Energy and Environment News Roundup – 2.11.13
A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.
CLIMATE
The scary truth about how much climate change is costing you (via National Journal)
EPA publishes climate change protection plan, asks for comments (via The Hill)
Science groups push Obama for climate change summit (via Climate Central)
New map pinpoints cities to avoid as sea levels rise (via NewScientist)
Attention investors: climate policy could knock off half the value of fossil fuel companies (via Grist)
COAL
Interior Department will investigate coal export royalty payments (via The Hill)
Big Coal’s big problems (via Rolling Stone)
Flexibility key to carbon limits on US coal-fired power (via Reuters)
Coal exports are a no-win business model (via The Oregonian)
RENEWABLES
Wind industry installs almost 5.3GW of capacity in December (via US EIA)
World added 30GW of PV solar in 2012, EPIA says (via Recharge)
Clean energy a $2 trillion market through 2018 (via Pike Research)
China, US lead global wind installations in 2012 (via Renew Economy)
Germany has five times as much solar power as the US – despite Alaska levels of sun (via Washington Post)
Tidal power concept fails in UK demo (via EarthTechling)
GWEC: “Africa to emerge as wind hotspot” (via Recharge)
US residential solar financing to reach $5.7 billion by 2016 (via Greentech Media)
Obama Administration to stay course on biofuel law, Vilsack says (via Bloomberg)
DOE launches database to support sustainable development of ocean energy resources (via Green Car Congress)
In the Rockies, growing support for renewables (via New York Times)
Solar outside the Sunbelt: Minnesota (via Greentech Media)
Rhode Island feed-in tariff schedule announced for 2013 (via Renewable Energy World)
EMISSIONS
Carbon Emissions Globe provides 3D visualization of world’s increasing emissions (via Inhabitat)
Japan proposes pollution meeting with China (via Phys.org)
Business gains seen in US standards for power plant emissions (via Bloomberg)
RGGI’s tougher carbon cap seen doubling revenues by 2020 (via InsideClimate News)
Ohio State’s carbon-capture breakthrough still has long road to adoption (via Midwest Energy News)
TRANSPORTATION
US Army makes progress on vehicle fleet efficiency (via Triple Pundit)
How battery improvements will revolutionize electric car design (via GigaOm)
Stalled out on Tesla’s electric highway (via New York Times)
Toward a cure for range anxiety (via New York Times)
Automakers straddle the EV charging chasm (via Pike Research)
MyFord mobile app now directs C-Max and Fusion Energi drivers to nearest EV chargers (via Autoblog Green)
KEYSTONE XL
Kerry wants Keystone pipeline decision in “near term” (via The Hill)
Is Keystone XL Obama’s line in the sand? (via The Globe and Mail)
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
€600 million approved UK’s Green Deal energy efficiency program (via CleanTechnica)
Energy efficiency could save US billions, create 1.3 million jobs by 2030 (via CleanTechnica)
Energy efficiency prospects: what to watch (via GreenBiz)
OIL
Oil exports trim US deficit as fuel gap shrinks (via Bloomberg)
Higher oil taxes would lift the economy (via Council on Foreign Relations)
Major oil company breaks with trade group over SEC disclosure lawsuit (via The Hill)
GRID
Exelon: wind power subsidies could threaten nuclear plant closings (via Chicago Tribune)
Texas wind power transmission set to skyrocket (via CleanTechnica)
Governor’s office, California ISO square off on distributed generation (via Greentech Media)
NATURAL GAS/FRACKING
In North Carolina, fracking rights rise to the surface (via Reuters)
POLITICS
Sizing up Obama’s State of the Union address (via National Journal)
Obama to lay out economic growth plan in State of Union speech (via Reuters)
Q&A: Sen. Murkowski on her “20/20” energy policy vision (via Washington Post)
Marco Rubio not convinced climate change an actual problem (via Huffington Post)
OPINION
It’s not easy being green (via New York Times)
10 lessons learned from solar power success in Germany (via CleanTechnica)
More clean energy cometh (via EarthTechling)
Why Keystone XL is not in the US national interest (via Energy Collective)
Cap-and-trade is still alive in New England – is it working? (via Washington Post)
Germany has more solar power because everyone wins (via CleanTechnica)
Could Nemo inspire more dubious climate change coverage? (via Mother Jones)
Can USDA’s climate reality message take root with denialist farmers? (via Grist)