Energy and Environment News Roundup – 8.12.14
A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.
CLIMATE
In the ocean, clues to climate change (via New York Times)
UN: Climate adaptation investment will ensure Africa’s growth (via BusinessGreen)
Report: Great Barrier Reef’s greatest threat is climate change (via The Guardian)
“Remarkable” warming reported in Central California coastal waters (via Los Angeles Times)
ENERGY POLICY
Mexico opens gas and oil sectors to foreign, private firms (via ABC News/AP)
RENEWABLES
Mexico and Central America – emerging clean energy powerhouses (via Bloomberg)
Japan challenges China to be world’s biggest solar market in 2014 (via Renew Economy)
Brazil readies big push on solar energy but companies are wary (via Reuters)
Mexico 2014 renewable investment may exceed $2.4 billion (via Bloomberg)
IRS guidance relaxed renewable energy tax credit (via The Hill)
Feds designate three North Carolina offshore wind areas (via The Hill)
Stacked solar cells could make solar power cheaper than natural gas (via Treehugger)
OIL
IEA says world oil market will supplied despite conflicts (via Reuters)
ExxonMobil and Russia began drilling for oil in the Arctic on Saturday (via Climate Progress)
IEA: Weakest oil demand growth since 2012 allays supply risks (via Bloomberg)
North Dakota considers requiring treatment of Bakken crude oil (via Wall Street Journal)
TRANSPORTATION
Annual sales of EVs in North America, Western Europe, Asia Pacific will reach 1.8 million by 2023 (via Navigant Research)
Study: Airline ticket prices need to increase for climate policies to work (via Climate Progress)
EV makers and utilities unite to realize V2G potential (via Navigant Research)
Tesla Model S shows flaws over time, says Consumer Reports (via Bloomberg)
Income cap coming for California EV rebate, is Tesla most vulnerable? (via Green Car Reports)
Tesla gets legal approval to sell EVs in Pennsylvania (via Autoblog Green)
ENVIRONMENT
Australia warns of poor outlook for Great Barrier Reef (via Reuters)
Study: Extreme summer heat, rain on rise as weather gets trapped (via Reuters)
Research project aims to lessen the surprise of extreme wildfires (via Los Angeles Times)
Gulf oyster harvest has nose-dived since BP oil spill (via Huffington Post/AP)
California’s governor reaches $7.2 billion drought bond deal (via Bloomberg)
Tall, ancient, and under pressure (via New York Times)
San Francisco poised to require water rationing in drought (via San Francisco Chronicle)
NATURAL GAS
Government survey: UK opposition to fracking on the rise (via BusinessGreen)
Report: Too few drinking water safeguards near fracking wells (via Columbus Dispatch)
Ohio’s Utica region now included in EIA’s monthly drilling productivity report (via U.S. EIA)
Big natural gas trove for frackers at Pittsburgh International Airport (via New York Times)
COAL
Russia ships coal to America despite sanctions (via Forbes)
Beijing cuts coal use 7% in H1 2014 in anti-smog push (via Reuters)
EMISSIONS
Study examines “brown carbon” while over a dozen western fires burn (via Climate Progress)
Algae companies ask EPA to endorse carbon capture efforts (via Environmental Leader)
Is fight of California cap-and-trade gas prices aimed at scuttling climate law? (via ClimateWire)
TAR SANDS/KEYSTONE XL
Keystone XL could mean more carbon emissions than estimated, says study (via Los Angeles Times)
Nebraska court ruling on Keystone XL pipeline not expected until 2015 (via Reuters)
Environmental groups press Kerry on climate impact of Keystone (via The Hill)
GRID
For microgrids, it’s not all about size (via Navigant Research)
New England effort to expand gas pipelines, transmission hits a snag (via EnergyWire)
California takes first step toward creating a distributed, intelligent grid of the future (via Greentech Media)
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
Los Angeles’ city-owned electric utility raises its energy efficiency ambitions (via NRDC Switchboard)
POLITICS
Rick Perry and other Republicans are loving an Obama-backed green car company (via National Journal)
When did Republicans start hating the environment? (via Mother Jones)
OPINION
Can we reach a global warming deal? (via National Journal)
Three ways oil matters for the crisis in Iraq (via Vox)
The 198 people who can transform America’s electric grid (via GreenBiz)
Could California become a leader in smart water management? (via Smart Grid Library)
Climate contrarians overrepresented in media coverage, says new survey (via InsideClimate News)
Can Europe meet its 2020 offshore wind targets?