Energy and Environment News Roundup – 8.16.13
A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.
CLIMATE
Climate change may have ended late Bronze Age civilizations (via Los Angeles Times)
Apples losing their crunch to global warming (via Agence-France Presse)
Online map guides Great Lakes climate change adaptation planning (via CleanTechnica)
Climate change may be easing devastating 2012 drought (via Climate Central)
Plants in US Southwest moving higher as the climate warms (via Yale e360)
Researchers flying over Western wildfire sampling smoke to study role in climate change (via Washington Post/AP)
NUCLEAR
US nuclear power plants vulnerable to 9/11-style attacks (via Reuters)
RENEWABLES
Brazil plans for 9GW wind energy tender across 377 locations (via Recharge)
Canadian solar sees grid parity for big projects in 5 years (via Renew Economy)
A novel way to cut the cost of advanced biofuels (via MIT Technology Review)
Investments in existing hydropower unlock more clean energy (via Energy.gov)
Proof that renewables can out-compete coal (via The Energy Collective)
White House solar panels being installed this week (via Washington Post)
Oklahoma wind developers say they’ll have enough projects for Clean Line transmission project (via The Oklahoman)
North Carolina coastal residents get glimpse of proposed offshore wind farm (via News Observer)
Four Texas wind projects will combine into world’s largest community-owned wind farm (via Plainview Daily Herald)
Clean Line “overwhelmed” by wind developer response to RFI (via Renew Grid)
Goodhue wind project foes ready to celebrate its defeat (via Minnesota Public Radio)
Wisconsin renewable energy firms, public urge state to rethink solar credit suspension (via Journal Sentinel)
OIL
US and China oil consumption and imports: a tale of two very different countries (via Houston Chronicle)
Nicaragua to start exploring for oil in the Caribbean (via Houston Chronicle/AP)
Ecuador scraps forest protection plan to drill for oil (via Reuters Point Carbon)
As railroad tank cars roll through, Texas towns prepare for accidents (via StateImpact Texas)
TRANSPORTATION
US to bring gas mileage rule to hybrid era (via New York Times)
Could electric cars threaten the grid? (via MIT Technology Review)
KEYSTONE XL/TAR SANDS
Work begins as oil sands pipeline gains fast-track approval (via Midwest Energy News)
ExxonMobil may retire pipeline that burst in Arkansas (via Houston Chronicle/AP)
EMISSIONS
New Zealand scales back 2020 carbon reduction target (via BusinessGreen)
Denmark publishes 78 ideas to curb emissions (via RTCC)
Redwood trees store triple the carbon (via Sustainable Business)
Texas businesses back greenhouse gas emissions law (via New York Times)
GRID
FERC revises energy storage regulations to improve market competition (via Energy Manager Today)
New flow battery could enable cheaper, more efficient energy storage (via Phys.org)
Microgrids get big test in Connecticut (via EarthTechling)
NATURAL GAS/FRACKING
Foreseeing trouble in exporting natural gas (via New York Times)
Could local politics derail West Coast LNG export plans? (via Breaking Energy)
Fracking boom could lead to housing bust (via Grist)
Pennsylvania will pass Louisiana to be second top US gas producing state in 2013 (via Facts of the Day)
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
Smart windows could spark energy efficiency revolution (via RTCC)
Energy Saver 101: Home energy audits (via Energy.gov)
OPINION
Climate policy’s twin challenges (via Los Angeles Times)
Renewable fuels make a difference (via USA Today)
Separating fact from fiction in accounts of Germany’s renewable revolution (via RMI Outlet)
Top 8 things you didn’t know about distributed wind (via Department of Energy)
Are utilities ready for the coming death spiral? (via Greentech Media)
How utilities can adapt when big box retailers go solar (via GreenBiz)
How carbon dioxide regulations could actually hurt renewables (via MIT Technology Review)