Energy and Environment News Roundup – 5.5.14
A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.
CLIMATE
UN chief urges “bold” action to curb global warming (via The Nation/BBC)
Climate change warming up business in the Arctic (via NPR)
Australia risks “going backwards” on climate change, straining Pacific ties (via The Guardian)
Climate change is clear and present danger, says landmark US report (via The Guardian)
What happens when Washington State attempts major climate action? (via CleanTechnica)
Scientists race to develop farm animals to survive climate change (via Los Angeles Times)
“We don’t know what normal is anymore”: Confronting extreme weather on US farms (via Huffington Post)
COAL
China’s thirsty coal industry guzzles precious water (via Seattle Times)
RENEWABLES
US ethanol imports from Brazil down 40% in 2013 (via US EIA)
Dam it: Feds say US can double hydropower (via Climate Central)
New ad links US oil industry’s anti-biofuel campaign to Saudi Arabia (via InsideClimate News)
O’Malley to decided whether some wind turbine projects should be delayed until 2015 (via Washington Post)
Kansas state lawmakers to vote on ending renewable energy standard (via Kansas City Star)
Hawaii’s largest utility ordered to help customers install more rooftop solar (via Climate Progress)
Superfund site is latest conquest in solar’s brownfields campaign (via Solar Industry)
Renewables get vote of financial confidence in NextEra spinoff plans (via EnergyWire)
SunEdison may be too reliant on renewable tax credits, says Barron’s (via Reuters)
OIL
US DOT says energy companies not sharing test data on Bakken oil (via Wall Street Journal)
Oil-by-rail shippers withholding important data, says DOT (via Reuters)
TRANSPORTATION
UK electric vehicle sales speed up as UK plugs into global trend (via The Guardian)
China’s BYD electric bus factory comes online in California (via Autoblog)
Why European gas-mileage ratings are so high, and often wrong (via Green Car Reports)
DOE to establish gasoline stockpiles in Northeast (via The Hill)
EMISSIONS
Switch from gasoline to ethanol linked to higher ozone levels in Brazil (via Los Angeles Times)
Supreme Court cross-state ruling leaves much unsettled for EPA (via Greenwire)
Australian banks lose millions as customers divest (via RTCC)
Seven Washington University students arrested protesting Peabody Coal (via EcoWatch)
GREEN BUSINESS
Green stock index rejects natural gas, oil, and coal (via Bloomberg)
NATURAL GAS/FRACKING
Democrats push Obama on LNG exports (via Houston Chronicle)
Fracking may induce quakes at greater distance than previously thought (via Yale e360)
Stronger “frackquakes” are on the way, scientists warn (via Climate Progress)
Sources and solutions for carbon pollution along the LNG supply chain (via Breaking Energy)
ENVIRONMENT
US national budget for fighting wildfires is $400 million short (via Climate Progress)
KEYSTONE XL
Canada finds China option no easy answer to Keystone snub (via Bloomberg)
Wooing of senators to force Keystone XL falling short of votes (via Bloomberg)
Keystone pipeline issue looms as Senate takes up energy efficiency bill (via Washington Post)
ENERGY EFFICENCY
Top 10 countries for LEED outside the US (via Environmental Leader)
Cree takes on $4 billion fluorescent lighting market with LEDs (via Greentech Media)
GRID
Introducing New York State’s energy storage testing center (via Renewable Energy World)
ENERGY POLICY
Obama re-nominates LaFleur as FERC commissioner (via The Hill)
OPINION
Dissenting voices on climate change (via Washington Post)
A renewables club to change the world (via WRI Insights)
Will midterm elections move the needle on energy issues? (via National Journal)
For Obama, a renewed focus on climate (via Washington Post)
With hope and horror, climate fiction writers depict the future (via ClimateWire)
Divestment and Arctic development, between drilling and the deep blue sea (via EnergyCollective)