Category Archives:carbon tax

14
Oct

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 10.14.14

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

CLIMATE 

NASA: Earth just experienced the warmest six-month stretch ever recorded (via Slate)

Wild weather forces climate adaptation on Europe’s political agenda (via The Guardian)

Climate change threatens national security, says Pentagon (via Washington Post)

Only 7% of energy companies prepared for climate risks, says study (via RTCC)

COAL 

Europe spends €10 billion a year on coal subsidies (via RTCC)

RENEWABLES 

U.S. duties prompt Chinese PV shipment surge (via PV Tech)

Wind power is cheapest energy source, finds EU analysis (via The Guardian)

UK and Norway will install subsea transmission to trade green power (via BusinessGreen)

Higher efficiency technologies to dominate PV industry by 2018 (via PV Tech)

Survey: Utilities could do a much better job at streamlining solar interconnection (via Greentech Media)

OIL 

Saudis tell oil investors low prices might stay (via The Hill)

Nearly 3% of oil output vulnerable if prices fall to $80, says IEA (via Reuters)

Arctic offshore drilling a winner in tight Senate contests (via Houston Chronicle)

TRANSPORTATION 

Tesla talking to Slovakia about European EV plant (via Autoblog Green)

California reaffirms EV leadership (via Navigant Research)

EMISSIONS 

Germany’s largest utility wants deep EU emissions cuts, early carbon trade reform (via Reuters)

EPA readies major ozone rule change (via The Hill)

Exxon blasts movement to divest from fossil fuels (via National Journal)

2014 Nobel Prize economist argues for binding emissions targets (via Greenwire)

NATURAL GAS 

Israel sees natural gas as key to transforming Mideast relations (via Bloomberg)

UK to allow fracking companies to use “any substance” under homes (via BusinessGreen)

ENVIRONMENT 

Proctor & Gamble to cut water use an additional 20% by 2020 (via Bloomberg)

POLITICS 

Koch Super PAC donors uncloaked (via Politico)

Paul Ryan doubts human role in climate change (via The Hill)

OPINION 

What’s the impact of falling oil prices? (via National Journal)

Three reasons solar will outshine fossil fuels in Mexico (via CleanTechnica)

The multibillion-dollar question: How to spend carbon revenue? (via The Energy Collective)

The great climate model (via Forbes)

Posted:   |   Categories: arctic, california, cap and trade, carbon tax, China, climate, Climate Change, coal, Divestment, E.ON, emissions, EPA, europe, Extreme weather, Exxon, Fossil fuel divestment, germany, global warming, IEA, Israel, Koch Brothers, mexico, natural gas, News, norway, offshore drilling, oil, Ozone, Paul Ryan, Proctor & Gamble, renewables, saudi arabia, Slovakia, solar, Tesla, Transportation, united kingdom, wind
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06
Oct

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 10.6.14

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

CLIMATE 

Past measurements may have missed massive ocean warming (via Science)

Could climate change affect the number of boys and girls born? (via Smithsonian)

Miami Beach prepares for annual “King Tide” flooding and a taste of sea level rise (via Huffington Post)

COAL 

U.S. sees drop in coal exports in 2014 (via Mining.com)

U.S. coal exports fall on lower European demand, increased global supply (via U.S. EIA)

U.S. coal companies having tough 2014 so far (via Knoxville News Sentinel)

New regulations, competition have coal industry reeling (via Tuscaloosa News)

RENEWABLES 

7 renewable energy lessons from Germany (via Renewable Energy World)

German solar PV market continues shrinking (via Renewables International)

U.S. DOE says 54GW of offshore wind power waiting to be tapped (via TriplePundit)

Siemens says wind power needs subsidy to compete in U.S. (via Financial Times)

U.S. DOE awarding $25 million to reduce CSP costs (via Solar Industry Magazine)

OSU researchers build rechargeable solar battery (via Houston Chronicle/AP)

USDA provides $91 million for biogasoline blendstock plant (via Green Car Congress)

First commercial quantities of cellulosic ethanol from woody biomass marketed (via Phys.org)

OIL 

Shell suspends Siberian oil project, says Russian partner (via Wall Street Journal)

Orphaned Russian oil heads to U.S. west on Asia overflow (via Bloomberg)

Rosneft CEO says he’ll develop Arctic oil with or without Exxon (via Bloomberg Businessweek)

BP seeks revised verdict or new trial on spill negligence (via Bloomberg)

Gov. Inslee: “Outdated, inadequate, and dangerous” oil trains crossing state (via Seattle Post-Intelligencer)

TRANSPORTATION 

European regulators say incorrect C02 ratings could cost drivers $580/year (via Autoblog Green)

Carnival cruises toward $2.5 billion in fuel savings (via GreenBiz)

UMTRI monthly report shows large drop in new-vehicle fuel economy in September (via Green Car Congress)

Toyota racks up 7 million hybrids sold since 1997 (via Green Car Reports)

ENERGY POLICY 

EU seeks faster energy market integration amid crisis (via Bloomberg)

GRID 

Brazil keeps renewable energy transmission & distribution discounts (via Recharge News)

Building wind power superhighways (via Chicago Tribune)

Grid-scale energy storage continues making inroads (via Renew Grid)

NATURAL GAS 

An industry you’ve never heard of is trying to cut $1.8 billion in wasted natural gas (via Climate Progress)

Two gas drillers agree to disclose fracking risks to investors (via The Hill)

Maryland report: Fracking poses little risk to drinking water in the state (via Climate Progress)

Drilling waste site roils tiny Texas town (via Texas Tribune)

EMISSIONS 

Fish failing to adapt to rising CO2 levels in ocean (via The Guardian)

China emissions rising on high-carbon economic growth (via RTCC)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

Tougher energy efficiency target would boost UK economy by £62 billion (via The Guardian)

Johnson Controls, WRI partnership targets energy efficiency in cities (via Environmental Leader)

ENVIRONMENT 

Wilderness as economic stimulus? A closer look at the evidence (via The Hill)

In virtual mega-drought, California avoids defeat (via Los Angeles Times)

POLITICS 

Brazil’s Rousseff in tight runoff against pro-business Neves (via Reuters)

Clashing visions of conservation shake Brazil’s presidential vote (via New York Times)

Democrats lean heavily on PACs in coordinated push to counter GOP (via New York Times)

McConnell on climate change: “Not a scientist” (via Courier-Journal)

This woman could become one of the world’s most influential environmentalists (via National Journal)

OPINION 

India’s mixed climate change forecast (via Washington Post)

Why the oil majors are backing away from renewable energy (via EnergyWire)

Cold days for coal could mean a better forecast for our climate (via Energy Collective)

A carbon tax will create jobs for Americans (via CNN)

Congress should fix the gas tax (via Washington Post)

NASA explains how climate change is like the flu (via National Journal)

Will investors flock to SunEdison’s emerging market YieldCo? (via Greentech Media)

Posted:   |   Categories: arctic, battery, biofuels, BP, Brazil, california, carbon tax, cellulosic ethanol, China, climate, Climate Change, coal, Coal exports, Concentrating solar power, department of energy, Dilma Rousseff, drought, emissions, Energy Efficiency, energy storage, European Union, fracking, Fuel Economy, Gas tax, germany, global warming, grid, india, jay inslee, Johnson Controls, maryland, methane, Mitch McConnell, NASA, natural gas, News, offshore drilling, offshore wind, oil, oil spill, Oil trains, renewables, Rosneft, Russia, Sea level rise, Shell, Siemens, solar, SunEdison, texas, Toyota, Transportation, united kingdom, wind, YieldCo
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17
Sep

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 9.17.14

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

COAL 

China coal restrictions may have little impact on imports (via Reuters)

Coal sector eyes salvation in green bond market (via RTCC)

Coal industry market value contracting again after brief rebound (via SNL Energy)

Peabody Energy to be removed from S&P 500 index (via Post-Dispatch)

U.S. Corps of Engineers halts Oregon coal terminal review pending permit outcome (via The Oregonian)

RENEWABLES 

China wind sector braces for feed-in tariff cuts (via Recharge News)

Funding released to accelerate 740MW of new renewables in Chile (via PV Tech)

UK solar farm issues Europe’s first certified climate bonds (via BusinessGreen)

PV industry loses $500 million a year through supply chain (via PV Tech)

Chile to get net metering for PV plants under 100kW (via PV Tech)

USDA Secretary expects 2014 biofuel use targets to rise (via Reuters)

When the power’s out, solar panels may not keep the lights on (via NPR)

Some see garbage, others see opportunity: Installing solar on landfills (via RMI Outlet)

Preliminary OK for large California concentrated solar project sparks debate over impact to birds (via Greenwire)

Burlington, Vermont’s electricity now 100% renewable (via The Week)

CLIMATE 

Natural disasters displaced more people than war in 2013, finds study (via The Guardian)

Rising sea levels a “sleeping giant” that could cost $226 billion, says report (via The Guardian)

Antarctic Peninsula glacier recession “unprecedented” (via BBC)

Climate change may add billions to wildfire costs, study says (via Los Angeles Times)

Mapping the future of sea-level rise on the Potomac, the Chesapeake, and the Atlantic (via Washington Post)

Drought-hit California faces future trouble as warming reduces water (via RTCC)

NATURAL GAS 

Study links increased drilling with earthquakes (via Wall Street Journal)

Study: Bad fracking techniques let methane flow into drinking water (via Washington Post)

Leaky wells spur call for stricter rules on gas drilling (via Bloomberg)

Fracking ban enrages Coloradans sitting on energy riches (via Bloomberg Businessweek)

Natural gas company seeks federal approval for Massachusetts pipeline (via Houston Chronicle/AP)

EMISSIONS 

Businesses double down on carbon pricing while Capitol Hill idles (via GreenBiz)

EPA delays key power plant rule of signature climate change plan (via The Guardian)

White House partners with industry to tackle refrigerant greenhouse gas (via Reuters)

EPA extends climate rule comment period (via The Hill)

Broad carbon tax outlines get positive legislative response (via The Oregonian)

OIL 

Oil prices rise on prospect of OPEC output cut (via Houston Chronicle/Bloomberg)

Deeper Saudi oil cuts seen after biggest drop since 2012 (via Bloomberg)

Can the U.S. cut off Islamic State’s oil sales? (via Christian Science Monitor)

Feds reveal details on Shell’s Arctic ambitions (via Houston Chronicle)

TransCanada sees itself in oil train business regardless of Keystone XL (via Reuters)

TRANSPORTATION 

EVs are cleaner, but still not a magic bullet (via New York Times)

GM learning from current Chevy Volt owners as it works on next-gen model (via Autoblog Green)

Report suggests Tesla Model 3 to cost $50,000 or more (via Green Car Reports)

Tesla “ecosystem” changing the face of Silicon Valley (via Green Car Reports)

GRID 

PG&E tops in U.S. smart meter deployments (via Energy Manager Today)

50 million U.S. smart meters and counting (via Greentech Media)

Demand response capacity expected to increase more than six-fold by 2023 (via Navigant Research)

ENVIRONMENT 

Unilever aims to end deforestation (via Sustainable Business)

Drought-stricken California gets landmark groundwater legislation (via Sacramento Bee)

POLITICS 

Obama welcomes report saying fighting climate change can be low cost (via The Guardian)

Bobby Jindal: White House are “science deniers” (via Politico)

Markey to seek halt on federal coal leases (via The Hill)

OPINION 

Fighting climate change makes economic sense; cities should take the lead (via Huffington Post)

Measuring up: How to assess the upcoming UN climate summit (via Climate Progress)

By the numbers: The new climate economy (via WRI Insights)

Mexico has reformed its energy sector, now what? (via Forbes)

Bobby Jindal’s soft climate-change skepticism (via National Journal)

Posted:   |   Categories: Antarctic, arctic, biofuel, Bobby Jindal, Burlington, california, Carbon pricing, carbon tax, chevy volt, Chile, China, Clean Power Plan, climate, Climate bonds, Climate Change, coal, Coal exports, colorado, concentrated solar power, deforestation, Demand response, drought, electric vehicles, emissions, EPA, EVs, Extreme weather, fracking, GM, Green bonds, Greenhouse gases, grid, Keystone XL, massachusetts, methane, mexico, natural gas, Net metering, News, offshore drilling, oil, Oil train, OPEC, oregon, Peabody Energy, PGE, Pipeline, renewables, saudi arabia, Sea level rise, Shell, smart meter, solar, Tesla, Tesla Model 3, Tom Vilsack, TransCanada, Transportation, Unilever, united kingdom, vermont, wildfires, wind
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15
Sep

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 9.15.14

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

COAL 

Is China finally kicking its coal addiction? (via Huffington Post)

Coal-fired generation in U.S. to fall 25% by 2020 (via Renew Economy)

Obama’s mountaintop coal mining legacy still to be determined (via Bloomberg)

RENEWABLES 

The clean energy economy: 2.7 million green jobs, 40% fewer emissions (via CleanTechnica)

Sun and wind alter global landscape, leaving utilities behind (via New York Times)

Brazil plans 3.5GW new solar by 2023 (via PV Tech)

Central America solar capacity set to explode (via CleanTechnica)

Clean energy investment at risk from Scottish referendum vote (via Bloomberg)

EPA faces 2014 election accusations on ethanol policy (via The Hill)

Study showcases effective state renewable energy policies to help meet pending EPA rules (via Solar Industry Magazine)

Groups do last-minute jockeying on RFS rule as election day nears (via E&E Daily)

North America’s largest biomass-fueled power plant opens (via Environmental Leader)

As Oklahoma wind industry matures, some call for greater regulation (via The Oklahoman)

Push to impose extra fees on solar customers draws outrage in Wisconsin (via Climate Progress)

EMISSIONS

UN climate summit set for major carbon pricing announcement (via RTCC)

Big corporations brace for global carbon price rollout (via Reuters)

Major corporations leading charge for robust carbon price, says CDP (via BusinessGreen)

EU polluters to land €5 billion windfall under “carbon leakage” proposal (via The Guardian)

South Korea increases emissions cap in proposed carbon trading scheme (via Reuters)

Economists dig into problem of taxing carbon emissions or trading them (via ClimateWire)

California oil marketers want cap-and-trade investigated (via Bloomberg)

Economists call for Midwest carbon tax, emissions market (via MPR News)

OIL 

New U.S. sanctions on Russia to stall Exxon’s Arctic oil plans (via New York Times)

Momentum builds to allow U.S. oil exports (via The Hill)

New petroleum technology revitalizes Powder River Basin oil production (via U.S. EIA)

TRANSPORTATION 

Fuel cells will flop outside Japan, says Volkswagen (via Autoblog)

CLIMATE 

World’s six multilateral development banks promise to do more on climate (via The Hill)

Leading philanthropic foundations can create climate “tipping point” (via RTCC)

Criminal deforestation poses growing climate threat (via RTCC)

No rain for decades: Scientists warn to stand by for “megadroughts” (via The Independent)

Climate activists organize New York march ahead of UN summit (via ABC News)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

UK Green Deal energy efficiency program called “disappointing failure” (via The Telegraph)

California delays energy disclosure program for smaller nonresidential buildings (via Breaking Energy)

GRID 

Solar storms add to growing list of issues for grid reliability monitor (via EnergyWire)

Michigan’s agriculture industry confronts aging grid infrastructure (via Midwest Energy News)

ENVIRONMENT 

What will survive in hot, acidic oceans? (via Climate Central)

Where the wildfires are: If there’s smoke, there are costly health problems (via The Guardian)

Yosemite wildfire crews also battling bears on fire lines (via Los Angeles Times)

POLITICS 

Memo lays out value in anti-Koch attacks (via Politico)

OPINION 

Should the U.S. export oil to push down prices and hurt Putin? (via Quartz)

The climate change trap (via National Journal)

A new perspective on the net metering debate (via Renewable Energy World)

Central America’s heart set on solar with new government tenders (via Solar Industry Magazine)

Another record year for CO2 (via Energy Collective)

YieldCos don’t fit the bill for many renewable energy companies (via Renewable Energy World)

Posted:   |   Categories: arctic, biomass, Brazil, california, cap and trade, Carbon market, Carbon pricing, carbon tax, China, Clean Power Plan, climate, Climate Change, coal, deforestation, drought, emissions, Energy Efficiency, EPA, ethanol, European Union, Exxon, Fuel Cells, global warming, green jobs, grid, japan, michigan, Mountaintop coal removal, NERC, Net metering, News, Ocean acidification, offshore drilling, oil, Oil exports, oklahoma, Renewable Fuels Standard, renewables, Russia, Scotland, solar, South Korea, Transportation, united kingdom, Vladimir Putin, Volkswagen, Wildfire, wind, Wisconsin, YieldCo
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09
Sep

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 9.9.14

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

EMISSIONS

Greenhouse gas surge to impact atmosphere and oceans, says WMO (via Bloomberg)

World Bank to expand plan to buy emission project credits (via Bloomberg)

EU nations make little headway on carbon market reforms (via Reuters Point Carbon)

Obama to launch climate contest for U.S. cities (via The Hill)

With groundbreaking, large-scale carbon capture finds a home in Texas oil patch (via EnergyWire)

ENERGY POLICY 

Power plants heading out to sea in post-Fukishima Japan (via Bloomberg)

Natural gas, solar, wind lead power plant capacity additions in first-half 2014 (via U.S. EIA)

RENEWABLES 

Norway losing out to Sweden in $6 billion wind power boom (via Bloomberg)

Adapt or perish: Global shift to renewables inevitable, says IRENA (via Renew Economy)

The return of small commercial solar? (via Greentech Media)

U.S. DOE awards grant to study wind turbines’ impact on birds and bats (via Think Progress)

Power clashes cloud solar’s future in Washington State (via Seattle Times)

Five clean energy YieldCos you may not have heard about (via Greentech Media)

Ten clean energy stocks for 2014: September update (via Renewable Energy World)

NATURAL GAS 

Nine countries that could hold the next big shale play (via Houston Chronicle)

Amid Ukraine crisis, Europe weighs fracking (via Christian Science Monitor)

A tale of three countries: Water risks to global shale development (via World Resources Institute)

Fracking in China: Just add water (via Christian Science Monitor)

CLIMATE 

Research shows surprise global warming “hiatus” could have been forecast (via The Guardian)

Climate change may drastically increase forest fires in Europe (via Science World Report)

U.K. to reveal strategy for climate change talks (via The Guardian)

Mosquito-borne viruses hit Japan and the U.S. (via New York Times)

Hundreds of bird species at risk due to climate change (via USA Today)

Cities prepare for warmer climate without saying so (via Seattle Times/AP)

Prosecutors side with coal blockaders on climate defense, drop charges (via Climate Central)

OIL 

U.K. government lends hand to BP in U.S. Gulf oil spill rulings (via Reuters)

TRANSPORTATION 

Germany to cut transport emissions as it pushes electric cars (via Bloomberg)

Californians propel plug-in car sales with 40% of market (via Bloomberg)

UC-Riverside team shows new eco-routing navigation tool can cut EV energy use up to 51% (via Green Car Congress)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

Europe’s dependency on Russian gas may be cut amid energy efficiency focus (via The Guardian)

Utility customers respond to variable pricing (via Navigant Research)

Opower enters rare partnership with FirstFuel to expand into commercial building efficiency (via Greentech Media)

GRID 

DOE to fund $8 million in microgrid projects across U.S. (via The Hill)

POLITICS 

Environmental groups hit $4 million for election campaigns (via The Hill)

Report says “green” businesses donate millions to congressional climate deniers (via EcoWatch)

White House threatens to veto bill to kill EPA water rule (via The Hill)

OPINION 

Should we curb air pollution from air travel? (via National Journal)

Why a carbon tax can help climate change and the economy (via Forbes)

Yale University ducks on fossil fuel divestment – and fails Leadership 101 (via Huffington Post)

Posted:   |   Categories: BP, california, carbon capture, Carbon market, carbon tax, China, climate, coal, Demand response, department of energy, Divestment, electric vehicles, emissions, Energy Efficiency, EPA, europe, European Union, ev, FirstFuel, Forest fire, Fossil fuel divestment, fracking, germany, global warming, grid, Gulf of Mexico, IRENA, japan, Microgrid, natural gas, News, norway, oil, oil spill, Opower, renewables, Russia, Shale gas, solar, Sweden, texas, Transportation, Ukraine, united kingdom, Variable pricing, Washington State, wind, World Bank, World Meteorological Organization, Yale University, YieldCo
0
28
Aug

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 8.28.14

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

EMISSIONS 

World’s existing power plants will emit 300 billion tons of CO2 in their lifetimes (via Climate Progress)

Chile set to pass Latin America’s second carbon tax (via RTCC)

Divesting from fossil fuels would cost $5 trillion (via CleanTechnica)

Study: Open trash burning significantly worsening global air pollution; unaccounted for in emission inventories (via Green Car Congress)

COAL 

Why abundant coal may have “cursed” the Appalachian economy (via Washington Post)

America’s coal heartland is in economic free fall – but only the most desperate are fleeing (via Washington Post)

RENEWABLES 

IEA sees $1.6 trillion in clean energy investments through 2020 (via Bloomberg)

Scalable solar a good match for South America, says DuPont (via PV Tech)

Cost of solar panels in Australia to rise by half if renewables target chopped (via Sydney Morning Herald)

Renewable energy report recommends cutting Australia’s target (via Bloomberg)

GE to add 1.5GW Brazil wind by 2016 (via Recharge)

Chile, US navies working on drop-in alternative fuels (via Green Car Congress)

EIA report: U.S. PV generation more than doubles over last year’s output (via PV Tech)

How a new group is helping West Virginia nonprofits get solar for just $1 (via Climate Progress)

CLIMATE 

State Dept. denies seeking alternative to climate treaty, but has been doing so since 2009 (via Huffington Post)

What global warming might mean for extreme snowfalls (via Climate Central)

How climate change could ruin your Hawaii vacation (via Christian Science Monitor)

NATURAL GAS 

Russia denies plans to block natural gas transit to Europe (via Reuters)

Plenty of reserves left in Marcellus Shale, says report (via Houston Chronicle)

ENERGY POLICY 

Japan advances electricity market reform (via Recharge)

OIL 

You’re welcome, world: U.S. fracking surge picks up slack for global disruption (via National Journal)

Dearth of oil finds threatens long-term supplies, price (via Reuters)

Rail deliveries of U.S. oil continue increasing in 2014 (via U.S. EIA)

Fracking foes force some oil drillers to tread lightly (via Bloomberg)

North Dakota universities crumble as oil cash pours in (via Bloomberg)

TRANSPORTATION 

China’s electric and hybrid vehicle production up 280% (via CleanTechnica)

Main path to better fuel efficiency: Lighter vehicles, say automakers (via Green Car Reports)

California first to give extra funds to low-income EV buyers (via Autoblog Green)

GRID 

Grid perfection, not defection: A new microgrid landscape in the making (via Greentech Media)

What Americans really want from their smart homes (via Greentech Media)

Grid infrastructure upgrades mean Texas no longer wastes wind power (via Renewable Energy World)

Illinois grapples with question of who owns energy data from smart meters (via Midwest Energy News)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

Spending on energy efficient buildings in Europe to total $800 billion through 2023 (via Navigant Research)

What’s moving capital back into energy efficiency? (via Clean Energy Finance Forum)

ENVIRONMENT 

Big wins elusive for EPA in Clean Water Act showdowns (via Greenwire)

Reminder: The terrible drought in California is still really, really terrible (via Washington Post)

POLITICS 

The head-on politics of going around Congress on climate change (via National Journal)

An inside look at how ALEC ‘s plans to undo environmental legislation (via Toronto Star)

In audio recording, McConnell envisions using budget to undo Obama initiatives (via New York Times)

Climate change a central issue in tight Florida governor’s race (via InsideClimate News)

Vulnerable Dem slams Obama over UN climate change effort (via The Hill)

One Democrat’s gamble on climate change (via Politico)

OPINION 

These revolutionary technologies promised to help save us from climate change – so what happened? (via Washington Post)

A climate for change: A solution conservatives could accept (via Washington Post)

Why Republicans won’t back a carbon tax (via Grist)

Posted:   |   Categories: ALEC, Appalachia, australia, biofuel, Brazil, california, carbon tax, Chile, Clean Water Act, climate, Climate Change, coal, Divestment, drought, DuPont, eia, electric vehicles, emissions, Energy Efficiency, EPA, Florida, Fossil fuel divestment, fracking, fuel-efficiency, GE, global warming, grid, Hawaii, Illinois, International Energy Agency, japan, marcellus shale, Microgrid, Mitch McConnell, natural gas, News, north dakota, oil, Oil train, renewables, Russia, smart meters, solar, texas, Transportation, West Virginia, wind
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24
Jul

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 7.24.14

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

CLIMATE 

June 2014: Earth’s 3rd consecutive warmest month on record (via Weather Underground)

Report: Gulf and Atlantic Coasts not prepared for sea-level rise (via National Geographic)

Chicago’s race to outbuild the rain (via Washington Post)

GRID 

Q2 2014 VC smart grid funding at $81 million, says Mercom (via Energy Manager Today)

RENEWABLES 

Australian renewables compete in carbon tax vacuum (via Xinhua)

India set for 1.5GW solar PV projects auction (via CleanTechnica)

U.K. announces $340 million renewable power auction (via Bloomberg)

Scotland approves two wind farms to power more than 100,000 homes (via Bloomberg)

New biofuels match crude oil’s energy, but there’s a catch (via Christian Science Monitor)

Ethanol needs separate treatment in U.S. rail rules, say biofuel groups (via Reuters)

Ethanol producers squeezing more fuel from corn crops (via Midwest Energy News)

Are utilities about to kill solar energy’s future in North Carolina? (via CleanTechnica)

Texas is wired for wind power and more farms are plugging in (via New York Times)

Beyond the rooftop: Commercial net metering in California (via Greentech Media)

For Californians, higher costs dampen support for clean energy (via Reuters)

Most Ohio utilities plan to keep investing in clean energy despite new law (via Columbus Dispatch) 

COAL 

Japan boosts support for overseas coal plants despite Obama push to cut funding (via International Business Times)

China’s coal industry says times are hard, outlook is worse (via Reuters)

Japanese trading houses look to sell Australian coal assets (via Financial Times)

Environmentalists: Coal ash layers still evident in Dan River (via News & Record)

Court ruling says Illinois can force consumers to buy power from FutureGen (via Chicago Tribune)

EMISSIONS 

China’s planned coal-to-gas plants would emit more CO2, says report (via Al-Jazeera America)

States most against EPA rule would gain the most, finds study (via New York Times)

Court ruling may reverberate on “social cost” of carbon (via Climate Central)

EPA gears up for public hearings on climate rule (via The Hill)

OIL 

U.S. petroleum refineries running at record levels (via U.S. EIA)

DOT proposes stricter oil train safety rules (via Politico)

Construction of first U.S. tar sands mine begins, even as it’s blockaded (via Sustainable Business)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

EU regulators propose 30% energy savings target for 2030 (via Bloomberg)

The NFL’s newest stadium is also one of the greenest (via Grist)

ENVIRONMENT 

Fire season in U.S. West so far below expectations (via AP)

Amid extreme drought, California sees big jump in brush fires (via Los Angeles Times)

California water prices soar for farmers as drought grows (via Bloomberg)

Federal agency pledges new West Virginia chemical leak health studies (via Charleston Daily Mail)

POLITICS 

GOP senator slams EPA chief: “You don’t run this country” (via The Hill)

Mitch McConnell’s mythmaking on coal jobs (via The Hill)

A one-step guide to infuriating an EPA official (via National Journal)

OPINION 

Has China “messed up” its EV charging standards? (via Green Car Reports)

Is climate change changing you? (via Washington Post)

Four reasons U.S. fracking could turn out to be a bubble (via Quartz)

Seven charts explain changing U.S. power sector (via WRI Insights)

Sure, the utility business model is changing, but not so fast (via Breaking Energy)

Why a minimum bill may solve net metering battles (via Greentech Media)

Posted:   |   Categories: australia, biofuels, california, carbon tax, chicago, China, Clean Power Plan, climate, Climate Change, coal, coal ash, Coal ash spill, Coal-to-gas, colorado, DOT, drought, emissions, Energy Efficiency, environment, EPA, ethanol, European Union, ev charging, Extreme weather, fracking, FutureGen, Gina McCarthy, global warming, green building, grid, Illinois, india, japan, LEED, Mitch McConnell, Net metering, News, North Carolina, Ohio, oil, Oil train, renewables, Sea level rise, smart grid, Social cost of carbon, solar, tar sands, texas, united kingdom, West Virginia, Wildfire, wind
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23
Jul

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 7.23.14

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

COAL 

China coal demand to peak by 2020, says Standard & Poor (via RTCC)

German coal power plants are Europe’s most climate-damaging (via Bloomberg)

Labor officials promise to fix black program for coal miners with black lung (via ABC News)

EMISSIONS 

Industry to EPA: Climate rule “not workable” (via The Hill)

U.S. poll finds support for carbon tax grows when revenue funds renewables (via Green Car Congress)

RENEWABLES 

Solar leasing market in Australia could reach $100 billion (via Renew Economy)

European wind industry slashes growth forecasts (via BusinessGreen)

Geothermal industry grows with help from oil and gas drilling (via New York Times)

Orix plans to build as many as 15 geothermal plants in Japan (via Bloomberg)

Iberdrola profit drops as Spain renewable subsidy cuts hit (via Bloomberg)

Self-cooling solar cells boost power, last longer (via Energy Manager Today)

Google offers $1 million prize for anyone who can build a better power inverter (via Forbes)

“Pay-as-you-go” solar financing hits new milestone (via Huffington Post)

CLIMATE 

Earth’s hottest June follows hottest May – a new normal? (via Christian Science Monitor)

U.S. and China presidents to attend September UN climate summit (via RTCC)

Study: Natural variations explain the global warming “pause” (via Salon)

Poll: U.S. leads the world….in climate denial (via Climate Progress)

Climate change hits all Pentagon operations, says official (via The Hill)

Obama attributes wildfires to climate change (via Huffington Post/AP)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

EU Commission agrees to 30% by 2030 energy savings goal (via Reuters)

In Minnesota, “behavior” programs show energy-saving results (via Midwest Energy News)

California calculates the value of time in energy efficiency (via Navigant Research)

In New York, greening older buildings (via Navigant Research)

Energy efficiency finance in plain English: An intro to leases (via Energy Manager Today)

NATURAL GAS 

Industry pans DOE’s plan for natural gas exports (via Houston Chronicle)

Shale plays reduce political risk (via Reuters)

Pennsylvania Auditor General criticizes state oversight of shale gas industry (via Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

GRID 

Brazil to auction 4,000 kilometers of new transmission lines (via Recharge)

Here’s what utilities really think about microgrids (via Greentech Media)

Keeping up with energy storage (via Renewable Energy World)

TAR SANDS 

Alberta oil clout dominating Canada’s unbalanced economy (via Bloomberg)

Enbridge mulls Midwest rail terminal to ease pipeline congestion (via Reuters)

Maine port city bans oil loading as Canada seeks export options (via Reuters)

TransCanada spends big on K Street as pipeline fight heads to finish (via Greenwire)

TRANSPORTATION 

Lithium-ion batteries for EVs will surpass $24 billion annual revenue by 2023 (via Navigant Research)

Electric cars equal gasoline cost of just 75 cents per gallon (via Green Car Reports)

Is this the site of Tesla’s Gigafactory in Nevada? (via Greentech Media)

ENVIRONMENT 

Great Barrier Reef will be “pretty ugly” by 2050, say researchers (via Huffington Post)

Drier than the Dust Bowl: Waiting for relief in rural America (via Washington Post)

Unprecedented spate of wildfires incinerates homes in Pacific Northwest (via Scientific American)

POLITICS 

Group tries to make climate change a winning wedge issue (via Huffington Post)

EPA chief in hot seat as lawmakers dissect carbon rule (via Reuters)

Obama announces nominations for Nuclear Regulator Commission (via The Hill)

OPINION 

British Columbia’s climate plan is working, so why stop now? (via The Tyee)

Why Australia’s carbon tax repeal is an economic step back (via CleanTechnica)

The dangerous truth behind wildfires (via Huffington Post)

I crashed a climate change denial conference in Las Vegas (via Vice)

How the South Portland city council foiled Big Oil’s plan to sneak tar sands out of Canada (via Climate Progress)

Posted:   |   Categories: Alberta, australia, Batteries, Brazil, british columbia, california, canada, carbon tax, China, Clean Power Plan, climate, Climate Change, coal, DOE, drought, electric vehicles, emissions, Enbridge, Energy Efficiency, energy storage, environment, EPA, EU Commission, europe, EVs, gas prices, geothermal, germany, Gina McCarthy, global warming, google, Great Barrier Reef, green building, grid, iberdrola, japan, Maine, Microgrids, minnesota, natural gas, Natural gas exports, Nevada, new york state, News, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Oil exports, Oil train, pennsylvania, renewables, Shale gas, solar, solar leasing, Spain, tar sands, Tesla, Tesla Gigafactory, TransCanada, transmission, Transportaiton, wildfires, wind
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23
Jul

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 7.23.14

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

COAL 

China coal demand to peak by 2020, says Standard & Poor (via RTCC)

German coal power plants are Europe’s most climate-damaging (via Bloomberg)

Labor officials promise to fix black program for coal miners with black lung (via ABC News)

EMISSIONS 

Industry to EPA: Climate rule “not workable” (via The Hill)

U.S. poll finds support for carbon tax grows when revenue funds renewables (via Green Car Congress)

RENEWABLES 

Solar leasing market in Australia could reach $100 billion (via Renew Economy)

European wind industry slashes growth forecasts (via BusinessGreen)

Geothermal industry grows with help from oil and gas drilling (via New York Times)

Orix plans to build as many as 15 geothermal plants in Japan (via Bloomberg)

Iberdrola profit drops as Spain renewable subsidy cuts hit (via Bloomberg)

Self-cooling solar cells boost power, last longer (via Energy Manager Today)

Google offers $1 million prize for anyone who can build a better power inverter (via Forbes)

“Pay-as-you-go” solar financing hits new milestone (via Huffington Post)

CLIMATE 

Earth’s hottest June follows hottest May – a new normal? (via Christian Science Monitor)

U.S. and China presidents to attend September UN climate summit (via RTCC)

Study: Natural variations explain the global warming “pause” (via Salon)

Poll: U.S. leads the world….in climate denial (via Climate Progress)

Climate change hits all Pentagon operations, says official (via The Hill)

Obama attributes wildfires to climate change (via Huffington Post/AP)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

EU Commission agrees to 30% by 2030 energy savings goal (via Reuters)

In Minnesota, “behavior” programs show energy-saving results (via Midwest Energy News)

California calculates the value of time in energy efficiency (via Navigant Research)

In New York, greening older buildings (via Navigant Research)

Energy efficiency finance in plain English: An intro to leases (via Energy Manager Today)

NATURAL GAS 

Industry pans DOE’s plan for natural gas exports (via Houston Chronicle)

Shale plays reduce political risk (via Reuters)

Pennsylvania Auditor General criticizes state oversight of shale gas industry (via Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

GRID 

Brazil to auction 4,000 kilometers of new transmission lines (via Recharge)

Here’s what utilities really think about microgrids (via Greentech Media)

Keeping up with energy storage (via Renewable Energy World)

TAR SANDS 

Alberta oil clout dominating Canada’s unbalanced economy (via Bloomberg)

Enbridge mulls Midwest rail terminal to ease pipeline congestion (via Reuters)

Maine port city bans oil loading as Canada seeks export options (via Reuters)

TransCanada spends big on K Street as pipeline fight heads to finish (via Greenwire)

TRANSPORTATION 

Lithium-ion batteries for EVs will surpass $24 billion annual revenue by 2023 (via Navigant Research)

Electric cars equal gasoline cost of just 75 cents per gallon (via Green Car Reports)

Is this the site of Tesla’s Gigafactory in Nevada? (via Greentech Media)

ENVIRONMENT 

Great Barrier Reef will be “pretty ugly” by 2050, say researchers (via Huffington Post)

Drier than the Dust Bowl: Waiting for relief in rural America (via Washington Post)

Unprecedented spate of wildfires incinerates homes in Pacific Northwest (via Scientific American)

POLITICS 

Group tries to make climate change a winning wedge issue (via Huffington Post)

EPA chief in hot seat as lawmakers dissect carbon rule (via Reuters)

Obama announces nominations for Nuclear Regulator Commission (via The Hill)

OPINION 

British Columbia’s climate plan is working, so why stop now? (via The Tyee)

Why Australia’s carbon tax repeal is an economic step back (via CleanTechnica)

The dangerous truth behind wildfires (via Huffington Post)

I crashed a climate change denial conference in Las Vegas (via Vice)

How the South Portland city council foiled Big Oil’s plan to sneak tar sands out of Canada (via Climate Progress)

Posted:   |   Categories: Alberta, australia, Batteries, Brazil, british columbia, california, canada, carbon tax, China, Clean Power Plan, climate, Climate Change, coal, DOE, drought, electric vehicles, emissions, Enbridge, Energy Efficiency, energy storage, environment, EPA, EU Commission, europe, EVs, gas prices, geothermal, germany, Gina McCarthy, global warming, google, Great Barrier Reef, green building, grid, iberdrola, japan, Maine, Microgrids, minnesota, natural gas, Natural gas exports, Nevada, new york state, News, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Oil exports, Oil train, pennsylvania, renewables, Shale gas, solar, solar leasing, Spain, tar sands, Tesla, Tesla Gigafactory, TransCanada, transmission, Transportaiton, wildfires, wind
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17
Jul

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 7.17.14

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

EMISSIONS 

Australian parliament repeals carbon tax, emissions trading scheme (via Reuters)

Global carbon market hopes fade as Australia dumps CO2 trading (via Reuters)

Britain urges deeper EU carbon market reforms than proposed (via Reuters)

EPA’s carbon plans asks the least from states that pollute the most (via Washington Post)

EPA’s McCarthy pushes states to adopt carbon-cutting “investment strategy” (via EnergyWire)

OIL 

Oil train tanker phaseout could last years (via Houston Chronicle)

RENEWABLES 

China-US solar trade issue: WTO directive could impact India (via Panchabuta)

Green bonds market grows by 60% in a year (via BusinessGreen)

Jamaica unveils world’s largest wind-solar hybrid installation (via Inhabitat)

Oil lobby turns focus to EPA in ethanol fight (via The Hill)

North Carolina solar farms embark on a delicate dance with Duke (via Charlotte Observer)

Clean energy yieldcos: Growing pains (via Forbes)

Five things to know about the U.S. utility-scale PV market (via Greentech Media)

Three noteworthy solar implications in the new U.S. national electrical code (via Renewable Energy World)

Looking to fund a clean energy project? You need a green bank (via National Journal)

CLIMATE 

China at work on climate protection plans (via United Press International)

Limiting temperature rise to 2 degrees Celsius is still possible – and it pays to do so (via WRI Insights)

Obama: Climate change is “direct threat” to U.S. (via The Hill)

ENERGY POLICY 

In Latin America, Putin wheels and deals on energy (via Christian Science Monitor)

President Obama announces new sanctions on Russia (via National Journal)

Energy Department predicts slowdown in annual U.S. power plant growth (via Houston Chronicle)

GRID 

Nothing small in the potential for nanogrids (via GreenBiz)

Here are 1.2 billion reasons why resiliency is a big deal for the power sector (via Greentech Media)

NATURAL GAS 

Effort to avoid vote on fracking falters in Colorado (via New York Times)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

The U.S. has quietly made remarkable fuel-efficiency advances (via The Atlantic)

PACE creating energy efficiency opportunities in Minnesota (via Midwest Energy News)

COAL 

Duke Energy completes Dan River ash cleanup (via Charlotte Business Journal)

ENVIRONMENT 

First map to detail extent of plastic in five ocean gyres (via EcoWatch)

California drought idles huge swaths of farmland (via Sacramento Bee/AP)

California farms are sucking up enough groundwater to put Rhode Island 17 feet under (via Mother Jones)

POLITICS 

Climate super PAC struggling to bring in money (via Huffington Post/AP)

Steyer struggles to find big-money donors (via Politico)

OPINION 

Australia’s carbon tax is dead and there’s nothing to take its place (via The Guardian)

Obama’s sideways climate plan (via National Journal)

10 things to know about investment in renewable energy (via The Guardian)

Posted:   |   Categories: australia, california, Carbon market, carbon tax, China, Clean Power Plan, climate, Climate Change, coal, coal ash, Coal ash spill, colorado, DOE, drought, duke energy, emissions, Energy Efficiency, environment, EPA, ethanol, EU ETS, fracking, fuel-efficiency, Gina McCarthy, global warming, Green bank, Green bonds, grid, india, Jamaica, Latin America, minnesota, Nanogrid, natural gas, News, NextGen, North Carolina, oil, Oil train, PACE, Renewable Fuels Standard, renewables, RFS, rhode island, Russia, solar, Solar trade war, Tom Steyer, united kingdom, Vladimir Putin, wind, World Trade Organization, Yieldcos
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