Category Archives:ERCOT

21
Mar

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 3.21.13

A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.

TAR SANDS 

Canada’s First Nations say they will fight oil sands, pipeline (via CBC News)

Michigan oil spill cleanup may exceed insurance (via Reuters)

CLIMATE 

World Bank to prioritize support for climate vulnerable states (via RTCC)

Americans’ belief in global warming rises with thermometer (via Times-Picayune/AP)

If you thought 2012 was hot, just wait a few years (via Climate Central)

GRID

Grid operator warns of future power problems in New England (via Boston Globe/AP)

Texas legislature approves electric market cost-benefit measure (via Houston Chronicle)

California lawmakers hammer utilities panel for shoddy forecasting (via Sacramento Bee)

RENEWABLES 

China’s wind power production increased more than coal power did for first time ever in 2012 (via Climate Progress)

India to install 1.3-1.4GW solar power in 2013 (via Panchabuta)

Australia sticks with renewable energy target (via Recharge)

1GW of new PV seen in Mideast and Africa in 2013 (via Recharge)

German insurers urge easing green energy investment rules (via Reuters)

US Senate rejects amendment gutting military biofuels program by 40-59 vote (via The Hill)

Small wind power annual installations will double in capacity by 2018 (via Navigant Research)

OIL 

Oil companies bid $1.6 billion for Gulf drilling rights (via Houston Chronicle)

Coastal states want more offshore drilling revenue (via Politico)

ENVIRONMENT 

China’s coastal waters increasingly polluted (via Phys.org)

New pope: “let us be protectors of creation” (via Mongabay)

Four ways to harvest rainwater and save resources (via The Good Human)

NUCLEAR 

Nuclear regulators under fire for delay of post-Fukushima safety requirement (via The Hill)

TRANSPORTATION 

NRC: Car petroleum use, GHG emissions could drop 80% (via Environmental Leader)

US lawmakers say ethanol mandate may hike gasoline price (via Reuters)

Study says EV drivers will pay more per kWh to charge at work (via Green Car Reports)

DOE tool scores EV readiness for cities, counties, states (via EarthTechling)

SuperTruck semi achieves 54-percent increase in fuel economy (via Autoblog)

NATURAL GAS/FRACKING 

UK budget promises shale gas tax breaks, public benefits (via Reuters)

Pact reached on voluntary standards for fracking in Northeast US (via New York Times/AP)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

Study shows energy-efficient homes are 32% less risky for lenders (via Greentech Media)

Walgreens launches first net-zero retail store in US (via Sustainable Business)

New reasons to change light bulbs (via New York Times)

COAL 

Coal plants belching out less mercury (via Forbes)

How coal affects water quality: state of the science (via Sightline Daily)

POLITICS 

The wealth of business connections for Obama’s Energy pick (via ProPublica)

Keystone XL pipeline debate rattles Massachusetts Senate race (via Reuters)

OPINION 

A Chinese solar giant goes bankrupt, and that’s a good thing (via GigaOm)

UK budget sets green alarm bells ringing (via Recharge)

Protecting renewable portfolio standards from cynical attacks (via Forbes)

How to cut US gasoline use in half by 2030 (via Washington Post)

Two ways Americans may get more ownership of their energy future (via CleanTechnica)

More coal-fired idiocy and mendacity in Nevada (via Grist)

Posted:   |   Categories: africa, australia, barack obama, biofuels, CaISO, california, canada, China, climate, coal, DOE, Electric Vehicle, emissions, Enbridge, Energy Efficiency, environment, ERCOT, Ernest Moniz, ethanol, ev, ev charging, EV charging infrastructure, First Nations, fracking, Fuel Economy, fukushima, Gasoline, germany, global warming, grid, Gulf of Mexico, india, investment, ISO-NE, Keystone XL, LED, marcellus shale, massachusetts, MENA, michigan, natural gas, Net zero, Nevada, New England, News, NRC, nuclear, offshore drilling, oil, oil spill, Pope Francis, PV solar, Renewable energy standard, renewable portfolio standard, renewables, rps, Shale gas, small wind, solar, tar sands, texas, uk, united kingdom, Walgreens, wind, World Bank
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08
Mar

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 3.8.13

A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.

CLIMATE 

Recent global heat spike unlike anything in 11,000 years (via Time/AP)

Report says insurers still ignoring climate change (via Mother Jones)

BusinessGreen guide to climate risk management (via BusinessGreen)

Canadian Arctic may lose 20% of glaciers by 2100, shows study (via Bloomberg)

US Forest Service may let more fires burn (via Time/AP)

COAL 

Burning coal costs the EU €43 billion a year in health costs (via RTCC)

As coal industry declines, what will happen to all those retired miners? (via Washington Post)

ENVIRONMENT

UN says governments falling short in drought fight (via Phys.org)

US drought intensifies in Texas and Florida (via Climate Central)

RENEWABLES 

50 percent price gap between European and Chinese solar modules (via Greentech Media)

China drives record solar growth to become world’s biggest market (via Bloomberg)

London Array becomes world’s biggest offshore wind farm (via Recharge)

Energy project developers see solar as easier than wind (via Greentech Media)

Greece installed 300MW of solar PV in January 2013 (via CleanTechnica)

US ethanol makers eye pros and cons of corn alternatives (via Reuters)

Radical wind concept promises energy storage (via EarthTechling)

Other people’s money: how crowdfunding lowers the cost of solar energy (via RMI Outlet)

Solar batteries could be utilities’ next headache (via Reuters)

Is South Dakota “open for business” for wind developers? (via Midwest Energy News)

KEYSTONE XL/TAR SANDS 

Oil sands, Keystone XL, and the new politics of fossil fuel infrastructure (via Energy Collective)

US lawmakers draft bill to speed decision on Keystone pipeline (via Reuters)

Senate Foreign Relations Committee plans Keystone XL pipeline hearing (via The Hill)

TRANSPORTATION 

Beijing to reveal plan for electric vehicle boost (via BusinessGreen)

Two largest global EV charging networks join forces (via Pike Research)

Rethinking the lead acid battery with chip and disk drive machines (via GigaOm)

Dreamliner battery fire more serious than first thought (via Christian Science Monitor/AP)

US new vehicle fuel economy in February ties record high (via Green Car Congress)

EPA considers changes to plug-in hybrid testing process (via Autoblog Green)

NATURAL GAS/FRACKING 

US shale gas exports will shake up global market (via CNBC)

US shale boom hurts Europe’s climate goals, says energy executive (via Houston Chronicle)

Illinois fracking deal could be the national model (via Huffington Post/AP)

In Texas, water use for fracking stirs concerns (via Texas Tribune)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

Energy efficiency presents UK industrial sector with £2.2 opportunity (via BusinessGreen)

How UC Irvine redefines efficiency in laboratories (via GreenBiz)

ENERGY POLICY 

The key decision that can make or break an energy project (via Greentech Media)

Interior Department nominee Jewell pledges “certainty” to oil, gas drillers (via Reuters)

OIL 

Five energy challenges for Venezuela’s oil after Chavez (via Christian Science Monitor)

Exxon to invest $190 billion in upstream oil projects over five years (via Wall Street Journal)

BP faces escalating spill payouts after court ruling (via Reuters)

BP, Transocean officials botched tests, testifies witness (via Bloomberg)

Republicans point to falling oil production on federal lands (via Wall Street Journal)

EMISSIONS 

40x35: a zero-carbon energy target for the world’s largest economies (via Climate Progress)

Developing nations must reduce emissions by half by 2020, study says (via WRI Insights)

EU court rejects Polish challenge to CO2 emissions system (via Phys.org)

GRID 

Demand response in the US electricity market (via Energy Collective)

What exactly are self-healing power grids? (via EarthTechling)

Summer demand may raise heat on Texas grid (via Houston Chronicle)

NUCLEAR 

Japan’s economic troubles spur a return to nuclear power (via MIT Technology Review)

Two years after Fukushima, Japan’s nuclear lobby bounces back (via Reuters)

US nuclear plant inspections need to improve, says report (via Reuters)

Looming federal budget cuts add to problems at Hanford nuclear site (via New York Times)

GREEN BUSINESS 

Shareholders file first-ever “carbon-bubble” resolutions (via InsideClimate News)

How GM earns $1 billion recycling (via Treehugger)

Posted:   |   Categories: arctic, battery, Boeing Dreamliner, BP, canada, cap and trade, China, climate, Climate Change, coal, Crowdfunding, Demand response, drought, electric vehicles, emissions, Energy Efficiency, energy storage, environment, EPA, ERCOT, ethanol, EU, europe, European Union, ev, ev charging, externalities, Exxon, Florida, fracking, Fuel Economy, fukushima, global warming, GM, Greece, green business, grid, Gulf of Mexico, Hanford, Illinois, Insurance, interior department, japan, Keystone XL, natural gas, Natural gas exports, News, nuclear, offshore wind, oil, oil spill, plug-in hybrid, Poland, Recycling, renewables, Sally Jewell, Sea ice melt, Shale gas, smart grid, solar, South Dakota, tar sands, texas, Transocean, Transportation, UC Irvine, uk, UN, united kingdom, united nations, US Forest Service, Venezuela, Water scarcity, wildfires, wind
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15
Feb

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 2.15.13

TESLA-NEW YORK TIMES CONFLICT 

A most peculiar test drive (via Tesla)

The Tesla data: what it says and what it doesn’t (via New York Times)

Five important lessons from the dustup over the NYT’s Tesla test drive (via GigaOm)

What’s at stake in the fight between Tesla and the New York Times (via Washington Post)

CLIMATE 

Climate change links to conflict draw UN’s attention (via Bloomberg)

Thinning ice turning Arctic into an algae hotspot (via Climate Central)

Drought joins US farmers in the field for spring planting (via Reuters)

GAO report adds climate change to “high risks” facing US government (via The Hill)

NOAA: February 2012 to January 2013 warmest on record (via Climate Central)

Secret funding helped build vast network of climate denial think tanks (via The Guardian)

RENEWABLES 

Outlook for renewable energy projects and finance in Canada (via Renewable Energy World)

US geothermal energy grew 5% in 2012; California the leader (via Green Car Congress)

Clean energy faces hurdles in Texas legislature (via New York Times/Texas Tribune)

Texas electric grid sets new wind generation record (via Reuters)

Arizona: a state divided by solar (via Greentech Media)

COAL 

US coal producer says royalty practice being probed was permitted (via Reuters)

Coal-terminal foe casts doubts on builder’s finances (via Seattle Times)

EMISSIONS 

US senators propose long-shot carbon tax bill for big polluters (via Reuters)

EU urged to revive flagging emissions trading scheme (via The Guardian)

Firms pull heads from sand on climate but still unready for carbon laws (via GreenBiz)

California Air Resources Board cuts own power as part of deal with oil industry (via Greenwire)

TAR SANDS/KEYSTONE XL 

Canada close to unveiling rules on oil sands emissions (via Reuters)

Senate Dems sequester-replacement plan ends tar sands exemption (via The Hill)

TRANSPORTATION 

Nissan Leaf passes 50,000 units in global cumulative sales (via Green Car Congress)

Governments look for new ways to pay for roads and bridges (via New York Times)

NYC Mayor Bloomberg plans massive increase in EV parking lots (via Autoblog Green)

Test drive: DC to Boston in a Tesla Model S (via CNN Money)

OIL 

Transocean convicted in Gulf of Mexico oil spill (via Houston Chronicle)

GREEN BUILDING 

Green building: stadium tech and pro sports (via Sustainable Cities Collective)

NATURAL GAS/FRACKING 

Lessons from past natural gas imports suggest a cautious approach to natural gas exports (via The Oil Drum)

Fracking in New York State? Not for another year, if ever (via Reuters)

POLITICS 

US ambassador warns Canada to heed Obama on energy (via Globe and Mail)

Obama acting too slowly on climate change risks, government audit finds (via The Guardian)

OPINION 

Newly proposed carbon tax will fight global warming, protect poor Americans, reduce the deficit (via Climate Progress)

New climate bill’s Congressional forecast: gloomy (via Politico)

Venture capitalists don’t know how to invest in the smart grid (via Greentech Media)

Posted:   |   Categories: algae, arctic, arizona, Barbara Boxer, bernie sanders, california, california air resources board, canada, cap and trade, CARB, carbon tax, climate, Climate Change, coal, Coal exports, drought, Electric Vehicle, emissions, ERCOT, EU, European Union, ev, EV charger, EV charging infrastructure, fracking, GAO, geothermal, global warming, green building, Gulf of Mexico, Heartland Institute, Investors, Keystone XL, Koch Brothers, Michael Bloomberg, natural gas, Natural gas exports, New York City, new york state, News, nissan LEAF, noaa, offshore drilling, oil, oil spill, renewables, Royalties, smart grid, solar, tar sands, Tesla, Tesla Model S, texas, Transocean, Transportation, UN, united nations, Venture capitalist, Washington State, wind
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14
Feb

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 2.14.13

A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.

CLIMATE 

Satellite data reveals major loss in volume of Arctic sea-ice since 2003 (via Green Car Congress)

60% of Americans agree with Obama on climate change action (via Greentech Media)

Major climate change bill coming to US Senate (via The Nation)

The most influential climate science paper today remains unknown to most people (via InsideClimate News)

The $188 billion price tag from US extreme weather from 2011 to 2012 (via Climate Progress)

KEYSTONE XL/TAR SANDS 

Pressure builds on Keystone pipeline decision after Obama speech (via Reuters)

Keystone pipeline protesters arrested at White House (via The Hill)

GRID 

India faces major energy shortfalls (The National)

CAISO and PacificCorp join forces to boost western grid reliability, integrate renewables (via Renew Grid)

California sets 50MW target for grid energy storage (via Greentech Media)

RENEWABLES 

PwC: shale oil surge poses threat to renewables (via BusinessGreen)

White House outlines request for Congress to create $2 billion green energy fund (via Reuters)

Obama’s energy trust proposal doesn’t include expanded drilling (via Greenwire)

Yet another storm brewing over wind production tax credit (via CleanTechnica)

Net metering debate rages despite calls for calm (via Renewable Energy World)

ERCOT finds 10-13GW of solar PV competitive in Texas power market (via Solar Server)

Conflict of interest: California solar projects compete with prime farmland (via Sustainable Business)

Cape Wind hopes federal loan not blown (via Boston Herald)

In Indiana, seeking to ramp up wind without state mandates (via Midwest Energy News)

OIL 

Exxon Mobil grows Arctic reach in Russia (via Houston Chronicle)

Crude oil and gasoline prices will drop through 2014, EIA projects (via Houston Chronicle)

US oil production forecast to increase 40% from 2011 to 2014 (via Facts of the Day)

Using federal oil revenues to cut America’s oil use (via New York Times)

TRANSPORTATION 

Electric vehicle charging equipment market to surpass $3.8 billion by 2020 (via Pike Research)

Smart highways to be installed in Netherlands this year (via Triple Pundit)

DOE IG: grant money for battery company not “managed effectively” (via Washington Post)

Fisker Karma drivers averaging 150 mpg (via Autoblog Green)

EMISSIONS 

European corporations demand EU carbon market action (via BusinessGreen)

Carbon Disclosure Project investors up 10% in 2013 (via Environmental Leader)

Nations seen going separate ways on carbon as EU efforts falter (via Reuters)

London mayor unveils ultra-low emission zone plan for city (via BusinessGreen)

NATURAL GAS 

Natural gas glut leads to tough times for power generators (via Houston Chronicle)

ENVIRONMENT 

Desalination seen booming at 15% a year as world’s water dries up (via Bloomberg)

South Americans face upheaval in deadly water battles (via Bloomberg)

OPINION 

Obama faces clean energy constraints (via Recharge)

Obama’s threat to act unilaterally on climate change looking empty (via Grist)

Obama wants to double US energy efficiency by 2030 – is that possible? (via Washington Post)

Will Chuck Hagel keep DoD’s commitment to renewable energy? (via Sustainable Business)

Posted:   |   Categories: arctic, arra, barack obama, Barbara Boxer, battery, bernie sanders, Boris Johnson, california, California ISO, cap and trade, cape wind, carbon disclosure project, Carbon market, Carbon pricing, Chuck Hagel, climate, Climate Change, Department of Defense, desalination, drought, electric vehicles, Energy Efficiency, energy storage, environment, ERCOT, EU, europe, ev, EV charging infrastructure, EV charging stations, Exxon Mobil, Fisker Karma, Gasoline, green business, grid, india, indiana, Keystone XL, London, natural gas, Net metering, Netherlands, News, offshore drilling, offshore wind, oil, PacificCorp, production tax credit, Renewable energy standard, renewables, Russia, Sea ice melt, Shale oil, solar, stimulus, tar sands, texas, Transportation, Water access, Water scarcity, wind
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05
Feb

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 2.5.13

A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.

TRANSPORTATION 

Japan probe of Dreamliner battery finds signs of thermal runaway (via Washington Post/AP)

US households spent record amount on gasoline in 2012 (via Reuters)

Analysts forecast extended range EV market to reach more than 329k units by 2018 (via Green Car Congress)

GRID 

Polish utility chief questions EU energy market integration (via Recharge)

US Energy Department hacked, says no classified data was compromised (via Reuters)

Energy storage: crossing the chasm to commercialization (via Greentech Media)

Midwest grid operator expanding south, to “last frontier” for renewables (via Midwest Energy News)

RENEWABLES 

IEA chief: fossil fuel subsidies are public enemy number one for green energy (via BusinessGreen)

Wind overtakes nuclear in Chinese energy league table (via BusinessGreen)

Top Chinese manufacturers will produce solar panels for 42 cents per watt in 2015 (via Greentech Media)

Unusual allies fight renewable fuel standard (via Houston Chronicle)

US net meter capacity exceeds 2,688MW & 225,000 customers (via Facts of the Day)

DOE study quantifies county-level employment & income gains from wind energy development (via CleanTechnica)

Solar development absorbing California farmland (via Houston Chronicle/AP)

ERCOT may add 1.2GW of wind in 2013 (via Facts of the Day)

35MW “solar forest” sprouts in North Carolina (via Sustainable Business)

EMISSIONS 

Fears mount over Japan’s carbon target (via BusinessGreen)

US Pacific Northwest paying high price for carbon emissions (via Grist)

Arizona sues US EPA over coal power plant emissions (via Reuters)

COAL 

Under Obama, coal country fights for its way of life (via Reuters)

DOE moves FutureGen CCS project forward into second phase (via Green Car Congress)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

UK PM Cameron pushes energy efficiency as motor of green growth (via The Guardian)

Spending on US utility efficiency programs to double by 2025 (via Greentech Media)

California budget proposes shifting energy-efficiency funds (via Energy Manager Today)

SUPER BOWL BLACKOUT 

Super Bowl power outage was known fear (via ESPN)

NFL: halftime show had no role in Super Bowl blackout (via Chicago Tribune/Reuters)

Super Bowl: who turned out the lights? (via Politico)

NATURAL GAS/FRACKING 

New York State: no timetable for fracking decision (via Corning Leader/AP)

GREEN BUSINESS 

Deep green investing: a closer look (via GreenBiz)

CLIMATE 

Blowing hot and cold: US belief in climate change shifts with weather (via Phys.org)

POLITICS 

Biden vows climate change action in meeting with French president (via The Hill)

Outgoing EPA chief regrets lack of dialogue with rural America (via The Hill)

Outgoing EPA chief convinced Obama serious on climate change (via Reuters)

Top Senate Republican unveils broad energy blueprint (via Houston Chronicle)

OPINION 

Sen. Murkowski unveils her energy plan – here’s a breakdown (via Washington Post)

Chu navigated energy policy through changing tides in US production (via EnergyWire)

Electric cars head toward another dead end (via Reuters) 

Posted:   |   Categories: arizona, barack obama, battery, biofuel, Blackout, Boeing Dreamliner, california, carbon capture, Carbon capture & sequestration, ccs, China, climate, Climate Change, coal, Cybersecurity, David Cameron, DOE, Electric Vehicle, emissions, Energy Efficiency, energy storage, EPA, ERCOT, EU, europe, ev, fracking, France, FutureGen, Gasoline, green business, grid, IEA, japan, Joe Biden, lisa jackson, Lisa Murkowski, MISO, natural gas, Net metering, new york state, News, North Carolina, Poland, Renewable fuel standard, renewables, solar, steven chu, Subsidies, Super Bowl, Transportation, uk, united kingdom, wind
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04
Feb

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 2.4.13

A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.

TRANSPORTATION 

Germany could have a million plug-in vehicles by 2020 (via Autoblog Green)

Toyota recycling old hybrid batteries into energy-storage systems for dealers (via Autoblog Green)

Secretary Chu says 1 million EVs by 2015 is “ambitious” (via Plugin Cars)

DOE launches workplace charging challenge (via Energy Manager Today)

Chevy Volt sales drop to 1,140 in January, Nissan Leaf falls to 650 (via Autoblog Green)

OIL 

Land battles rise as US eyes 450,000 miles of new pipeline (via Bloomberg)

Vast California oil reserve may now be within reach, and battle heats up (via New York Times)

North Dakota weighs industrial water extraction tax for shale oil use (via Fargo-Mooread Forum)

RENEWABLES 

Red tape trips up France’s green energy hopes for wind power (via Reuters)

China adds one-third of world’s onshore wind in 2012 (via Recharge)

Solar power giving Haiti a hospital it can use (via EarthTechling)

Sabotage may have felled UK wind turbine (via United Press International)

First Solar may sell solar power cheaper than coal (via Bloomberg)

The top 10 wind energy states in 2012 (via AOL Energy)

Government’s plan to expand biofuel use runs into bumps on road (via Washington Post)

Wind now supplies 6% of US electricity (via Sustainable Business)

Texas grid operator says renewables competitive with natgas over next decade (via Facts of the Day)

Georgia Power planning 1.5GW of renewables by 2016, less coal-fired generation (via Renew Grid)

North Carolina governor boosts offshore wind (via Recharge)

NATURAL GAS/FRACKING 

Reshaping Panama Canal trade means boom in US gas to Asia (via Bloomberg)

US shale gas revolution throws down the gauntlet to Europe (via Reuters)

Legal loophole keeps fracking mixes murky (via Houston Chronicle)

US Senators propose making LNG exports automatic (via Houston Chronicle)

Fracking for state dollars (via Council on Foreign Relations)

Ohio farmers divided on fracking (via Columbus Dispatch)

GRID 

Pentagon promises massive response to increasing cyber attacks (via AOL Energy)

Energy companies and landowners are clashing over property rights (via Forbes)

SPP approves $751 million in transmission-expansion projects (via Renew Grid)

10-year low for electricity prices across ISO-New England in 2012 (via Renew Grid)

Texas mega-battery aims to green up the grid (via New Scientist)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

White House delay on efficiency standards costs consumers $300 million per month (via Greentech Media)

Employee “green teams” deliver $76 million boost for US Postal Service (via BusinessGreen)

Minneapolis considers energy benchmarking for commercial buildings (via Energy Manager Today)

CLIMATE 

Outgoing Energy Secretary Chu’s parting warning on warming (via Time)

Research shows the Antarctic ozone hole has changed ocean circulation (via Inhabitat)

TAR SANDS/KEYSTONE XL 

Why Canada’s oil sands industry wants a CO2 tax (via Bloomberg)

Rethinking opposition to Keystone XL (via Energy Collective)

EMISSIONS 

For US and China, world’s biggest climate polluters, it’s still business as usual (via InsideClimate News)

Like everything else, carbon emissions are bigger in Texas (via Houston Chronicle)

COAL 

Colorado communities take on fight against energy land leases (via New York Times)

Seattle’s coal training (via Seattle Weekly)

POLITICS 

Obama’s climate team appears primed for action (via Politico)

Top EPA air quality official in line to replace outgoing administrator (via The Hill)

Murkowski launches push for expanded drilling, green energy policy revamp (via The Hill)

Gore presses Obama to “follow through” on climate change promises (via The Hill)

Kerry: climate bill failure among biggest Senate regrets (via The Hill)

OPINION 

UK Green Power Auction Market a “win-win-win” for renewables, consumers, suppliers (via BusinessGreen)

How will energy productivity jumpstart the US economy? (via National Journal)

Steven Chu steps down as energy secretary – so how did he do? (via Washington Post)

Is wind power reaching a tipping point? (via Midwest Energy News)

Posted:   |   Categories: al gore, Antarctic, Asia, barack obama, battery, california, canada, carbon tax, chevy volt, China, climate, Climate Change, coal, Coal exports, colorado, Cybersecurity, DOE, Electric Vehicle, emissions, Energy benchmarking, Energy Efficiency, energy storage, EPA, ERCOT, europe, ev, EV charger, First Solar, fracking, Fracking fluid, France, Georgia, Georgia Power, germany, Gina McCarthy, global warming, grid, Haiti, hybrid, ISO New England, john kerry, Keystone XL, Lisa Murkowski, LNG export, Minneapolis, natural gas, Natural gas export, News, nissan LEAF, North Carolina, north dakota, offshore wind, Ohio, oil, Panama Canal, Pipeline, renewables, seattle, Shale gas, Shale oil, solar, Southwest Power Pool, SPP, steven chu, tar sands, texas, Toyota, transmission, Transportation, uk, united kingdom, US Postal Service, USPS, wind
0
29
Jan

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 1.29.13

A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.

TAR SANDS/KEYSTONE XL 

Settlement with TransCanada curtails protesters’ acts of civil disobedience (via Greenwire)

GRID 

China tests a small smart electric grid (via MIT Technology Review)

Inspector General: DOE mismanaged ARRA smart grid funds (via Renew Grid)

EMISSIONS 

EU carbon price drop deemed “wake-up call” (via United Press International)

“Off the scale” smog envelops Beijing again (via Phys.org)

Scotland sets 2030 power sector decarbonization goal (via Recharge)

RENEWABLES 

PwC: renewables M&A activity falls in 2012 (via BusinessGreen)

Solar growth moves to China, Middle East, and India as Europe cuts subsidies (via ClimateWire)

UK solar boom predicted to double installations in 2013 (via Bloomberg)

Taiwan starts offshore wind push (via Recharge)

Suzlon chief predicts “flat” wind turbine market in 2013 (via Bloomberg)

Can fossil-fuel tax benefits boost the renewable energy industry? (via Midwest Energy News)

Solar net metering equals net benefits in California and Vermont (via CleanTechnica)

ERCOT report shows Texas wind and solar power hold their own against natural gas (via EarthTechling)

ENVIRONMENT 

Over $8 billion invested in watersheds globally in 2011 (via Mongabay) 

Projected US water use likely to increase as climate warms (via Phys.org)

Message from Mexico: US is polluting water it may someday need to drink (via ProPublica)

Species on the move present a conservation challenge (via Climate Change)

Drought worsening in Midwest and Plains states, despite Winter weather (via Huffington Post/Reuters)

OIL 

OPEC sees oil markets well supplied, no price collapse in 2013 (via Bloomberg)

US review delays closing of big Chinese oil deal (via The Hill)

TRANSPORTATION 

Has “peak car” already happened, making automakers mobility companies? (via Autoblog Green)

Three automakers combine forces on fuel-cell cars (via New York Times)

Electric cars and the power grid: how are they coming together? (via Forbes)

Lower EV prices will not blow up the market (via Pike Research)

EV drivers now have quick-charge coverage from Washington to California (via CleanTechnica)

Colorado county mandates plug-in vehicle wiring for new homes (via Plugin Cars)

CLIMATE 

USGS-NOAA: climate change impacts to US coasts threaten public health, safety, economy (via Phys.org)

Cities lead over feds on climate change adaptation (via Sustainable Business)

Scientist publishes first climate change textbook for college students (via Phys.org)

Is it Spring or is it Winter? Wild rollercoaster of US temperatures (via Weather Underground)

An unusual weather turn even for the Midwest: 8 degrees quickly becomes 74 (via New York Times)

NASA retirees appeal to own lack of climate authority (via Skeptical Science)

NATURAL GAS/FRACKING 

Shell, Kinder Morgan to jointly export LNG from the US (via Reuters)

Gas royalty checks total $1.2 billion in Pennsylvania (via Facts of the Day)

RARE EARTHS 

Rare earths mining boom poses toxic risks (via Treehugger)

COAL 

Canadian carbon project aims to prove clean coal works (via Reuters)

US coal industry sees progress ahead in Congress, Courts (via Politico)

GREEN BUILDING 

America’s most conservative green community (via The Atlantic)

Washington DC requires privately owned buildings measure energy, water use (via Sustainable Business)

GREEN BUSINESS 

Unlocking sustainability’s hidden value (via GreenBiz)

POLITICS 

What it looks like when Obama’s passion spurs him to defy political odds (via Grist)

Climate change action now helps win elections: poll (via Discovery News)

Moderate Dem Senator Heitkamp bucks party orthodoxy, aims to exemplify “all of the above” (via E&E Daily)

A chat with Sierra Club’s Michael Brune about civil disobedience (via Grist)

Posted:   |   Categories: adaptation, arra, barack obama, Beijing, california, canada, cap and trade, carbon capture, Carbon capture & sequestration, Carbon price, ccs, China, climate, Climate Change, CNOOC, coal, colorado, conservation, DOE, drought, Electric Vehicle, emissions, Energy Efficiency, environment, ERCOT, EU, europe, ev, ev charging, fracking, fuel cell, global warming, green building, green business, grid, Heidi Heitkamp, india, Keystone XL, Kinder Morgan, LNG, M&A, mexico, michael brune, NASA, natural gas, Natural gas export, Net metering, News, noaa, Offshore solar, oil, OPEC, pennsylvania, Rare earths, renewables, Scotland, Shell, sierra club, smart grid, Smog, solar, Solar net metering, Subsidies, suzlon, Taiwan, tar sands, texas, TransCanada, Transportation, uk, united kingdom, USGA, utah, vermont, Washington DC, Washington State, Water, Watershed, wind
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15
Jan

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 1.15.13

A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.

GRID 

Installed base of smart meters in China to reach nearly 380 million by 2020 (via Pike Research)

China consumed 5.5% more electricity in 2012 (via Platts)

First leg of Atlantic offshore wind power line moves ahead (via New York Times)

Homeland Security says 40 percent of 2012 cyberattacks targeted energy sector (via The Hill)

National oversight agency questions reliability of Texas’ electric grid (via Houston Chronicle)

ERCOT expects $8.9 billion worth of transmission projects to be completed in Texas by 2017 (via Renew Grid)

TAR SANDS/KEYSTONE XL 

Market shifting for Canadian oil sands crude (via Houston Chronicle)

Scientists say backing Keystone XL would undermine Obama’s climate legacy (via The Hill)

RENEWABLES 

IRENA sets goal to double global renewable energy capacity by 2030 (via Renewable Energy World)

Green energy investments fell across globe, US in 2012 (via The Hill)

11GW of solar PV modules shipped globally in Q4 2012 (via Recharge)

IRENA launches world’s first global renewable energy atlas (via Inhabitat)

Europeans overwhelmingly favor renewables over shale gas (via BusinessGreen)

Tidal energy can meet 20% of UK electricity needs (via Yale e360)

Interactive map illustrates US solar grid parity (via Renewable Energy World)

EMISSIONS 

Beyond baby steps: analyzing the cap-and-trade flop (via Grist)

Ontario will be first North American jurisdiction to eliminate coal power (via CleanTechnica)

Some Illinois coal plants looking to clean up (via Chicago Tribune)

CLIMATE 

Survey says climate laws advancing in many countries (via Phys.org)

Solar forcing effect on climate change “extremely small” (via Phys.org)

Rising seas may put $300 billion of property at risk in Australia (via ABC News)

Report says climate change inaction the fault of environmental groups (via The Guardian)

Businesses in danger of missing climate cuts “window” (via BusinessGreen)

Environmental groups to Obama: act now on climate (via Politico)

Seattle calculates how climate change will redraw its shores (via Seattle Times)

ENVIRONMENT 

US cities less susceptible to water scarcity than previously thought (via Phys.org)

Louisiana barges idled by drought upstream on Mississippi River (via Bloomberg)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

New US homes are 20% more fuel efficient than in 1970’s (via Facts of the Day)

US scuttles rule requiring high-efficiency furnaces (via Philadelphia Inquirer)

OIL 

UK opposes Arctic drilling ban, to update policy this year (via Reuters)

Oil companies read the tea leaves (and lots of data) (via Houston Chronicle)

TRANSPORTATION 

India sets national target of 7 million electric vehicles sold by 2020 (via Sustainable Business)

Clean fuel options lacking as airlines seek alternatives to petroleum (via Greenwire)

Federal green car purchases “down a third” in 2012 (via Environmental Leader)

Nissan cuts entry-level MSRP for 2013 Leaf by 18% to $28,800 (via Green Car Congress)

Maine considers banning E15 gasoline sales (via Autoblog Green)

OPINION 

Why New York State’s Sandy Commission recommendations matter (via Mother Jones)

Changing behaviors: you’re doing it wrong (via Grist)

Why companies and investors see the risks in climate (via GreenBiz)

Posted:   |   Categories: arctic, Atlantic wind connection, australia, barack obama, canada, cap and trade, China, climate, Climate Change, coal, Cybersecurity, drought, E15, Electric Vehicle, emissions, Energy Efficiency, environment, ERCOT, ethanol, europe, ev, green business, Green fuel, grid, Grid Parity, Hurricane Sandy, Illinois, india, investment, IRENA, Keystone XL, Louisiana, Maine, Mississippi River, natural gas, new york state, News, nissan LEAF, offshore drilling, offshore wind, oil, renewables, Sea level rise, seattle, Shale gas, smart meter, solar, Solar forcing, tar sands, texas, tidal energy, transmission, Transportation, uk, united kingdom, Water scarcity
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14
Jan

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 1.14.13

A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.

EMISSIONS 

China, Mexico leading fight on climate change with new CO2 laws (via Bloomberg)

Emissions limits could cut climate change damage by two-thirds (via Reuters)

Beijing’s hazardous air pollution sparks Chinese media anger (via BBC News)

CLIMATE 

Monthly heat records have increased fivefold globally (via Phys.org)

Australia’s top climate commissioner: climate inferno “encroaching on entirely new territory” (via Mother Jones)

Inaugural GLOBE international climate summit convenes in London (via BusinessGreen)

US report warns climate change already happening, could raise temperatures by 10 degrees (via The Hill)

Climate change set to make America hotter, drier, more disaster-prone (via The Guardian)

Delaware turns to climate scientist to develop climate change projections (via News-Journal)

RENEWABLES 

UK clean tech innovators being left high and dry on venture capital (via BusinessGreen)

China to join International Renewable Energy Agency (via Green Car Congress)

Why crowd funding could disrupt how solar power is created (via GigaOm)

Renewable standards add less than 5% to US electricity bills (via Greentech Media)

Technology helps wind industry overcome “start-stop” hurdles (via ClimateWire)

Tax credit moves wind industry to ramp up construction plans (via Houston Chronicle)

Los Angeles utility set to launch 100MW solar feed-in-tariff program (via CleanTechnica)

Solar energy turns brownfields into brightfields (via Energy Collective)

OIL 

US oil glut is depressing, confusing prices (via EnergyWire)

Fracking sparks second look at US oil shale boom (via The Hill)

Shell gets massive involuntary aid package from Alaska, US Coast Guard, and you (via Grist)

EPA says Shell violated air permits for Arctic ships (via New York Times)

TRANSPORTATION 

Electric vehicle battery market to hit $22 billion by 2020, China to be global production leader by 2015 (via Green Car Congress)

Commercial flight first to use fuel produced from natural gas (via Houston Chronicle)

US military bets $20 million on 500 electric vehicles for EV-to-Grid initiative (via CleanTechnica)

Tesla delivering Model S, but cash crunch judgment waits for financials (via Green Car Reports)

NATURAL GAS 

US delays finalizing report linking fracking to water pollution (via Reuters)

Would exporting the US natural gas surplus help or hurt the economy? (via New York Times)

Poll shows more Americans want tough fracking regulations (via Energy Collective)

ENVIRONMENT 

Global food crisis will worsen as heat waves damage crops, research finds (via The Guardian)

USDA declares winter wheat belt drought disaster area (via Climate Central)

TAR SANDS 

Report fails to settle concerns over oil spill risk to Ogallala Aquifer (via InsideClimate News)

GRID 

National Grid gathers partners for smart grid pilot (via Energy Manager Today)

Texas electricity use dropped 2.7% in 2012, says ERCOT (via Forth-Worth Star Telegram)

Maryland legislative panel ponders smart-meter alternative (via Baltimore Sun)

NUCLEAR 

Japan seeks to reverse nuclear power phase-out commitment (via The Guardian)

DOE says new nuclear waste repository possible for Washington State in 2048 (via Tri-City Herald)

COAL 

Coal prices and production in most basins down in 2012 (via US EIA)

Opponents seek to derail Montana coal line (via Seattle Times/AP)

OPINION 

A sweltering planet’s agenda (via Washington Post)

Should America exploit energy exports? (via National Journal)

A new grand strategy for the US, build around sustainability (via Grist)

Green jobs 2.0: re-framing clean energy politics around a climate-informed economy (via Climate Progress)

Fiddling while Rome burns – the $5 trillion cost of climate delay (via The Independent)

OTHER NEWS 

An additional listing of clean energy and climate news is posted at Climate Progress

Posted:   |   Categories: alaska, arctic, australia, battery, Beijing, Brownfield, China, climate, Climate Change, co2, coal, Crowd funding, Delaware, drought, Electric Vehicle, emissions, environment, EPA, ERCOT, ev, feed-in tariff, fracking, global warming, green jobs, grid, Investors, IRENA, japan, Keystone XL, London, los angeles, maryland, mexico, Montana, national grid, natural gas, Natural gas export, Nebraska, News, nuclear, offshore drilling, Ogallala Aquifer, oil, production tax credit, ptc, Renewable energy standards, renewables, Shale oil, Shell, smart grid, smart meter, Smog, solar, tar sands, Tesla, Tesla Model S, texas, Transportation, uk, united kingdom, US Coast Guard, US military, usda, V2G, Washington State, wind
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11
Jan

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 1.11.13

A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.

CLIMATE 

Heat, flood, or icy cold, extreme weather rages worldwide (via New York Times)

Australia braces for more blistering heat after record busting spell (via Washington Post)

COAL 

Ontario to be coal-free by 2013 (via Ontario Ministry of Energy)

GREEN BUSINESS 

Fossil fuel divestment campaign spreads to America’s churches (via InsideClimate News)

Investment community calls for predictable climate policy (via GreenBiz)

RENEWABLES 

Deutsche Bank predicts global solar market will rise 22 percent in 2013 (via Bloomberg)

Global clean energy investment falls for first time (via BusinessGreen)

Chile approves 3.1GW of solar PV projects (via Renewable Energy World)

US wind industry awaits tax guidance on PTC rule (via Politico)

New York Governor announces $1 billion green bank and $1.5 billion solar program (via Climate Progress)

California solar program hits 1GW-installed milestone (via EarthTechling)

NREL and Stanford team up on peel-and-stick solar cells (via Renewable Energy World)

EMISSIONS 

IRENA: shale gas boom can complement renewables to cut coal (via Bloomberg)

EPA cites Shell Arctic drilling rigs for air emissions violations (via Los Angeles Times)

Do you live near one of the nation’s dirtiest power plants? (via Huffington Post)

TRANSPORTATION 

Global auto exec survey expects internal-combustion engine dominance but with downsizing and PHEV investment (via Green Car Congress)

In lawsuit against Energy Department, firms claim cronyism in “green car” loan program (via Washington Post)

Nearly 1 million natural gas trucks and buses will be sold worldwide from 2012-2019 (via Pike Research)

New EV charging station connects to smart meters (via Renew Grid)

Fuel cell vehicles could be a $1.8 billion market in 2030 (via Environmental Leader)

How to read a plug-in hybrid’s mileage sticker (via Mapawatt)

NATURAL GAS/FRACKING 

US manufacturers lobby against “unfettered” natural gas exports (via Houston Chronicle)

California announces preliminary hydraulic fracturing regulations (via AOL Energy)

USGS finds no contamination from fracking in two Arkansas counties (via Reuters)

RARE EARTHS 

DOE plunks $120 million into rare earths research hub (via AOL Energy)

Molycorp lowers 2013 outlook, shares plunge (via Reuters)

OIL 

Support grows for more offshore drilling oversight by US (via Houston Chronicle)

BP oil spill settlement payments exceed $1 billion mark (via Houston Chronicle)

Rep. Markey: Shell may have moved Kulluk Arctic drilling rig to avoid taxes (via Reuters)

ENVIRONMENT 

Drought-damaged US states face poor outlook as dry weather persists (via The Guardian)

Native Canadians could block natural resource development (via Reuters)

Beetlemania: insects are gobbling up 1,000-year-old trees (via Mother Jones)

GRID 

ERCOT says Texas electric transmission capacity will fall short of demand (via Houston Chronicle)

OPINION 

If you aren’t alarmed about climate, you aren’t paying attention (via Grist)

Why is General Electric backing down from its plug-in pledge? (via Plugin Cars)

New York State’s clean tech challenge to California (via Forbes)

OTHER NEWS 

An additional listing of clean energy and climate news is posted at Climate Progress

Posted:   |   Categories: Andrew Cuomo, arctic, Arkansas, australia, BP, california, canada, Chile, climate, Climate Change, coal, deforestation, department of energy, Deutsche Bank, Divestment, drought, Ed Markey, Electric Vehicle, emissions, environment, EPA, ERCOT, ev, ev charging, Extreme weather, Flood, Fossil fuel divestment, fracking, fuel cell, GE, General Electric, green business, grid, Internal combustion engine, investment, IRENA, Molycorp, natural gas, Natural gas export, new york state, News, NREL, offshore drilling, oil, oil spill, ontario, PHEV, Pine bark beetles, Plug in, production tax credit, ptc, Rare earths, renewables, Severe weather, Shale gas, Shell, smart meter, solar, Stanford, Subsidy, texas, transmission, Transportation, usgs, wind
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