Energy and Environment News Roundup – 8.26.14
A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.
EMISSIONS
13 states say EPA climate regulations illegally left out data (via The Hill)
GAO finds no fault with “social cost of carbon” (via The Hill)
Fossil fuel divestment: A $5 trillion challenge (via Bloomberg)
ENERGY POLICY
UBS analysts: “Large-scale power stations could be on path to extinction” (via Greentech Media)
“Major investment cycle” and rapidly changing U.S. energy markets pose challenges for FERC, says new chairman (via EnergyWire)
One electric utility is carbon neutral, today (via CleanTechnica)
RENEWABLES
India plans to add 10,000MW wind energy capacity every year (via CleanTechnica)
Pattern turns to solar after building top Chile wind farm (via Bloomberg)
Verizon to boost solar by $40 million, almost doubling its clean energy (via GigaOm)
SolarWorld wins trade case but faces sliding stock, parts recall, and more (via Greentech Media)
Trina Solar posts profit as module shipments jump (via Reuters)
Retail vs. wholesale energy pricing: One reason it’s easy for rooftop solar to be cost effective (via CleanTechnica)
OIL
Enbridge case reflects broader effort to fast-track pipelines (via Midwest Energy News)
Grain piles up, waiting for a ride, as trains move North Dakota oil (via New York Times)
TRANSPORTATION
China said to consider $16 billion EV-charging fund (via Bloomberg)
Are the EPA’s MPGe ratings hurting EV sales? (via Autoblog Green)
The story of Elon Musk and GM’s race to build the first mass-market EV (via Quartz)
NATURAL GAS
Labour party attempts to strengthen UK fracking industry regulation (via BusinessGreen)
Fracking link to birth defects probed in early research (via Bloomberg)
Drilling underway at Pittsburgh International Airport (via StateImpact Pennsylvania)
CLIMATE
Small island states, facing rising seas, seek economic overhaul (via Reuters)
Health benefits offset costs of climate policies: MIT study (via Greenwire)
Visualize it: Old weather data feeds new climate models (via Climate Central)
Scientists go beyond science to explain their climate terror (via National Journal)
GRID
Investment in U.S. electricity transmission infrastructure shows steady increase (via U.S. EIA)
The Catch-22 of energy storage (via Energy Collective)
ENVIRONMENT
Chart: How many birds are killed by wind, solar, oil, and coal? (via Climate Progress)
San Joaquin is America’s most endangered river (via EcoWatch)
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
Sustainability standard developed for home appliances (via Environmental Leader)
OPINION
In race for solar power, China is winning (via Christian Science Monitor)
Europe is burning our forests for “renewable” energy. Wait, what? (via Grist)
A climate for change: America should not wait while the world warms (via Washington Post)
How WWI killed the dream of a solar-powered world (via Sustainable Cities Collective)