Category Archives:canada

15
Jan

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 1.15.14

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

EMISSIONS 

Report: South Korea confirms carbon market launch date (via BusinessGreen)

EU carbon prices rise 4.9% as free permit handouts stall (via Thompson Reuters)

Canada’s carbon emissions predicted to soar 38% by 2030 (via The Guardian)

Under pressure, FirstEnergy agrees to study emissions (via New York Times)

CLIMATE 

EU set to scale back 2030 climate ambitions (via Thompson Reuters)

Obama administration is seen as retreating on environment in Pacific trade talks (via New York Times)

Governor Patrick unveils $50 million climate change prep plan for Massachusetts (via AP/WBUR)

Native Alaskans grapple with global warming impacts (via Roll Call)

Senate group wants climate change on Sunday talk shows (via The Hill)

RENEWABLES 

UN climate chief calls for tripling of clean energy investment (via BusinessGreen)

Wind power leads generation output for Denmark and Spain in 2013 (via Recharge)

Google plows $75 million into its 15th clean energy project (via SmartPlanet)

SolarCity to allow retail investors to invest in its projects (via Reuters)

Harvard team sets sights on cheap energy storage of wind and solar power (via Renew Grid)

OIL 

New regulations for oil on rail cars to come in 2015 (via Houston Chronicle)

Rail accidents seen pushing Obama to approve Keystone XL (via Bloomberg)

AFL-CIO president opposes lifting ban on crude-oil exports (via National Journal)

TRANSPORTATION 

Boeing aims to seek approval for green diesel as jet fuel (via Reuters)

Toyota hybrid sales top 6 million vehicles globally (via Green Car Reports)

Tesla delivers hundreds more cars than expected last quarter (via GigaOm)

EVs pose different risks than gas models, says top US auto-safety regulator (via Bloomberg)

Tesla has Supercharger routes up, down, and around the US (via CleanTechnica)

NATURAL GAS 

Analyst predicts world’s next shale boom will be in Australia (via Houston Chronicle)

Polar vortex, winter storm predictions push up natural gas prices (via Houston Chronicle)

GRID 

China wants time-of-use pricing by 2015, one meter per home by 2017 (via Greentech Media)

Analysis offers ways for transmission line developers to ease local opposition (via Midwest Energy News)

TAR SANDS

Governor Quinn seeks statewide petcoke restrictions in Illinois (via Chicago Tribune)

ENVIRONMENT 

China’s Shanghai announces new measures to curb pollution (via Reuters)

Officials start to clear West Virginia regions of chemically tainted water (via The Guardian)

West Virginia water contamination may have started weeks ago, say residents (via Climate Progress)

Governor Brown to officially declare drought in California (via CBS News)

OPINION 

Thin air: Why the odds eventually favor a PTC extension (via SNL Energy)

Ten reasons why coal is here to stay (via Houston Chronicle)

Are injection wells helping spark Texas quakes? (via Houston Chronicle)

Posted:   |   Categories: AFL-CIO, alaska, australia, biodiesel, biofuel, boeing, california, canada, cap and trade, Carbon market, Christiana Figures, climate, Climate Change, coal, denmark, deval patrick, drought, Electric Vehicle, emissions, energy storage, environment, EU, EU ETS, European Union, ev, ev charging, FirstEnergy, google, grid, hybrid, Illinois, Jerry Brown, Keystone XL, massachusetts, natural gas, News, oil, Oil exports, Oil train, Pat Quinn, Petcoke, production tax credit, ptc, renewables, Richard Trumka, Shale gas, Shanghai, smart meter, solar, SolarCity, South Korea, Spain, tar sands, Tesla, Tesla Supercharger, texas, Time of use pricing, TOU pricing, Toyota, transmission, Transportation, West Virginia, wind
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13
Jan

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 1.13.14

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

ENVIRONMENT 

China’s water squeeze worsens as wetlands shrink 9% since 2003 (via Reuters)

Federal authorities to investigate West Virginia chemical spill (via The Guardian)

West Virginia river chemical leak far larger than previously estimated (via Climate Progress)

MIT study: 52% of projected 2050 global population will live in water-stressed areas (via Green Car Congress)

Drought may pressure California power utilities (via Fitch Ratings)

GREEN BUILDING 

LEED certification’s impact on America: By the numbers (via CleanTechnica)

RENEWABLES 

Solar faceoff: Feed-in tariff versus net metering (via Energy Collective)

Over 11,000 comments filed on EPA’s ethanol rules (via Autoblog Green)

Solar dropping wholesale electricity prices like a bad habit (via CleanTechnica)

Fate of New Jersey’s first offshore wind farm in hands of regulators (via Atlantic City Press)

Massachusetts reviving SREC program to promote solar growth (via Solar Industry Magazine)

NATURAL GAS/FRACKING 

France’s Total to invest in Britain’s shale gas quest (via Reuters)

UK “going all out for shale” with 40 fracking sites in pipeline (via RTCC)

Manufacturers call for halt on natural gas export approvals (via Houston Chronicle)

New Jersey Pinelands gas pipeline plan is defeated (via Asbury Park Press)

CLIMATE 

EU commissioners clash over 2030 climate goals (via The Guardian)

Public’s climate change concerns “shaped by weather outside” (via RTCC)

In flood insurance fight, Congress wants easy win, not tough solutions (via ClimateWire)

Federal government investigating Christie’s use of Sandy relief funds (via CNN)

OIL 

Canada expects safety standard action on oil train cars “fairly soon” (via Reuters)

Wetland contamination can be predicted by oil boom states (via Los Angeles Times)

Can the oil industry save a threatened species? Texas tries it out (via EnergyWire)

TRANSPORTATION 

Study: Air travel outpacing driving in fuel efficiency gains (via Midwest Energy News)

Congress fails to renew important EV tax credits (via Plugin Cars)

Electric vehicle consumers – beyond early adopters (via Center for Climate and Energy Solutions)

Fuel economy of vehicles sold last year at record-high (via Phys.org)

TAR SANDS 

Canadian government to spend $22 million green washing tar sands (via Autoblog Green)

Posted:   |   Categories: Britain, california, canada, China, Chris Christie, climate, Climate Change, drought, electric vehicles, environment, EPA, ethanol, EU, European Union, ev, feed-in tariff, Flood, France, fuel-efficiency, green building, LEED, massachusetts, natural gas, Natural gas exports, Net metering, new jersey, News, offshore wind, oil, Oil train, Pipeline, renewables, Shale gas, solar, SREC, tar sands, Total, Transportation, uk, united kingdom, Water scarcity, weather, West Virginia
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09
Jan

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 1.9.14

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

CLIMATE 

Europe’s floods trump Haiyan as costliest natural disaster of 2013 (via RTCC)

Australia heat wave sets records across continent (via Huffington Post/AP)

Flooding could cost UK insurance industry £400 million (via RTCC)

US cold snap inspires climate change denial, while scientists see little room for doubt (via National Geographic)

White House says polar temperatures part of climate change (via The Hill)

Why some mushrooms may be magic for climate change (via Time)

OIL 

Unforeseen US oil boom upends markets as drilling spreads (via Bloomberg)

US oil exports have been banned for 40 years – is it time for that to change? (via Washington Post)

Train carrying oil derails, catches fire in Canada (via Houston Chronicle/AP)

RENEWABLES 

New German solar PV installations fall by half to 3.3GW in 2013 (via Recharge)

Austria adds record 309MW new wind energy capacity in 2013 (via Recharge)

Australia reaches two million small-scale solar systems (via Renew Economy)

US installed record 4.2GW solar PV in 2013 (via Recharge)

DOE’s $3 million clean energy incubator funding is very NIICE (via CleanTechnica)

CRS report outlines PTC phase-out allowing wind, gas parity (via E&E Daily)

New battery material could help wind power go big (via MIT Technology Review)

Wind aids grid as cold hits conventional power (via EarthTechling)

Thanks to wind energy, Texans didn’t lose power during polar vortex (via Climate Progress)

Solar gardens grow in Colorado (via CleanTechnica)

California leads clean energy patent pack (via Energy Manager Today)

Political activism at the grid’s edge: Ethical Electric scores $11 million (via Greentech Media)

SolarCity: Taking on and powering big companies around the world (via The Guardian)

Company pushing massive tar sands pipeline drops $200 million on Texas mega-wind project (via Climate Progress)

COAL 

Wall Street backs away from Washington coal export facility (via Huffington Post)

GRID 

FERC’s new “fast track” interconnection rules will make clean energy development easier (via Greentech Media)

Rural cooperatives: The next smart grid investment frontier (via Navigant Research)

As winter takes hold, plunging temperatures test utilities (via New York Times)

Cold knocks out 36.6GW of power generation in PJM, proving no power plant is 100% dispatchable (via Facts of the Day)

Energy storage company completes $55 million financing round (via Renew Grid)

EMISSIONS 

Location, location, lifestyle determines global warming pollution (via Scientific American)

EPA publishes emissions rule to GOP’s dismay (via The Hill)

KEYSTONE XL 

Former top Obama security aide endorses Keystone XL pipeline (via Washington Post)

ENVIRONMENT 

China sets air particulate pollution reduction goals (via The Guardian)

Tree islands more effective way to replant the world’s forests (via Mongabay)

Can America’s grasslands be saved? (via Think Progress)

Celebrating deep freeze, insect experts see a chance to kill off invasive species (via New York Times)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

Philips promises to halve commercial lighting energy use with new LED tube (via BusinessGreen)

Seattle’s latest benchmarking data shows where efficiency programs should focus (via Greentech Media)

Houston boosts energy efficiency in new homes (via Texas Tribune)

NUCLEAR 

300 groups oppose top climate scientists’ call to embrace nuclear power (via Greenwire)

TRANSPORTATION 

Aerodynamic trailer design more than doubles fuel economy (via CleanTechnica)

OPINION 

Five reasons the clean tech industry is stronger than ever (via Renew Grid)

Four reasons California cap and trade had an extraordinary first year (via Forbes)

Oil trains: What you should be reading (via Sightline Daily)

Cap and trade throws a wrench into gears of green consumerism (via Energy Collective)

Posted:   |   Categories: Aquion, australia, Austria, battery, california, canada, cap and trade, China, climate, Climate Change, coal, Coal exports, colorado, CRS, deforestation, DOE, emissions, Enbridge, Energy benchmarking, Energy Efficiency, energy storage, environment, EPA, Ethical Electric, europe, Extreme weather, FERC, Flood, Fuel Economy, germany, global warming, grid, Houston, Keystone XL, LED, News, nuclear, oil, Oil exports, Oil train, Philips, PJM, PJM Interconnection, production tax credit, ptc, renewables, Rural electric co-operative, seattle, Shale oil, smart grid, solar, Solar gardens, solar pv, SolarCity, tar sands, texas, Transportation, uk, united kingdom, Washington State, wind
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31
Dec

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 12.31.13

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

ENVIRONMENT 

China says 8 million acres of farmland now too polluted for food (via Climate Progress)

Losses from Yosemite wildfire could reach $2 billion (via ABC News)

NATURAL GAS/FRACKING 

Natural gas is trying, but it just can’t kill coal (via Motley Fool)

Study says majority of Americans don’t understand fracking (via The Hill)

EMISSIONS 

Earth’s carbon dioxide levels now 61% higher than 1990 (via RTCC)

DOE stands by “social cost of carbon” (via The Hill)

New York City’s greenhouse gas emissions drop 19% since 2005 (via Reuters)

RENEWABLES 

All new Australian power plants will be renewable through 2020 (via CleanTechnica)

How wind is helping deliver record-cheap solar (via EarthTechling)

EIA: US biodiesel production hits high in October (via Green Car Congress)

Shipping container with rollable PV panels inside could become instant 100kW solar plant (via TreeHugger)

CLIMATE 

96% of nightly news segments on extreme weather don’t mention climate change (via EcoAffect)

GRID 

Massachusetts makes smart grid mandatory (via Greentech Media)

California’s risky path to grid reform (via Navigant Research)

OIL 

North Dakota community evacuated after oil train collision and fire (via Los Angeles Times)

TRANSPORTATION 

Number of US public charging stations climbed 30% this year (via Autoblog Green)

California ISO rolls out roadmap on vehicle-grid integration (via Renew Grid)

TAR SANDS 

Scientists find 7,300-mile mercury contamination “bullseye” around Canadian tar sands (via Climate Progress)

Posted:   |   Categories: Alberta, australia, biodiesel, Cal-ISO, california, California ISO, canada, carbon dioxide, China, climate, Climate Change, coal, department of energy, DOE, eia, emissions, environment, EV charger, Extreme weather, fracking, grid, Masschusetts, natural gas, New York City, News, north dakota, oil, Oil train, renewables, smart grid, Social cost of carbon, solar, solar pv, tar sands, Transportation, Wildfire, wind, Yosemite
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27
Dec

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 12.27.13

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

EMISSIONS 

Worries in the path of China’s air (via New York Times)

Rethinking how to split the costs of carbon (via New York Times)

Bill McKibben’s graph of the year: We’re extracting more fossil fuels than ever (via Washington Post)

Appellate court to hear arguments on Christie’s removal of NJ from RGGI (via Bergen Record)

TAR SANDS 

Alberta’s tar sands will now be regulated by fossil fuel-funded group (via Climate Progress)

RENEWABLES 

Scotland hits 100MW solar PV milestone (via Recharge)

The $100 million green bond from Hannon Armstrong (via Greentech Media)

US solar panel manufacturers get a gift from US military (via Public Radio International)

Is the Interior Department’s eagle plan good for the birds? (via Greenwire)

How one Austin church could lead to more urban solar power (via StateImpact Texas)

Shady critics attack Cape Wind effort (via Providence Journal)

OIL 

2013 US oil boom is biggest-ever one-year increase (via Houston Chronicle)

GRID 

American utilities face perfect storm (via Energy Manager Today)

Utilities feeling rooftop solar heat start fighting back (via Bloomberg)

California ISO, CPUC will jointly plan for a clean energy grid (via Renew Grid)

CLIMATE 

German researchers calculate how climate change affects water scarcity and hunger (via Deutsche Welle)

FEMA knew flood maps left NYC unprepared for Sandy (via Climate Central)

GREEN BUILDING 

Green infrastructure investments increase commercial property value (via Sustainable Cities Collective)

Heliotrope: The world’s first energy positive solar home (via Inhabitat)

TRANSPORTATION 

New gas tax can help pay for roads and transportation (via Washington Post)

Posted:   |   Categories: Alberta, Austin, Bill McKibben, Cal-ISO, california, California ISO, California Public Utilities Commission, canada, cape wind, China, Chris Christie, climate, CPUC, emissions, FEMA, Flood, Gas tax, Gasoline, germany, green building, grid, interior department, new jersey, New York City, News, offshore wind, oil, regional greenhouse gas initiative, renewables, rggi, Scotland, Shale oil, solar, solar pv, tar sands, texas, Transportation, Water scarcity, wind
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20
Dec

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 12.20.13

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

ENERGY POLICY 

Fossil fuels get $500 billion Christmas present from taxpayers (via CleanTechnica)

EMISSIONS 

The second-largest carbon market in the world just opened in China (via Climate Progress)

France adopts 2014 budget with carbon tax on fossil fuels (via Platts)

Tianjin to launch China’s fifth carbon market on December 26 (via Reuters)

EPA unveils carbon capture regulations (via The Hill)

Cities call for carbon pricing in Washington State (via Sightline Daily)

RENEWABLES 

Wind developers start work, then cross their fingers as PTC expiration looms (via Greenwire)

Deepwater Wind says New England offshore wind farm will meet PTC deadline (via Bloomberg)

Solar power hitting new records in California (via Greentech Media)

The way Congress funds clean energy is a mess – Max Baucus thinks there’s a better idea (via Washington Post)

OIL 

US budget deal opens door to drilling in new Gulf waters (via Houston Chronicle)

TRANSPORTATION 

Data shows cities can save big money by switching to EVs (via Autoblog Green)

NATURAL GAS/FRACKING 

Pennsylvania Supreme Court strikes down part of pro-fracking law (via Bloomberg BusinessWeek)

CLIMATE 

Poll: Americans see impact of global warming (via USA Today)

John Podesta’s plan to bypass Congress on climate change (via Washington Post)

TAR SANDS 

Canada approves tar sands oil pipeline to Pacific Coast (via ABC News/AP)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

Madison, Wisconsin considers mandatory energy reporting law (via Energy Manager Today)

Seattle adopts 20% energy use reduction plan (via Energy Manager Today)

OPINION 

Will the Senate energy panel veer right? (via National Journal)

Is carbon pricing a diversion from the real story? (via Huffington Post)

Max Baucus’ renewable energy tax break reform: The good, the bad, and the ugly (via Climate Progress)

Posted:   |   Categories: california, canada, carbon capture, Carbon market, Carbon pricing, carbon tax, China, climate, Climate Change, deepwater wind, electric vehicles, emissions, Energy Efficiency, EPA, ev, fracking, France, global warming, Gulf of Mexico, John Podesta, Max Baucus, natural gas, News, offshore drilling, offshore wind, oil, Pipeline, production tax credit, ptc, renewables, seattle, solar, Subsidy, tar sands, Tianjin, Transportation, Washington, wind, Wisconsin
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18
Dec

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 12.18.13

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

CLIMATE 

EU needs international climate finance roadmap (via Reuters)

November temperatures set new global high, says NOAA (via CNN)

Water scarcity escalating due to climate change, says report (via The Hill)

2013 in review: A year of increasing extreme weather events (via The Guardian)

Obama and climate change: The real story (via Rolling Stone)

11 US cities tapped to spur “climate resiliency” action worldwide (via InsideClimate News)

OIL 

Shale well depletion raises questions over US oil boom (via Houston Chronicle)

Report: Taxpayers not getting fair return from drilling (via Houston Chronicle)

Without exports, US could face oil supply glut in 2015 (via Breaking Energy)

Interior Department has stopped trying to raise drilling royalty rates (via Climate Progress)

RENEWABLES 

Tony Abbott could scrap Australia’s renewables target (via RTCC)

Merkel rejects EU probe of Germany’s green energy incentives (via Bloomberg)

Canadian solar surging on sales of power projects (via Bloomberg)

Mexico will be hottest solar market in Latin America, despite huge Chile project pipeline (via Greentech Media)

UK approves plans for major offshore wind hub project (via Recharge)

Study shows rooftop solar adds thousands to home resale values (via CleanTechnica)

US DOE invests $13 million into domestic solar manufacturing (via CleanTechnica)

Turbine noise can be heard from just 3% of wind farms (via The Guardian)

A struggle to balance wind energy with wildlife (via New York Times)

Wind power rivals coal with $1 billion order from Buffett (via Bloomberg)

Ohio and Michigan partner for clean energy manufacturing (via CBS News)

Construction begins on Cape Wind offshore wind farm (via Cape Cod Times)

Move over wind – solar energy market “exploding” in Iowa (via Midwest Energy News)

Kansas renewable energy target under fire again in state legislature (via Lawrence Journal-World)

US shifts offshore wind gaze to Maryland (via Renewable Energy World)

Pentagon report says market forces shifted rare earth availability (via Reuters) 

KEYSTONE XL 

TransCanada to start oil shipments on Keystone XL southern leg in January (via Houston Chronicle)

House budget chief looks to tie Keystone XL to debt-ceiling vote (via The Hill)

GRID 

Utility-scale battery storage costs could be competitive with gas within 18 months (via Renew Economy)

US net metering set to grow, but effect on electric utilities uncertain (via Reuters)

USDA providing $1.8 billion in funding for rural electric utilities (via Renew Grid)

California ISO unveils roadmap to smarter, stronger grid (via BusinessWire)

NATURAL GAS/FRACKING 

Britain opens door to more shale gas drilling (via New York Times)

Outlook suggests green light for more gas exports (via EnergyWire)

USGS study: Methane common in southern New York State groundwater (via StateImpact Pennsylvania)

TRANSPORTATION 

Will biofuels do better in aviation than anywhere else? (via Green Car Reports)

Tesla gets $34.7 million tax break to boost manufacturing in California (via San Francisco Chronicle)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

Shaheen fights to recharge energy efficiency bill (via National Journal)

Infographic guide to buying energy-efficient light bulbs (via Inhabitat)

NUCLEAR 

Right-sized reactors breathing new life into nuclear energy (via Forbes)

OPINION 

Can the American wind energy industry survive without the PTC? (via Energy Collective)

It doesn’t take much global warming to drive water scarcity way up (via Climate Progress)

How wind power could beat out natural gas (via EarthTechling)

Could 2014 be the year of the battery? (via Renew Economy)

Are taxpayers getting their fair share of oil royalties? (via National Journal)

Four ways climate change is transforming our winters (via C2ES)

Posted:   |   Categories: Angela Merkel, australia, barack obama, battery, Bill McKibben, biofuels, CaISO, california, California ISO, canada, cape wind, CFL, Chile, climate, Climate Change, Climate resiliency, department of energy, DOE, Energy Efficiency, Extreme weather, fracking, Gas exports, germany, global warming, grid, interior department, Iowa, Jeanne Shaheen, kansas, Keystone XL, LED, maryland, massachusetts, methane, mexico, michigan, natural gas, Net metering, new york, News, noaa, nuclear, offshore wind, Ohio, oil, Paul Ryan, production tax credit, ptc, Rare earths, renewables, rooftop solar, Shaheen-Portmann, Shale oil, solar, Tesla, Tony Abbott, TransCanada, Transportation, uk, united kingdom, usda, usgs, warren buffett, Water scarcity, wind, Wind turbine noise
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10
Dec

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 12.10.13

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

COAL 

Chinese coal use to hit 4.8 billion metric tons annually by 2020 (via The Diplomat)

Australia approves dredging near Great Barrier Reef for coal port (via Reuters)

US pressured to block proposed coal plant in Pakistan (via ClimateWire)

Updated study highlights eroding economics of US coal fleet (via Union of Concerned Scientists)

CLIMATE 

The Montreal Protocol, a little treaty that could (via New York Times)

China outlines climate change adaptation plans (via RTCC)

Local leaders planning for climate effects (via AP)

Four cities show leadership in adapting to local climate impacts (via WRI Insights)

RENEWABLES 

China switches solar PV focus from utility-scale to rooftop market (via Renew Economy)

EU uncertainty threatens biofuel output target (via Bloomberg)

EU study finds renewables most popular energy option among citizens (via Renewables International)

Posted:   |   Categories: australia, biofuel, BP, canada, cap and trade, carbon markets, China, climate, Climate Change, coal, deforestation, emissions, energy storage, environment, EPA, EU, EU ETS, European Union, Exxon, FERC, Fuel Cells, Great Barrier Reef, Gulf of Mexico, Iowa, John Podesta, Keystone XL, LNG, Montreal Protocol, natural gas, new york, News, offshore drilling, oil, oil spill, pakistan, pennsylvania, Pipeline, production tax credit, ptc, Quebec, regional greenhouse gas initiative, renewables, rggi, solar, solar pv, Spain, tar sands, texas, uk, united kingdom, wind
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03
Dec

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 12.3.13

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

EMISSIONS 

UN carbon offset market seen “in a coma” for years after Warsaw (via Planet Ark)

Beijing starts China’s third carbon exchange with first trades (via Bloomberg)

US EPA chief to share air pollution lessons with China (via Reuters)

EPA to be “flexible” on carbon standards (via The Hill)

RGGI tells EPA: Keep cap-and-trade alive (via National Journal)

California’s carbon market caps off successful first year of auctions (via Environmental Leader)

Bloomberg LP launches first tool that measures risk of “unburnable carbon” assets (via InsideClimate News)

ENERGY POLICY

Report: China’s green economy faces significant challenges (via Environmental Leader)

Canada at crossroads in bid to become energy superpower (via Bloomberg)

Slashing fossil fuel consumption comes with a price (via NPR)

RENEWABLES

Solar PV “competitive” with natural gas in 2025 (via Recharge)

Wind could generate 18% of global electricity by 2050 (via RTCC)

For Minnesota utility, wind backed by hydro is “holy grail” (via Midwest Energy News)

Poll of businesses finds support for Ohio clean energy standards (via Cincinnati Enquirer)

KEYSTONE XL

Billionaire “absolutely” wants to sway Keystone XL decision (via The Hill)

US pipeline safety official admits he’d avoid buying a home near pipelines like Keystone XL (via DeSmog Blog)

CLIMATE

Scientists warn global warming “will be hard to reverse” (via Climate Central)

More droughts, heavier rains predicted for warmer Europe (via Agence France-Presse)

EPA leader urges cooperation on climate ahead of trip to China (via National Journal)

OIL

OPEC scrambling to keep oil prices stable (and high) as it meets (via Washington Post)

TRANSPORTATION

Delayed auto emissions targets will cost EU £21 billion (via BusinessGreen

ENERGY EFFICIENCY

London switches on to LED lighting revolution (via BusinessGreen)

Five of the most important changes to the LEED green building rating system (via Greentech Media)

NATURAL GAS/FRACKING

Who’s really cashing in on the fracking boom? (via National Journal)

10% of US earthquakes are in Oklahoma – is shale drilling to blame? (via EnergyWire)

GRID

Power struggle: Green energy versus a grid that’s not ready (via Los Angeles Times)

Stem looks beyond utilities to lead charge on batteries for the grid (via GreenBiz)

OPINION

Is EPA on the right track with the biofuels mandate? (via National Journal)

How do meteorologists fit into the 97% global warming consensus? (via The Guardian)

Why the utility death spiral myth needs to die (via Forbes)

Posted:   |   Categories: battery, biofuels, california, canada, cap and trade, Carbon bubble, Carbon market, China, climate, drought, emissions, Energy Efficiency, energy storage, EPA, europe, Extreme weather, fracking, Gina McCarthy, global warming, green building, grid, Hydropower, Keystone XL, LED, LEED, London, minnesota, natural gas, News, Ohio, oil, oklahoma, OPEC, Renewable energy standard, Renewable Fuels Standard, renewables, RFS, rggi, solar, solar pv, Tom Steyer, Transportation, wind
0
02
Dec

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 12.2.13

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

EMISSIONS

Carbon markets now cover 20% of world’s emissions (via RTCC)

Beijing carbon trading starts as China acts on climate (via Reuters)

Top EU powers retreat further on aviation emission plans (via Reuters)

Australia must cut emissions 40% by 2020 to avoid “dramatic climatic shifts” (via The Guardian)

Australia’s pollution plan starts to look like emissions trading (via Bloomberg)

Divestment in fossil fuels pushed in response to climate change inaction (via National Journal)

Student fossil fuel divestment movement suffers setbacks (via Houston Chronicle/AP)

OIL

US oil producers rise in ranking of world’s largest (via Houston Chronicle)

As oil floods Plains towns, crime pours in (via New York Times)

RENEWABLES

EU nations approve solar panel trade pact with China (via Bloomberg)

World built more solar capacity than wind capacity for first time ever in 2013 (via Business Insider)

UK sets new wind energy record with 6GW generated power (via BusinessGreen)

Merkel’s new coalition government seeks greater control over renewables (via Bloomberg)

EPA begins accepting comments on federal Renewable Fuels Standard (via Des Moines Register)

DOE announces $30 million to develop distributed generation technologies (via Renew Grid)

US biodiesel production booms to record pace (via Facts of the Day)

Missouri wants to dismiss lawsuit to enforce renewable energy goals (via News-Leader)

Massachusetts’ Cape Wind project faces tax credit deadlines (via Huffington Post)

New York City doubles down on solar energy (via GreenBiz)

Delta Air Lines joins battle over biofuels (via Houston Chronicle)

41 scientists warn Obama against burning trees for electricity (via Climate Progress)

Ethanol supporters ready to go to bat for biofuels (via Autoblog Green)

The yeast in your beer can also produce hydrocarbons (via Breaking Energy)

US online startup makes going solar as easy as booking flights (via Reuters)

NATURAL GAS/FRACKING 

Where fracking falls short (via National Journal)

Fracking boom a dilemma for environmentalists (via McClatchy)

CLIMATE

Evidence shows global heat may be hiding in oceans (via Climate Central)

Climate change will pose rising burden on US taxpayers (via Climate Central)

In New Jersey pines, beetles lead to deforestation (via New York Time)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY

Australian households cut electricity use by 23% over past 10 years (via Renew Economy)

DOE awards $4 million to 13 states for energy efficiency projects (via Renew Grid)

TAR SANDS/KEYSTONE XL

Canada continues to delay release of oil sands emission rules (via Reuters)

Memo suggests US light oil threatens approval of Keystone XL (via Globe and Mail)

TRANSPORTATION

Nissan and British Gas launch UK’s largest commercial EV pilot (via Green Car Congress)

Electric vehicles: Mobile agents of the grid edge (via Greentech Media)

Survey says $25,000 cost barrier is a problem for EVs (via Autoblog)

Are hydrogen cars the wave of the future? Toyota thinks so. (via Washington Post)

OPINION

How will China’s carbon markets work in a non-market economy? (via Renew Economy)

Why India’s solar market looks brighter in 2014 (via Renewable Energy World)

For institutional investors, no ditching fossil fuels yet (via Washington Post)

Climate change no longer electoral Kryptonite (via Grist)

EPA resets the biofuel industry (via Navigant Research)

US Defense Secretary Hagel: Clean energy capability makes US Army “stronger fighting force” (via RTCC)

Is geothermal the only baseload power replacement that makes sense? (via Renewable Energy World)

The EPA’s bold new agenda (via Mother Jones)

UC Davis shows what a sustainable energy future looks like (via GreenBiz)

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