUC, Demand response, Dubai, electric vehicles, Elon Musk, energy storage, European Union, ev, FERC, Florida, global warming, grid, Gulf of Mexico, Hyperloop, india, Jeb Bush, Keystone XL, Korea, mexico, michigan, minnesota, Missouri, Net metering, News, Nissan, oil, Oil exports, oil spill, Oil train, Opower, Perovskite, PJM, renewables, solar, Solar Decathlon, texas, Transportation, united kingdom, wind, Wisconsin, Yingli
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15
Jan

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 1.15.15

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

EMISSIONS 

EU power sector emissions drop a “staggering” eight percent (via BusinessGreen)

South Korea cap-and-trade market becomes world’s second-largest (via CleanTechnica)

Warm weather sinking EU emissions-market plans (via Bloomberg)

EPA air chief “confident” as rulemakings face legal, political fire (via Greenwire)

NATURAL GAS 

Drillers say Obama plan to plug methane leaks imperils boom (via Bloomberg)

President Obama’s gas-drilling dance (via National Journal)

RENEWABLES 

Germany passes 1GW offshore wind, set to triple this year (via Recharge)

Wind and bioenergy star in 2030 U.S. green energy mix, PV not so much (via Breaking Energy)

U.S. solar jobs climb 22% as clean power aids economic recovery (via Bloomberg)

Policy uncertainty drives 25 percent of wind industry suppliers out of business (via CleanTechnica)

SolarCity taps Credit Suisse for $200 million on “MyPower” financing (via PV Tech)

Net metering for rooftop solar: How to fix the problems (via The Energy Collective)

Xcel’s community solar program creates “bite-sized” utility projects (via Solar Industry)

Florida Tea Party helps launch ballot initiative for third-party solar (via Greentech Media)

OIL 

OPEC to see market share drop even as oil slump slows shale boom (via Reuters)

Wells Fargo examines its energy loans after oil-price drop (via Reuters)

TRANSPORTATION 

The $2.4 billion plan to get Germans to buy EVs (via Autoblog)

Production and sales of plug-in EVs boomed in China in 2014 (via Green Car Congress)

Tesla chief asks automakers to support electric cars (via New York Times)

CLIMATE 

Rate of sea-level rise more significant than thought (via BBC)

Map reveals which countries will survive climate change (via Inhabitat)

Scientists reveal which coral reefs can survive global warming (via The Guardian)

Pope Francis says climate change is mostly man’s fault (via The Guardian)

Global Climate Fund on GOP’s budget hit list (via InsideClimate News)

For vulnerable barrier islands, a rush to rebuild on U.S. coast (via Yale e360)

KEYSTONE XL 

Canada still expecting Keystone XL approval (via The Hill)

GRID 

Clean Line scores key approval for Plains & Eastern transmission line (via Recharge)

NUCLEAR 

Fukushima meltdowns pervade South Korea debate on reactor renewal (via Bloomberg)

ENVIRONMENT 

USDA to provide $370 million for environmental conservation projects (via The Hill)

State of the California drought: Still very bad (via ScienceBlogs)

OPINION 

Could China become the OPEC of solar manufacturing? (via Forbes)

Institutional investors are blowing it on renewable energy (via GreenBiz)

Cost-competitive clean energy well placed to rise out oil price slump (via Forbes)

Solar industry added jobs nearly 20 times faster than overall U.S. economy in 2014 (via Climate Progress)

Posted:   |   Categories: biomass, california, canada, cap and trade, China, Clean Line, Clean Power Plan, climate, Climate Change, community solar, Coral reefs, Credit Suisse, drought, Electric Vehicle, Elon Musk, emissions, environment, EPA, European Union, ev, Florida, fracking, fukushima, germany, Global Climate Fund, grid, Keystone XL, methane, natural gas, Net metering, News, nuclear, offshore wind, oil, OPEC, Pope Francis, renewables, Sea level rise, solar, SolarCity, South Korea, Tesla, transmission, Transportation, usda, Wells Fargo, xcel
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14
Jan

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 1.14.15

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

EMISSIONS 

China calls for local targets to curb coal use, cut pollution (via Bloomberg)

Carbon pricing set to cover 80 percent of Canada’s economy (via RTCC)

White House methane plan takes aim at oil and gas industry (via Houston Chronicle)

Goddard College becomes fourth Vermont school to divest from fossil fuels (via Huffington Post)

Harvard invests tens of millions in fossil fuels despite divestment campaign (via The Guardian)

Top 10 carbon market predictions for 2015 (via TriplePundit)

RENEWABLES 

Deutsche Bank predicts solar grid parity in 80% of global market by 2017 (via CleanTechnica)

Mexico to build 2.3GW wind capacity by 2019 (via Recharge)

Green bond market hits record $36.6 billion in 2014 (via BusinessGreen)

Utilities push back as solar industry booms in Japan (via Forbes)

Google’s clean energy capacity passes 2.5GW with latest solar investment (via BusinessGreen)

Report: Solar is cheaper than the grid in 42 of 50 largest U.S. cities (via Greentech Media)

U.S. homes fitted with PV attract higher prices, says report (via PV Tech)

As North Carolina solar industry booms the region takes notes (via Environmental Leader)

Ohio renewable energy policies spurred growth, now driving away business, says report (via Cleveland.com)

NREL enzyme could help offset fossil fuel dependence (via Energy Manager Today)

GRID 

India’s faulty grid presents a transmission opportunity (via Navigant Research)

Moody’s and Navigant offer conflicting views on economics of solar-plus storage (via PV Tech)

CLIMATE 

Developing cities hold big key to climate action (via Climate Central)

Melting glaciers imperil Kathmandu, perched high above rising seas (via Bloomberg)

Moisture shortfall, heat threaten Southwestern forests (via Climate Central)

Climate change is laying waste to water supplies, warns Farm Bureau (via Grist)

OIL 

Record oil imports take China closest ever to passing U.S. (via Bloomberg)

Commodity traders exploit crude crash to make oil storage king (via Bloomberg)

Poll: Majority of voters oppose more oil exports (via The Hill)

EIA forecasts temporary peak in U.S. oil output in May (via Reuters)

Some on Wall Street see oil plunging to $40 and below (via Houston Chronicle)

Keystone-oil export ban sought by Senator backing pipeline bill (via Bloomberg)

Tool shows how taxpayer money could be spent instead of subsidizing Big Oil (via EcoWatch)

TRANSPORTATION 

China to cut subsidies for non-electric vehicles (via Bloomberg)

United Kingdom emergency services in front line of government EV rollout (via BusinessGreen)

Honda announces all-electric and PHEV model while debuting FCV concept (via Inside EVs)

Musk: Tesla can make a few million cars a year by 2025 (via GigaOm)

Nissan CEO: Chevy Bolt “not a surprise”  - Nissan has competing, long-range EV in development (via Inside EVs)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

Annual revenue from fuel cell systems is expected to reach nearly $57.8 billion by 2023 (via Navigant Research)

Reverse net metering? California penalizes certain types of energy efficiency (via Forbes)

ENERGY POLICY 

Worries about consumers cutting utility ties are overblown, say Moody’s analysts (via Greentech Media)

Top 50 green American schools, as Stanford faculty calls for fossil fuel divestment (via CleanTechnica)

ENVIRONMENT 

The 25 billion-dollar weather disasters of 2014 (via WeatherUnderground)

POLITICS 

Senate to vote on whether climate change is happening (via The Hill)

Two ways Obama can win on Keystone even if Republicans triumph (via Slate)

Ted Cruz oil export amendment difficult vote for some GOP senators (via National Journal)

The greenest governor in America tells Grist about his big climate plan (via Grist)

Massachusetts’s governor appoints controversial new energy team (via Boston Globe)

Posted:   |   Categories: 1958, biofuel, california, canada, Carbon market, Carbon price, Chevy Bolt, China, climate, Climate Change, coal, Deutsche Bank, Divestment, drought, eia, electric vehicles, Elon Musk, emissions, Energy Efficiency, energy storage, Fossil fuel divestment, fuel cell, global warming, Goddard College, google, Green bonds, grid, Grid Parity, Harvard, honda, india, japan, jay inslee, Keystone XL, massachusetts, methane, mexico, natural gas, Net metering, News, Nissan, NREL, Ohio, oil, Oil exports, ontario, Pipeline, renewables, solar, Stanford University, Ted Cruz, Tesla, transmission, Transportation, united kingdom, vermont, 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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23
Dec

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 12.23.14

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

NATURAL GAS 

Biggest Arctic gas project seeks route around U.S. sanctions (via Bloomberg)

Natural gas falls to two-year low with no cold in sight (via Reuters)

Groups urge administration to steer clear of gas exports bill (via The Hill)

New York and Maryland had the same information about fracking, and they made very different decisions (via Washington Post)

ENERGY POLICY 

Germany’s electricity mix: Solar capacity reigns, but coal generation sustains (via Greentech Media)

RENEWABLES 

Canadian pension funds divert investment to solar (via PV Tech)

UK and US yieldcos on Christmas acquisition spree (via PV Tech)

Wind and solar = 77% of new U.S. electricity generating capacity in November (via CleanTechnica)

Clean energy policy wins and losses of 2014 (via Greentech Media)

2014 renewable energy recap: Stepping backward, crawling forward (via IEEE Spectrum)

Apple, IKEA, Walmart: 12 leaders in on-site renewables (via GreenBiz)

Cloudy future for wind farms in Ohio (via Columbus Dispatch)

As the weather turns frightful, keep placed in service deadlines delightful (via Renewable Energy World)

Did OPIC just finish a watershed beyond-the-grid solar deal? (via Energy Collective)

Austin’s balancing act: Solar policy and affordability (via Clean Energy Finance Forum)

CLIMATE 

Pacific coral shows global warming’s tie to wind (via Bloomberg)

Wheat yields to fall more than expected in warmer world (via Reuters)

Atmospheric rivers to soak California as climate warms (via LiveScience)

New York’s fracking ban divides experts on climate impacts (via Climate Central)

Miami’s climate catch-22: Building waterfront condos to pay for protection against rising seas (via Washington Post)

Wyoming Republican fights ban on controversial climate-science standards (via National Journal)

EMISSIONS 

World’s top 500 firms’ emissions rise, despite call for cuts (via Reuters)

OIL 

Saudi Arabia vows not to cut output to prop up oil markets (via Reuters)

Shell collaborating with regulators over Arctic drilling (via Houston Chronicle)

Oil crash wipes $11.7 billion from buyout firms’ holdings (via Houston Chronicle/Bloomberg)

TRANSPORTATION 

AAA: Falling gas prices break record (via The Hill)

Congress lets $8,000 hydrogen vehicle tax credit expire (via Autoblog)

To challenge Tesla, Volkswagen will buy solid-state battery startup (via Inside EVs)

Living the EV-PV dream: How I paired my solar system with an electric car (via Greentech Media)

GRID 

Germany power demand plummets, renewables rise, fossil power at a 35-year low (via Renewables International)

Solar energy and storage helps Caribbean expats live the food life (via Renewable Energy World)

Can distributed generation replace $1 billion in substation upgrades? New York will soon find out (via Greentech Media)

OPINION 

What was the biggest energy success story of 2014? (via National Journal)

Could flooding finally wake Americans up to the climate crisis? (via Grist)

The year ahead: 2015 trends in clean tech (via Energy Collective)

Posted:   |   Categories: AAA, apple, arctic, Austin, battery, california, canada, Caribbean, climate, coal, distributed generation, Electric Vehicle, emissions, energy storage, ev, ev charging, Flooding, fracking, gas prices, germany, grid, hydrogen, Ikea, maryland, Miami, natural gas, Natural gas exports, new york state, News, offshore drilling, Ohio, oil, OPIC, renewables, saudi arabia, Sea level rise, solar, Tesla, texas, Transportation, Volkswagen, Walmart, wind, wyoming, YieldCo
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18
Dec

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 12.18.14

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

EMISSIONS

EU decides to ratify Kyoto Protocol extension (via RTCC)

EPA punts decision on methane regulations (via The Hill)

Gov. Inslee want to cap and tax emissions from Washington State’s major polluters (via Climate Progress)

Department of Energy announces 22 new emissions reductions, energy efficiency projects (via Breaking Energy)

COAL

McConnell wants to stop coal rules (via AP)

ERCOT report re-ignites war of words over coal plant shutdowns (via Austin American-Statesman)

RENEWABLES

Green bonds sell big in 2014 as finance bids to help climate (via Reuters)

UK low-carbon electricity generation up 24% in 3Q 2014 (via Bloomberg)

Faced with a surge in PV, Japan will allow utilities to restrict solar output on grid (via Greentech Media)

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

Seabirds “steer clear” of offshore wind farms (via BusinessGreen)

Big energy retailers intensify attack on Australia rooftop solar subsidies (via Renew Economy)

U.S. wind power capacity additions expected to increase in last quarter of 2014 (via U.S. EIA)

Wind power getting the PTC extension it didn’t want (via Breaking Energy)

Supporters decry short break extension for wind industry (via The Hill)

Nearly $1 billion available for PACE projects in 2014 (via Greentech Media)

CNEE releases energy legislation year in review (via Energy Manager Today)

Report sees bright future for renewable energy in Minnesota (via Midwest Energy News)

National Grid planning 16 megawatts of Massachusetts solar (via Bloomberg)

SunPower prepares for “disruptive shift in energy market” with Sunverge solar-plus-storage deal (via PV Tech)

NATURAL GAS

Poland and Ukraine to look at expanding gas transport links (via Reuters)

Cuomo to ban fracking; health officials call it unsafe (via Bloomberg)

New York unlikely to face lawsuits over fracking ban, say experts (via Reuters)

CLIMATE

Persistent warming driving big Arctic changes (via Climate Central)

UN’s Clean Development Market mechanism future in doubt, largely sidelined in Lima (via Bloomberg BNA)

Four signs the Arctic is getting baked by climate change (via Mother Jones)

Front yards turn to wetlands as climate change takes toll in Virginia (via Bloomberg)

OIL

World market shockwaves ripple far and wide from oil prices epicenter (via Reuters)

Oil plunge sets stage for energy defaults: Credit markets (via Bloomberg)

EU lawmakers fail to approve tar sands oil veto (via Reuters)

Enbridge shuts oil pipeline to U.S. after spill in Canada (via Houston Chronicle)

Chevron cancels Canadian Arctic drilling as oil prices slide (via Reuters)

Cheap oil jamming rails means higher U.S. power bills (via Bloomberg)

DOT Secretary to talk oil train safety in Canada (via The Hill)

Petrobas CEO says Rousseff refused offer to resign on scandal (via Reuters)

TRANSPORTATION

Smarter charging, load leveling can save $10,000 a month in EV electricity costs (via Autoblog Green)

Tesla to miss 2020 delivery target by 40%, forecasts analyst (via Greentech Media)

Siemens, Duke Energy, Ford team up to demonstrate lower-cost home charging (via Inside EVs)

How electric car advertising has changed over time (via Inside EVs)

GRID

The intersection of solar energy and energy storage (via Environmental Leader)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY

Revenue from zero-energy buildings is expected to hit $4.6 trillion through 2035 (via Navigant Research)

OPINION

How cheaper oil is shaping the world (via New York Times)

Seven radical ideas for a 2015 climate change deal (via RTCC)

Trade tariffs old and new mean U.S. will face PV module supply crunch, says Jigar Shah (via PV Tech)

Fed’s Yellen: Oil price decline is good for U.S. economy (via Nasdaq)

Top cleantech buzzwords and phrases from 2014 (via Greentech Media)

Are solar microgrids a step on the ladder toward grid access? (via Energy Collective)

What the Senate’s tax extender bill means for wind energy (via Renewable Energy World)

Posted:   |   Categories: Agriculture Department, Andrew Cuomo, Anthony Foxx, arctic, australia, canada, cap and trade, carbon tax, Chevron, Clean Development Mechanism, coal, department of energy, Dilma Rousseff, DOE, duke energy, Electric Vehicle, emissions, Enbridge, Energy Efficiency, energy storage, EPA, ERCOT, European Union, ev, ev charging, Federal reserve, Ford, global warming, Green bonds, grid, Janet Yellen, japan, jay inslee, Jigar Shah, massachusetts, methane, Microgrid, minnesota, Mitch McConnell, national grid, natural gas, Net zero, new york, News, offshore wind, oil, oil spill, Oil train, PACE, Petrobas, Poland, production tax credit, ptc, renewables, Sea level rise, Siemens, solar, Solar trade war, SunPower, Sunverge, tar sands, Tesla, texas, Transportation, Ukraine, united kingdom, united nations, virginia, Washington State, wind
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16
Dec

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 12.16.14

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

EMISSIONS

Carbon markets link in $500 million clean energy investment (via CleanTechnica)

Tropical rainforests not absorbing as much carbon as expected (via The Guardian)

Emissions growth slows as economies clean up (via RTCC)

United Kingdom renewables displaced 38 million tonnes of CO2 in 2013 (via CleanTechnica)

COAL

China slashes coal export tariff as mining in crisis (via Reuters)

Coal-heavy rural electric cooperatives take hard line on EPA Clean Power Plan (via EnergyWire)

RENEWABLES

Year-end rush in China leads Asia-Pacific solar PV market to record Q4 level (via Solar Industry Magazine)

Five key stats reveal Latin American’s breakthrough year in solar (via Greentech Media)

New wind power record in Germany (via Renewables International)

Honduras in line for 81.7MW of SunEdison solar (via PV Tech)

IKEA to start selling solar panels in Switzerland (via Renewable Energy World)

Kyocera to build world’s largest floating PV project near Tokyo (via Recharge News)

Local market conditions and policies strongly influence solar PV pricing (via Phys.org)

Minnesota regulators authorize state’s largest solar power project (via Star-Tribune)

Austin, Texas plans to get hover half its power from renewables by 2025 (via ClimateProgress)

SEIA board facing call to resign over stance on US-China trade spat (via PV Tech)

SunPower backs Tendril, plans to use its energy software (via GigaOm)

CLIMATE

White House to healthcare providers: Prepare for climate impacts (via The Hill)

U.S. and India to announce joint climate change action during Obama visit (via The Guardian)

Scientists are worried Greenland might melt even faster than expected (via Washington Post)

OIL

Plunging oil prices could boost geopolitical risks, says Bank of England (via Reuters)

Big Oil could chop $930 billion in projects as prices fall (via Houston Chronicle)

U.S. oil falls to new low of $55.91 per barrel (via The Hill)

In Canada’s oil sands, a boomtown starts feeling the chill (via Reuters)

Oil plunge seen as boon for U.S. banks as traders benefit (via Bloomberg)

TRANSPORTATION

Only five countries will sell over 10,000 EVs in 2014 (via Autoblog Green)

France could soon have EV charging stations every 25 miles (via Green Car Reports)

2015 U.S. household gasoline expenditures on track to be lowest in 11 years (via U.S. EIA)

Electric cars could be cheaper than gas guzzlers within a decade (via Quartz)

Sunswift solar electric car reaches crowdfunding goal to hit the streets (via CNET)

GRID

Europe’s “biggest battery” sparks into life (via BusinessGreen)

United Kingdom set for £2.5 billion capacity auction to keep lights on (via Bloomberg)

ABB, Hitachi set up power grid joint venture in Japan (via Reuters)

NATURAL GAS

U.S. shale junk debt tumbles amid oil crunch (via Houston Chronicle)

ENERGY POLICY

Evaluating 15 years of IEA energy forecasts (via Energy Collective)

The energy system in 2014 – did the ice really crack? (via Bloomberg)

A $48 billion opportunity for U.S. electric customers (via Renewable Energy World)

The race is on for solar companies to woo utilities (via Forbes)

While seeking “bailout,” Ohio utilities keep cost data secret (via Midwest Energy News)

POLITICS

Elizabeth Warren, GOP rookies set up energy panel for pyrotechnics (via National Journal)

OPINION

9 things scientists did this year to ensure a better climate future (via Climate Progress)

Why climate change is forcing some environmentalists to back nuclear power (via Washington Post)

Winners and losers at the UN climate talks (via RTCC0

Cleantech IPOs: Predictions revisited, 2014 winners, 2015 picks (via Greentech Media)

Will the 2,250-foot solar-wind tunnel ever be more than a pipe dream? (via Greentech Media)

Posted:   |   Categories: ABB, Austin, Bank of England, battery, canada, Capacity auction, carbon markets, China, Clean Power Plan, climate, Climate Change, coal, electric vehicles, Elizabeth Warren, emissions, EPA, ev charging, France, gas prices, Gasoline, germany, global warming, greenland, grid, Hitachi, Honduras, IEA, Ikea, india, japan, Kyocera, Latin America, minnesota, natural gas, News, Offshore solar, Ohio, renewables, seia, Shale gas, solar, Solar trade war, SunEdison, SunPower, switzerland, tar sands, Tendril, texas, Transportation, wind
0
10
Dec

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 12.10.14

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

CLIMATE

India planning $100 billion on climate-related projects (via Bloomberg)

Green Climate Fund will get $200 million from Australia after Tony Abbott’s about turn (via The Guardian)

Belgian pledge pushes Green Climate Fund to $10 billion goal (via Reuters)

Kerry going to Peru for climate talks (via The Hill)

ENERGY POLICY

Canada will not impose oil and gas regulations unilaterally, given prices (via Reuters)

UK business energy costs predicted to rise by around a third by 2030 (via Business Green)

RENEWABLES

“Explosive growth” in solar distributed generation market to take China to 14GW (via PV Tech)

Renewable energy grows, large and small, in Africa (via Navigant Research)

Pakistan repeals import tax on solar equipment (via PV Tech)

Russian, Indian funds to invest $1 billion in hydropower (via Reuters)

Belgian wind energy island may get go-ahead in early 2015 (via Reuters)

10 slides show the complex future and “tipping point” of U.S. solar (via Greentech Media)

Solar and wind increasingly shaping CAISO load curves (via Solar Industry Magazine)

Small wind leases open up new markets (via Navigant Research)

Testimonies coming out of the US solar anti-dumping hearings (via CleanTechnica)

OIL

OPEC sees weakest demand for its crude in 12 years across 2015 (via Bloomberg)

TRANSPORTATION

Tesla unveils Australian Supercharger network plan, delivers first EVs to country (via Renew Economy)

Gas could hit $2.50 by Christmas (via The Hill)

California leads the nation in adoption of EVs (via US EIA)

EMISSIONS

Senate Dems to EPA: Make climate rule stronger (via The Hill)

Researchers say carbon tax could reduce Oregon’s emissions without hurting economy (via The Oregonian)

GRID

Lower-cost batteries likely to create $190 million storage market in 2020 (via Green Car Congress)

ENVIRONMENT

Japan’s weather bureau declares first El Nino (via The Guardian)

OPINION

What can Hawaii expect from NextEra’s purchase of Hawaiian Electric? (via Greentech Media)

How EVs can aid the smart grid (via Navigant Research)

Posted:   |   Categories: australia, battery, Belgium, california, canada, carbon tax, China, climate, Climate Change, distributed generation, El Nino, electric vehicles, emissions, energy storage, EPA, EVs, gas prices, Green Climate Fund, grid, Hawaii, HECO, Hydropower, india, japan, john kerry, News, NextEra, oil, OPEC, oregon, pakistan, renewables, Russia, small wind, smart grid, solar, Solar trade war, Tesla, Tesla Supercharger, Transportation, united kingdom, wind
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08
Dec

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 12.8.14

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

CLIMATE

Adapting to a warmer climate could cost almost three times as much as thought, says UN report (via The Guardian)

Peru climate change talks slowed by clashes of rich and poor nations (via Los Angeles Times)

Rift widens among greens over burying carbon as climate fix (via Reuters)

Five burning issues for Lima climate talks this week (via RTCC)

Morocco and Mexico biggest beneficiaries of climate funds (via The Guardian)

US Coast Guard proposes Bering Strait shipping route (via ABC News/AP)

How winters are changing throughout the U.S. (via Climate Central)

A fossil fuel scandal at Lima climate talks (via Huffington Post)

NATURAL GAS

Ukraine expects Russian gas supplies to resume Monday (via Reuters)

West Virginia approves fracking under Ohio River; critics leery (via Columbus Dispatch)

Plans for shale gas “energy hub” draw investors and protestors to Philadelphia (via StateImpact Pennsylvania)

RENEWABLES

India plans five-fold increase in clean energy (via ABC News/AP)

Peru lifts renewable energy target for 60% by 2025, aims for 100% long term (via Renew Economy)

Canada probes Chinese solar imports for possible dumping violations (via Forbes)

Wind farms powered 107% of Scotland’s homes in November (via BusinessGreen)

Global wind turbine manufacturing capacity far surpasses demand (via Navigant Research)

Enel Green Power starts $190 million wind farm in Chile (via Bloomberg)

Suzlon conducting study for offshore wind farm in India (via Financial Express)

Ethanol joins US fuels dominating global export market (via Houston Chronicle)

World record solar module efficiency of 40.4% from CPV startup RayGen (via Greentech Media)

Solar PV generation doubles – monthly US electricity generation report (via CleanTechnica)

Heco seeks Hawaii green light for 207MW solar PPAs (via Recharge)

Now’s the time to buy into community solar prices, at all-time low (via CleanTechnica)

New York launches “Community Solar NY” To support Solarize campaigns (via Solar Industry Magazine)

A “business” model for expanding renewable energy: The New Mexico Production Tax Credit (via Renewable Energy World)

EMISSIONS

Global Divestment Day: Climate action vs carbon bubble risk (via CleanTechnica)

China blocks carbon review sought by US at UN talks (via Bloomberg)

IETA: Carbon markets need to matter more in Lima (via RTCC)

Oil companies at climate talks dismiss carbon bubble fears (via RTCC)

Renewable energy price declines can help states meet carbon targets under EPA’s Clean Power Plan (via NRDC Switchboard)

RGGI carbon auction raises more than $94 million (via Environmental Leader)

A California community shoots for the moon: Palo Alto considers carbon neutrality (via RMI Outlet)

OIL

Global shale ambitions wane as OPEC price war deepens oil plunge (via Bloomberg)

Don’t count on oil drop greasing global growth (via Bloomberg)

Oil price drops boost argument for crude exports (via Houston Chronicle)

US oil rig count rises as shale drillers face OPEC challenge (via Bloomberg)

US Supreme Court rejects BP challenge to Gulf spill settlement (via Reuters)

TRANSPORTATION

US fuel economy average down for the first time in four years (via Autoblog)

Fuel to the fire? Fuel exports soar under Obama (via AP)

Quebec is first Canadian province to use carrot-and-stick tactics with car buyers (via Montreal Gazette)

US gasoline prices fall to four-year low (via Reuters)

US airlines will need to sharply increase fleet renewal to meet 2020 carbon neutral growth goal (via Green Car Congress)

Audi confirms it will release Tesla-rivaling electric sedan in 2017 (via Inhabitat)

Uber adds a billion dollars more to its coffers (via New York Times)

ENVIRONMENT 

Latin American coalition to restore 20 million hectares of forest (via RTCC)

California’s drought is now the worst in 1,2000 years (via Time)

Trackable, biodegradable fishing nets could put an end to “ghost nets” (via Treehugger)

COAL

Big banks propping up dirty coal industry to tune of $89 billion (via Huffington Post)

Grassroots anti-coal movements to watch (via Treehugger)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY

UK government to re-launch Green Deal energy efficiency scheme with £30 million fund (via BusinessGreen)

Are hotel energy and water savings programs really about the environment? (via Treehugger)

Freedom Tower was supposed to be the greenest building in America – so what went wrong? (via Mother Jones)

Green real estate trends (via Huffington Post)

NUCLEAR

Almost all US nuclear plants require life extension past 60 years to operate beyond 2050 (via US EIA)

GOP gain put nuclear power back on the table (via The Hill)

New math to help Exelon’s nuclear plants (via Crain’s Chicago Business)

GRID

Regional Japan grids can take less than half of renewables approved by government (via Bloomberg)

Smart meter power savings prove slow to materialize (via New York Times)

POLITICS

Energy firms secretly helped state attorneys general fight Obama (via The Hill)

Fossil-fuel lobbyists, bolstered by GOP wins, work to curb environmental rules (via Washington Post)

House Republican plans to introduce climate-science bill (via National Journal)

Black Friday shopper numbers twice as high as midterm election voter turnout (via Inhabitat)

OPINION

The end and beginning of the Arctic (via Climate Central)

India’s energy moment: Ready for a low-carbon future? (via National Geographic)

Will German wind market double? (via Renewables International)

Five reasons why Tesla’s stock is down (via GigaOm)

Why a Florida utility suddenly wants to serve Hawaii (via Christian Science Monitor)

Can solar companies really be called “high tech?” (via Renewable Energy World)

What’s really at stake in the Florida solar battle? (via Renewable Energy World)

Do gasoline prices affect home values? (via Houston Chronicle)

Why the world missed the oil price crash (via Council on Foreign Relations)

Posted:   |   Categories: arctic, audi, BP, california, canada, Carbon bubble, carbon capture, Carbon market, Carbon neutrality, Chile, China, Clean Power Plan, climate, Climate Change, coal, community solar, deforestation, Divestment, drought, electric vehicles, emissions, enel green power, Energy Efficiency, EPA, ethanol, ev, Exelon, Florida, Fossil fuel divestment, fracking, Freedom Tower, germany, global warming, green building, green deal, grid, Gulf of Mexico, Hawaii, india, japan, Latin America, mexico, Morocco, natural gas, New Mexico, new york state, News, NextEra, nuclear, offshore wind, Ohio, oil, oil spill, OPEC, Peru, Quebec, renewables, rggi, Russia, Scotland, Shale gas, Shale oil, smart meters, solar, Solar trade war, suzlon, Tesla, Transportation, Uber, Ukraine, united kingdom, US Coast Guard, West Virginia, wind
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03
Dec

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 12.3.14

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

UN CLIMATE TALKS

What to expect in Lima: An overview of the 2014 UN climate negotiations (via Center for American Progress)

Lima climate talks: One in three countries not sending ministers (via RTCC)

ENERGY POLICY

EU, US present Russian with united sanctions, energy front (via Reuters)

Brazilian companies cut output, sell power instead in weak economy (via Reuters)

U.S. nuclear plants squeezed by cheap gas, uranium costs (via Bloomberg)

First utility receives B Corp certification (via Environmental Leader)

RENEWABLES

Canada’s green energy sector employs more people than tar sands (via Climate Progress)

9% of solar homes are doing something utilities love – will others follow? (via Outlier)

DOE to fund $9 million in solar module technology R&D (via Recharge)

AWEA warns job cuts begin in January without PTC deal (via Recharge News)

Utility-scale PV O&M: A crowded vendor landscape (via Greentech Media)

Abengoa’s 280MW California solar plant begins operation (via Bloomberg)

Could Kansas be the next state to kill its renewable energy target? (via Greentech Media)

CLIMATE

2014 set to be world’s hottest-ever year (via The Guardian)

Antarctica losing Mt. Everest worth of ice as melt triples (via Bloomberg)

The next big climate question: Will India follow China? (via New York Times)

Volcanoes may be responsible for much of the global surface warming slowdown (via The Guardian)

Keystone antagonist steps down as head of climate group 350.org (via Bloomberg)

NATURAL GAS

Number of natural gas customers participating in customer choice programs is increasing (via US EIA)

GRID

Ontario pumps millions into smart grid projects (via Renew Grid)

Utilities are building the infrastructure for California’s shift to EVs (via Greentech Media)

OIL

Cheap oil is hitting these countries the hardest (via Houston Chronicle)

Green groups sue DOT over oil-by-rail regulations (via Houston Chronicle)

Oil from Deepwater Horizon spill is still trapped in Alabama beaches, finds study (via Huffington Post)

TRANSPORTATION

Workplace charging doubles in two years, 90% of charging stations full (via Green Car Reports)

Nissan battery breakthrough to double Leaf EV range within a few years (via Autoblog)

Audi plans electric crossover to take on Tesla in U.S. (via Bloomberg)

Tesla Model S leads Consumer Reports satisfaction survey (via San Jose Mercury News)

COAL

Germany targeting coal plants to reach 2020 climate goals (via Reuters)

Find out which state wants to bail out big coal (via EcoWatch)

EMISSIONS

Emissions reduction fund passed by Australian parliament (via Breaking Energy)

U.S. sees voluntary emissions cuts as key to climate change accord (via Los Angeles Times)

Nike, IKEA join 221 companies in backing EPA climate rule (via The Hill)

OPINION

How much coal will be squeezed out of Germany’s grid by 2019? (via Renewables International)

Here’s a cool way to visualize carbon emissions (via Grist)

Posted:   |   Categories: abengoa, Alabama, Antarctica, audi, australia, awea, B Corp, Bill McKibben, BP, Brazil, california, canada, China, Clean Power Plan, climate, Climate Change, coal, Concentrating solar power, COP20, deepwater horizon, DOE, electric vehicles, emissions, European Union, EV chargers, germany, global warming, grid, Ikea, india, kansas, Keystone XL, natural gas, News, nike, nissan LEAF, nuclear, Ohio, Oil DOT, oil spill, Oil train, ontario, production tax credit, renewables, Russia, smart grid, solar, tar sands, Tesla, Tesla Model S, Transportation, wind
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