Energy and Environment News Roundup – 7.3.13
A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.
EMISSIONS
European parliament votes for backloading plan to push up carbon price (via BusinessGreen)
EU ministers and blue chips unite in call to save carbon market (via BusinessGreen)
33 cities test new framework for community-scale greenhouse gas inventories (via WRI Insights)
Lesser-known CO2 storage idea merits attention (via Reuters)
United Church of Christ passes fossil fuel divestment strategy (via Huffington Post)
GREEN BUSINESS
Ratings and rankings: how competition promotes corporate sustainability (via GreenBiz)
Report says less carbon pollution and more manufacturing can go together (via Climate Progress)
Why American businesses should fight for renewable portfolio standards (via GreenBiz)
RENEWABLES
Saudi Arabia starts survey of renewable energy potential (via Bloomberg)
Desertec in trouble as founders quit €400 billion solar project (via RTCC)
UK feed-in tariff generates 380,000 small-scale renewable projects in three years (via BusinessGreen)
Uganda launches renewable energy feed-in tariff program (via Renewable Energy World)
Solar water heaters bloom on China’s rooftops, but not in the US (via ClimateWire)
Vestas wins 93MW South African wind turbine order (via Bloomberg)
Algae species shows promise in reducing power plant pollution to make biofuel (via Green Car Congress)
Interior approves 500MW Arizona wind farm (via Renew Grid)
Connecticut’s green bank: a model for public-private renewables partnerships? (via Breaking Energy)
COAL
Obama revamps $8 billion coal loan program amid objections (via Bloomberg)
CLIMATE
UN charts “unprecedented” global warming since 2000 (via Bloomberg)
Japan’s climate finance plan welcomed by vulnerable nations (via RTCC)
Rich countries’ proposal to bypass poorer governments on climate aid rejected in UN (via The Guardian)
Death estimates from Indian floods range to 10,000 (via Wall Street Journal)
Arizona wildfire continues to burn out of control (via Arizona Republic)
Death Valley hit hottest US June temperature ever recorded Sunday – 129 (via Washington Post)
OIL
Federal court rejects SEC rule on oil company payments (via Houston Chronicle)
Obama administration boosts oil industry with $8 billion in loan guarantees (via Houston Chronicle)
Steelmakers file US trade case seeking duties on oil pipes (via Houston Chronicle)
Sickened by Exxon oil spill, Arkansas victims face confusion of officials and doctors (via InsideClimate News)
TRANSPORTATION
GM and Honda to collaborate on fuel-cell development (via New York Times)
Strong June sales push Chevy Volt ahead of Nissan Leaf for first time since February (via Autoblog Green)
Fisker bankruptcy likely, says Delaware governor (via Autoblog Green)
NUCLEAR
Fukushima plant operator seeks to restart two nuclear reactors (via New York Times)
Lower power prices and high repair costs drive nuclear retirements (via US EIA)
GRID
PJM seeks additional resources to restart electric system if power lost across grid (via Wall Street Journal)
TAR SANDS/KEYSTONE XL
Tar sands coal petcoke exports hit second-highest level ever in April (via DeSmog Blog)
Keystone XL foes turn focus to local governments (via ABC News/AP)
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
Cambridge plans $1.5 billion in energy efficiency retrofits (via Energy Manager Today)
How Obama’s climate plan will boost US energy efficiency (via Greentech Media)
Empire State Building efficiency retrofit model rolls out across US (via CleanTechnica)
NPR’s LEED Gold headquarters a radio nerd’s dream (via EarthTechling)
POLITICS
What would happen if candidates and elected officials were asked to sign a climate action pledge? (via Climate Progress)
Has the GOP stopped denying climate science, and will they begin participating in solutions? (via The Guardian)
OPINION
Solar offers hope in fight against climate change (via Huffington Post)
Kosovo a chance for World Bank, Obama to show climate change leadership (via National Geographic)
Heroes and villains of the renewable energy fight (via CleanTechnica)
A closer look at Obama’s $7 billion plan to bring electricity to Africa (via Washington Post)
What’s causing the West’s heat wave and why hot nights are so dangerous (via Washington Post/AP)