Energy and Environment News Roundup – 9.11.13
A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.
EMISSIONS
Markets bet on Australian carbon repeal…and a new carbon price (via Renew Economy)
EU Parliament votes to tackle biofuel emissions from 2020 (via BusinessGreen)
Biggest polluters in US ranked by emissions in new report (via Huffington Post)
California cap-and-trade may be hurt as emissions drop off (via San Francisco Chronicle)
Oil industry touts $81 billion in carbon-cutting efforts (via Houston Chronicle)
TRANSPORTATION
Batteries and plug-ins dominate Frankfurt Auto Show (via Climate Progress)
CA, NY, WA, FL will lead US in plug-in EV sales through 2022 (via Navigant Research)
Average fuel economy for new US vehicles hits high of 24.9 mpg (via Green Car Congress)
RENEWABLES
Development banks lend record $108.9 billion to clean energy in 2012 (via Bloomberg)
Report: Offshore wind can be installed in deeper waters at cheaper cost (via Greentech Media)
China to back 50MW Kazakhstan wind farm (via Recharge)
3D-printing robots could enable solar arrays to self-fabricate in space (via Treehugger)
Coupled solar and energy storage market to grow (via Renewable Energy World)
Talking windmills herald gust of US productivity growth (via Bloomberg)
Cuomo starts $1 billion New York State green bank for energy lending (via Bloomberg)
Energy bill in California gets a rooftop solar-friendly makeover (via Renewable Energy World)
North Dakota county approves $350-million wind farm (via Bismarck Tribune)
Minnesota opens state’s first community solar installation (via Minnesota Public Radio)
From sunlight to farm waste, small Minnesota cities create energy from what’s on hand (via Minnesota Public Radio)
Greensburg, Kansas: A high-renewables tomorrow today (via RMI Outlet)
Solar Decathlon 2013: Raising more than just walls (via Energy.gov)
NFL goes solar, who’s in the lead? (via Renewable Energy World)
Solar panel is next granite countertop for homebuilders (via Bloomberg)
GRID
Renewable energy boom could create $90 billion global HVDC transmission market (via BusinessGreen)
London Array to sell its substations and cables for £459 million (via BusinessGreen)
In Germany, a yellow light for smart meters (via Navigant Research)
USDA provides new funding for grid improvements in eight states (via Renew Grid)
CPUC proposes 1.325GW energy storage target by 2020 (via Renew Grid)
Hawaii governor vows to link islands via undersea cable despite opposition (via Star-Advertiser)
CLIMATE
EU limbers up for fight over new climate targets (via Renew Economy)
Australian military: Climate change will “exacerbate existing problems” (via ABC)
Drought helped cause Syria’s war – will climate change bring more like it? (via Washington Post)
NATURAL GAS/FRACKING
Secrets of fracking fluids pave way for cleaner recipe (via Nature)
Gas flaring responsible for 42% of black carbon in the Arctic (via RTCC)
North Dakota senators seek state exemption from Interior Department fracking rules (via The Hill)
As gas continues to go up in the air, North Dakota moves to tighten loose flaring rules (via EnergyWire)
TAR SANDS/KEYSTONE XL
US decision on Keystone XL pipeline likely to slip to 2014 (via Reuters)
No Keystone, no problem: TransCanada pushing another tar sands pipeline (via Climate Progress)
Neil Young on tar sands: “Fort McMurray looks like Hiroshima” (via Globe and Mail)
ENERGY INDUSTRY
Moody’s: Bankruptcy of Energy Future Holdings is imminent (via Houston Chronicle)
California lawmakers close to passing energy reform bill (via Houston Chronicle/AP)
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
Energy management app turns off the heat when you leave the house (via Treehugger)
LED streetlights save Las Vegas $2 million per year (via Energy Manager Today)
NUCLEAR
Japan ponders Fukushima options, but Tepco too big to fail (via Reuters)
ENVIRONMENT
As drought continues, Texas reservoirs could hit all-time lows (via StateImpact Texas)
OPINION
Australia proposal to ditch carbon pricing is another nail in cap and trade (via Reuters)
Coalition wants US EIA to revamp renewable energy estimates (via Platts)
Why utilities and EV owners need demand response (via Navigant Research)
Imagining a cyberattack on the US power grid (via New York Times)
New York’s ongoing wind energy mistakes (via Breaking Energy)
How the West Texas drilling boom could go bust again (via StateImpact Texas)