Energy and Environment News Roundup – 4.19.13

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

ENERGY POLICY 

Report: fossil fuel carbon bubble will plunge world into another financial crisis (via The Guardian)

EIA projects fossil fuels will still provide 78% of US energy in 2040 (via Facts of the Day)

CLIMATE 

China and India talk up plans for national climate action (via BusinessGreen)

China plans to complete climate change draft law in two years (via Bloomberg)

World Bank president: climate change is urgent “today” problem (via PBS News)

RENEWABLES 

Masdar unveils Africa’s largest solar PV plant (via BusinessGreen)

South Africa sees a 20,000% increase in clean energy investment (via Greentech Media)

Japan plans major solar storage project (via Recharge)

How does the California solar initiative compare to Japan’s FIT? (via Solar Magazine)

99% of 2012 US solar PV installations were net metered (via CleanTechnica)

California has more solar jobs than actors (via Greentech Media)

Midwest wind energy plan tests power of farmers (via Houston Chronicle)

Solar wins in Louisiana net metering fight (via Renewable Energy World)

Solar cooling panel could provide AC without electricity by sending heat to outer space (via Treehugger)

TRANSPORTATION 

Nearly 22 million electric vehicles will be sold from 2012 to 2020 (via Navigant Research)

Microbattery technology could shrink battery sizes by a factor of ten (via United Press International)

FAA set to approve Boeing’s fixes for Dreamliner problem batteries (via Washington Post/AP)

Fisker spent $660,000 on each $103,000 plug-in car (via Bloomberg)

EMISSIONS 

Almost official: California’s cap and trade program finally linking with Quebec (via Triple Pundit)

Chevron defies California on carbon emissions (via Bloomberg)

GRID 

Report: higher level of renewables poses no problem for the grid (via Renew Grid)

Demand response needed to beat the heat in Texas (via Greentech Media)

KEYSTONE XL

The first – and last – hearing on Keystone XL environmental impact (via Mother Jones)

Rowdy Keystone pipeline hearing pits workers vs greens (via Reuters)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

Senators reveal slimmer energy-efficiency bill with eye toward GOP (via The Hill)

Energy efficiency stocks rally on Shaheen-Portman bill (via Forbes)

OIL 

Interior Department: emergency containment equipment a must for Arctic drilling (via Houston Chronicle)

More US oil probably won’t destroy the climate (via Council on Foreign Relations)

Arkansas homeowners file class action lawsuit against ExxonMobil (via KARK News)

NATURAL GAS 

Energy Department: LNG export decisions coming soon (via Houston Chronicle)

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 4.18.13

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

ENERGY POLICY 

EIA projects US per capita energy use will fall to 1963 levels (via Facts of the Day)

GRID 

Germany on the verge of an energy storage subsidy (via Greentech Media)

Report: US electrical grid could be reliable with much higher level of renewables (via Reuters)

US smart grid cybersecurity spending to reach $7.25B by 2020 (via Greentech Media)

COAL 

Coal ranks as “most environmentally costly” business (via Environmental Leader)

RENEWABLES 

China trounces US in green energy investments (via CNN Money)

Solar trade war opens new front as India questions US subsidies (via BusinessGreen)

World to get fewer new wind turbines in 2013 (via Reuters)

Global wind power capacity increased 19% in 2012 (via Renewable Energy World)

PV solar dominates new renewable installations in Japan (via Recharge)

Vestas and GE neck and neck at top of wind industry (via BusinessGreen)

UK’s National Trust launches 50% renewable energy target by 2020 (via RTCC)

India to double renewable energy capacity to 55GW by 2017 (via EnergyNext)

SEPA names top 10 US electric utilities for solar power usage (via Solar Industry)

Environmentalists sue officials over Duke Energy wind project (via Charlotte Business Journal)

EMISSIONS 

IEA: carbon intensity of global energy supply has barely change in last 20 years (via Green Car Congress)

EU climate chief vows to fight on to save emissions trading scheme (via The Guardian)

Europe’s rollercoaster carbon prices set to hit Australia (via Phys.org)

China climate chief says EU CO2 crisis will not hurt domestic plans (via Reuters)

EPA faces lawsuit threats over blown climate rule deadline (via The Hill)

TRANSPORTATION 

US hybrids save a half billion gallons of gas a year (via Sustainable Business)

A look under the hood: why EV startup Fisker crashed and burned (via GigaOm)

NATURAL GAS 

Asian nations eagerly eye cheap US natural gas (via Houston Chronicle)

Natural gas industry to develop fast in China, says expert (via Xinhua)

Natural gas prices rise from historic lows (via Houston Chronicle/AP)

How Cheniere Energy got first in line to export America’s natural gas (via Forbes)

CLIMATE 

Scientists raise questions on drought and climate (via Climate Central)

Amid Keystone fight, Canadian official defends climate comments (via The Hill)

Gov. Brown says changes to California’s environmental law unlikely this year (via Sacramento Bee)

POLITICS 

A polarized Energy & Commerce Committee reflects a gridlocked Congress (via National Journal)

Sens. Shaheen, Portman have high hopes for energy efficiency bill (via Politico)

What the House GOP doesn’t want you to know about wind vs. oil tax credits (via Climate Progress)

GOP Representative: ExxonMobil deserves pat on the back for Arkansas spill response (via Grist)

OPINION 

Lighting a spark on the High Plains (via New York Times)

None of the world’s top industries would be profitable if they paid for the natural capital they use (via Grist)

Why more US oil may not mean cheaper US gasoline (via Council on Foreign Relations)

Activism is half the battle: the need for clean energy policymakers (via Energy Collective)

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 3.11.13

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

GRID

PJM plans billions in transmission upgrades to meet massive generation shift (via Renew Grid)

Stanford scientists calculate carbon footprint of grid-scale batteries (via EurekAlert)

Bad news: the US power grid is getting pricier, less reliable (via Washington Post)

Why smart cities need smart grids (via Pike Research)

How battery storage will change the household energy market (via Renew Economy)

NUCLEAR

In Japan, work resume on new plant two years after Fukushima (via Washington Post)

NRC chief: US plants safer after Japan crisis (via ABC News/AP)

Report: a “ripped safety net” at Midwest nuclear plants (via Midwest Energy News)

Officials rejected some fixes to San Onofre plant, shows report (via Los Angeles Times)

RENEWABLES

Panel flags 11% cut to Japan solar FIT (via Recharge)

China calls for EU talks on panel “dumping” (via Recharge)

US nuclear industry withers as wind pummels prices (via Bloomberg)

Seven next-generation energy technologies showcased by ARPA-E (via MIT Technology Review)

BPA: smaller chance of wind energy curtailment in Pacific Northwest this spring (via Renew Grid)

Getting more renewables into the Texas energy mix (via Greentech Media)

Plug pulled on huge Minnesota wind project (via Post Bulletin)

Maryland passes landmark offshore wind legislation (via CleanTechnica)

Iowa sets wind-generated electricity high (via Iowa Business Record)

Austin Energy’s value of solar tariff – could it work anywhere else? (via Greentech Media)

OIL

Dwindling production has led to lesser role for Venezuela as major oil power (via New York Times)

ConocoPhillips set to begin Arctic oil drilling in 2014 (via Zacks)

TRANSPORTATION

PwC: electrified vehicle market share will climb to 6.3% by 2020 (via Autoblog Green)

ExxonMobil: diesel will pass gasoline as top global transportation fuel by 2020 (via Green Car Congress)

UK government funds €37 million in new EV initiatives (via Pike Research)

Volkswagen Group planning to launch 6 or more plug-in hybrids in 2014 (via Green Car Congress)

California adds $4.5 million in funds to clean vehicle rebate project (via Plugin Cars)

KEYSTONE XL

Canada’s First Nations lead battle against Alberta tar sands (via RTCC)

US Chamber, API go grassroots in Keystone pipeline battle (via The Hill)

Keystone fails Texas common-carrier test, court is told (via Bloomberg)

Keystone XL pipeline will create 35 permanent jobs, State Department says (via Christian Science Monitor)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY

Understanding the world of consumer energy management (via Greentech Media)

Maine PUC approves plan to lower bills with increased efficiency (via CLF Scoop)

How to chose an LED light bulb (via MIT Technology Review)

CLIMATE

Poland aims to pave way for 2015 climate deal (via Yahoo! News/AP)

NYSE prepares extreme weather backup plan (via Reuters)

NATURAL GAS/FRACKING

Maryland anti-fracking bills die (via Houston Chronicle)

Fracking health study results likely years off (via USA Today/AP)

ENVIRONMENT

Pollution now top cause of social unrest in China (via Treehugger)

Floating tsunami trash to be decades-long headache (via Phys.org)

In China, public anger over secrecy on environment (via Reuters)

Warming means wetter weather – and drier weather (via Climate Central)

Largest US dam removal releases huge amount of sediment (via Yale e360)

COAL

US coal consumption falls to 1985 levels (via Facts of the Day)

POLITICS

Sizing up Obama’s new energy, environment team (via National Journal)

Sen. Boxer calls for post-Fukushima safety report as anniversary approaches (via The Hill)

OPINION

Can the world fight climate change and energy poverty at the same time? (via Washington Post)

What will it take to boost the overall success of EVs? (via Renew Grid)

Is US energy independence realistic? (via Houston Chronicle)

Transition to low-carbon future will unfold slowly (via Houston Chronicle)

Activism and policy are not the same thing (via Grist)

How livestock can protect the land (via GreenBiz)

Washington DC wants to be the greenest city in the US (via Grist)

Nature’s prophet: Bill McKibben as journalist, public intellectual, and activist (via Energy Collective)

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 3.11.13

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

GRID

PJM plans billions in transmission upgrades to meet massive generation shift (via Renew Grid)

Stanford scientists calculate carbon footprint of grid-scale batteries (via EurekAlert)

Bad news: the US power grid is getting pricier, less reliable (via Washington Post)

Why smart cities need smart grids (via Pike Research)

How battery storage will change the household energy market (via Renew Economy)

NUCLEAR

In Japan, work resume on new plant two years after Fukushima (via Washington Post)

NRC chief: US plants safer after Japan crisis (via ABC News/AP)

Report: a “ripped safety net” at Midwest nuclear plants (via Midwest Energy News)

Officials rejected some fixes to San Onofre plant, shows report (via Los Angeles Times)

RENEWABLES

Panel flags 11% cut to Japan solar FIT (via Recharge)

China calls for EU talks on panel “dumping” (via Recharge)

US nuclear industry withers as wind pummels prices (via Bloomberg)

Seven next-generation energy technologies showcased by ARPA-E (via MIT Technology Review)

BPA: smaller chance of wind energy curtailment in Pacific Northwest this spring (via Renew Grid)

Getting more renewables into the Texas energy mix (via Greentech Media)

Plug pulled on huge Minnesota wind project (via Post Bulletin)

Maryland passes landmark offshore wind legislation (via CleanTechnica)

Iowa sets wind-generated electricity high (via Iowa Business Record)

Austin Energy’s value of solar tariff – could it work anywhere else? (via Greentech Media)

OIL

Dwindling production has led to lesser role for Venezuela as major oil power (via New York Times)

ConocoPhillips set to begin Arctic oil drilling in 2014 (via Zacks)

TRANSPORTATION

PwC: electrified vehicle market share will climb to 6.3% by 2020 (via Autoblog Green)

ExxonMobil: diesel will pass gasoline as top global transportation fuel by 2020 (via Green Car Congress)

UK government funds €37 million in new EV initiatives (via Pike Research)

Volkswagen Group planning to launch 6 or more plug-in hybrids in 2014 (via Green Car Congress)

California adds $4.5 million in funds to clean vehicle rebate project (via Plugin Cars)

KEYSTONE XL

Canada’s First Nations lead battle against Alberta tar sands (via RTCC)

US Chamber, API go grassroots in Keystone pipeline battle (via The Hill)

Keystone fails Texas common-carrier test, court is told (via Bloomberg)

Keystone XL pipeline will create 35 permanent jobs, State Department says (via Christian Science Monitor)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY

Understanding the world of consumer energy management (via Greentech Media)

Maine PUC approves plan to lower bills with increased efficiency (via CLF Scoop)

How to chose an LED light bulb (via MIT Technology Review)

CLIMATE

Poland aims to pave way for 2015 climate deal (via Yahoo! News/AP)

NYSE prepares extreme weather backup plan (via Reuters)

NATURAL GAS/FRACKING

Maryland anti-fracking bills die (via Houston Chronicle)

Fracking health study results likely years off (via USA Today/AP)

ENVIRONMENT

Pollution now top cause of social unrest in China (via Treehugger)

Floating tsunami trash to be decades-long headache (via Phys.org)

In China, public anger over secrecy on environment (via Reuters)

Warming means wetter weather – and drier weather (via Climate Central)

Largest US dam removal releases huge amount of sediment (via Yale e360)

COAL

US coal consumption falls to 1985 levels (via Facts of the Day)

POLITICS

Sizing up Obama’s new energy, environment team (via National Journal)

Sen. Boxer calls for post-Fukushima safety report as anniversary approaches (via The Hill)

OPINION

Can the world fight climate change and energy poverty at the same time? (via Washington Post)

What will it take to boost the overall success of EVs? (via Renew Grid)

Is US energy independence realistic? (via Houston Chronicle)

Transition to low-carbon future will unfold slowly (via Houston Chronicle)

Activism and policy are not the same thing (via Grist)

How livestock can protect the land (via GreenBiz)

Washington DC wants to be the greenest city in the US (via Grist)

Nature’s prophet: Bill McKibben as journalist, public intellectual, and activist (via Energy Collective)