Energy and Environment News Roundup – 3.15.13
A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.
NATURAL GAS/FRACKING
US natural gas exports to Mexico jump 24 percent (via Houston Chronicle)
US utilities to burn more coal as natgas prices climb (via Reuters)
Risky US-backed loans and a diplomatic blitz force debate over LNG costs (via EnergyWire)
University of Tennessee’s fracking research funded by gas profits raises ethics concerns (via Washington Post/AP)
TRANSPORTATION
Road funds on empty; more US states weigh gasoline tax hikes (via Reuters)
New internal combustion technology could improve range-extended electric cars (via Green Car Reports)
US House will get EV charging stations for plug-in driving Congressmen (via Autoblog Green)
NUCLEAR
Japan’s fossil-fueled generation remains high because of continuing nuclear plant outages (via US EIA)
Exelon could boost its US nuclear output 1,100MW (via Crain’s Chicago Business)
RENEWABLES
Japan adds 1,178Mw of mostly solar energy in nine months (via Bloomberg)
EU could save billions with cross-border renewables cooperation (via Reuters)
Biomass industry to more than triple globally by 2030 (via Renewable Energy World)
EU votes to extend renewables target to 2030 (via Recharge)
2012 was a record-breaking year for solar panels in the US (via GigaOm)
The trouble with turbines: an ill wind (via Nature)
California renewable power supply growing, costs falling (via Reuters)
Bill would end North Carolina’s renewable energy program (via Charlotte News Observer)
NJ regulators to decide in June on offshore wind project (via Recharge)
Massachusetts could be hub for offshore wind industry (via Sustainable Business)
OIL
Cradle of mankind offers Kenya three centuries of oil (via Bloomberg)
US EIA projects OPEC oil decline in 2013 (via Houston Chronicle)
Interior chief: Shell “screwed up,” must improve to resume Arctic effort (via The Hill)
Interior allows BP to bid on Gulf leases, with conditions (via Houston Chronicle)
CLIMATE
USAID launches Pacific climate change projects (via Australia Network News)
Lack of climate action risks developing world gains, says UN (via Phys.org)
World’s hotter days cooled by growth of grasslands (via Phys.org)
February keeps the planet’s warm streak alive: NOAA (via Climate Central)
Devastating East African drought made more likely by climate change (via Phys.org)
Glacial meltwater catastrophes are forming high in the Andes (via ClimateWire)
KEYSTONE XL/TAR SANDS
US oil exports spur more questions about Keystone XL pipeline (via Wall Street Journal)
GEOENGINEERING
Experts propose new structure for regulation of geoengineering research (via Phys.org)
Can giant umbrellas help protect polar ice caps? (via Good)
Rules needed for geoengineering research, say experts (via Climate Central)
EMISSIONS
EU cancels carbon auction, prices drop (via Environmental Leader)
Shaping the next generation of carbon markets (via Huffington Post)
ENVIRONMENT
Spring rain, then foul algae in ailing Lake Erie (via New York Times)
GRID
Maintaining grid “survivability” after blackouts (via Renew Grid)
Are municipal utilities more resilient during disasters? (via Grist)
Smart grid markets on the move (via AOL Energy)
POLITICS
Obama revives green energy sales pitch (via The Hill)
Obama turns focus to research in first energy speech of second term (via Reuters)
Could Republicans ever support a carbon tax? Bob Inglis thinks so (via Washington Post)
Green groups flocking to Markey for Senate (via Politico)
OPINION
There’s high trust in clean power despite the negative headlines (via GigaOm)
Immigration reform – for the climate (via Los Angeles Times)
15 must-haves for any modern residential solar website (via Renewable Energy World)
9 in 10 French favor renewables but perceive high costs