Category Archives:fracking

21
Oct

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 10.21.13

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

TRANSPORTATION 

Shell predicts oil-powered cars will be “nearly” gone by 2070 (via Autoblog Green)

EMISSIONS 

UK universities urged to cut fossil fuel funding (via RTCC)

In first vote, Columbia College students back fossil fuel divestment (via Huffington Post)

OIL 

No oil from North Dakota spill seen in water sources (via Houston Chronicle/AP)

Oil found on Louisiana shore surges three years after BP spill (via Reuters)

RENEWABLES 

Grid parity, low LCOE driving 34% global renewables capacity by 2030 (via CleanTechnica)

FERC report says solar leads all new US capacity except natural gas (via Solar Industry Magazine)

Clean tech VA investments crater, drop to pre-2006 levels (via GigaOm)

Study says most Americans would consider residential solar (via Solar Industry Magazine)

NRG buying 1.7GW of US wind (via Recharge)

Xcel get approval to add 750MW of wind power to Midwest grid (via Renew Grid)

New York State plugs solar farms (via Albany Times-Union)

Wind power gains favor in Ohio (via Springfield News-Sun)

Michigan PACE program growing rapidly, may soon add state’s largest county (via Midwest Energy News)

Arizona experiments with storing solar power (via National Journal)

NATURAL GAS/FRACKING 

Which countries win and lose from US shale gas boom? (via Breaking Energy)

Britain looks to fracking as North Sea oil dwindles (via New York Times)

Study projects no long-term climate benefit from shale gas revolution (via Climate Progress)

California finds more instances of offshore fracking (via Phys.org/AP)

OPINION 

Shell director: US has “overfracked and overdrilled” (via National Journal)

Reading renewable energy tea leaves in latest FERC report (via CleanTechnica)

How 9 major papers deal with climate denying letters (via Mother Jones)

Will fracking suck California dry? (via National Journal)

California’s energy and climate agenda: Visionary leader or cautionary tale? (via National Journal)

Posted:   |   Categories: arizona, BP, california, Divestment, emissions, energy storage, FERC, Fossil fuel divestment, fracking, Grid Parity, Gulf of Mexico, LCOE, Levelized cost of electricity, Louisiana, michigan, natural gas, new york state, News, north dakota, NRG, Ohio, oil, oil spill, PACE, renewables, rooftop solar, Shale gas, Shell, solar, Transportation, uk, united kingdom, wind, xcel
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18
Oct

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 10.18.13

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

GRID 

Worldwide smart meter shipments for first half 2013 surpass 51 million (via Navigant Research)

Will smart meters change consumer habits? Early indicators say yes (via Midwest Energy News)

California adopts first-in-nation energy storage plan (via Contra Costa Times)

Construction begins on landmark Panhandle wind transmission project (via Houston Chronicle)

Texas cranks up $7 billion CREZ wind power transmission project (via CleanTechnica)

EMISSIONS 

China tests carbon markets before tax, says government official (via Bloomberg)

Fossil fuel divestment campaign spreads to Europe (via Huffington Post)

Microsoft drives home sustainability with internal carbon pricing (via GreenBiz)

RENEWABLES 

Wind at wholesale price parity in world’s major markets (via Renew Economy)

Germany expects 28.7% renewables in 2014 (via Renew Economy)

EU biofuel regulations set to be delayed until 2015 (via BusinessGreen)

Brazil’s wind tender price cap set at $58 per MWh (via Recharge)

India’s biofuel moves help offset swelling oil-import bill (via Panchabuta)

Southwest Power Pool keeps breaking wind records (via Renew Grid)

Institutional investors look toward the Sun, away from fossil fuels (via Solar Industry Magazine)

OIL 

Report: Pipelines pose less risk than trains or trucks in carrying oil (via The Hill)

Texas oil production could double by 2020, says industry regulator (via Houston Chronicle)

In North Dakota, new concerns over mixing oil and wheat (via New York Times)

US Coast Guard discovers 4,000-pound tar mat in Gulf of Mexico (via Climate Progress)

TRANSPORTATION 

Vehicle-to-grid market to reach $190 million by 2022 (via Energy Manager Today)

Most drivers expect all vehicles to be at least partly electrified in 20 years (via CleanTechnica)

Volvo turns vehicle body panels into batteries (via Autoblog)

KEYSTONE XL 

Harold Hamm: Hope dwindling for Keystone XL pipeline (via Houston Chronicle)

CLIMATE 

Climate change to cost East Asia 5.3% of GDP by 2100 (via Bloomberg)

Report: Western wildfires growing more intense, insurers deeply concerned (via Washington Post)

Britain warming faster than global average (via The Telegraph)

Raging Australian wildfires leave Sydney shrouded in smoke (via The Telegraph)

NATURAL GAS/FRACKING 

North Dakota landowners sue fossil fuel companies over wasted natural gas (via Climate Progress)

Oklahoma is next destination for shale revolution (via Reuters)

Police arrest 40 as Canada shale gas protest turns violent (via Reuters)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

US and world are actually making big strides in energy efficiency (via Climate Progress)

Building energy management systems market to surpass $23 billion by 2017 (via Renew Grid)

The bright future of energy-efficient Walmart stores (via Green Room)

COAL 

AEP takes coal “out of the picture” as it plans for future (via Columbus Business Journal)

NUCLEAR 

China set to invest in UK nuclear industry (via RTCC)

POLITICS 

The big no: Republicans on science panel reject budget deal (via Science)

GOP to California governor: Don’t spoil fracking potential (via National Journal)

OPINION 

Are the days of fossil fuel subsidies numbered? (via EarthTechling)

Europe’s advanced biofuels innovation: Following overambitious US example? (via Energy Collective)

Debate about future of utilities moves deeper into world of regulation (via Greentech Media)

Let’s prevent this crisis: A letter to Harvard’s President Faust (via Huffington Post)

Legacy of 1970’s oil embargo energy crisis still lingers today (via Houston Chronicle)

Poll: Majority wanted EPA open during federal shutdown (via The Hill)

5 reasons to care about California’s new energy storage mandate (via GigaOm)

Cost of West Texas power lines could shock ratepayers (via Houston Chronicle)

Posted:   |   Categories: AEL, australia, battery, biofuel, Brazil, Britain, Building energy management, california, canada, Carbon market, Carbon pricing, carbon tax, China, climate, Climate Change, coal, Divestment, Electric Vehicle, emissions, Energy Efficiency, energy storage, EPA, EU, European Union, ev, Flaring, Fossil fuel divestment, fracking, germany, global warming, grid, Grid Parity, Gulf of Mexico, Harold Hamm, Harvard University, hybrid, india, Keystone XL, Microsoft, natural gas, News, north dakota, nuclear, oil, Oil embargo, oil spill, oklahoma, Pipeline, renewables, Shale gas, smart meter, solar, Southwest Power Pool, Subsidies, texas, transmission, Transportation, uk, united kingdom, V2G, Volvo, Walmart, Wildfire, wind
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16
Oct

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 10.16.13

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

EMISSIONS 

Efforts to set global carbon market standards may begin next month (via The Age)

Capital markets ignoring risk of unburnable carbon: report (via Renew Economy)

All flights in EU airspace to face emissions levy by 2014 (via RTCC)

Abbott publishes draft legislation to abolish carbon pricing (via Bloomberg)

Supreme Court will review EPA’s authority to regulate power plant emissions (via Washington Post)

ENERGY POLICY 

Much ado about shale gas, but coal is still king (via Christian Science Monitor)

Shale gas and tight oil boom: US states’ economic gains and vulnerabilities (via Council on Foreign Relations)

RENEWABLES 

Report: US leads world in advanced biofuels ranking (via Houston Chronicle)

Solar means business: Top 25 US corporate solar energy users (via CleanTechnica)

NREL debunks 15% ethanol blend car damage claims (via Environmental Leader)

Big box solar and the clean energy revolution (via Washington Post)

Statoil pulls offshore wind project in Maine (via Houston Chronicle/AP)

OIL 

Behind Russia vs. Greenpeace, unreported oil pollution in the Arctic (via InsideClimate News)

Energy efficiency measures saved $420 billion of oil from 2005-2010 (via Bloomberg Businessweek)

Saudi Aramco plans “massive” spending to extend field life (via Houston Chronicle/Bloomberg)

Rising output, energy efficiency to halve US oil imports by 2020 (via Reuters)

North Dakota oil output could hit 1 million barrels-per-day by 2014 (via Reuters)

Booming US oil towns prepare for inevitable bust (via Houston Chronicle/AP)

North Dakota pipeline spill prompts calls for better oversight (via EnergyWire)

Halliburton manager pleads guilty to destroying Gulf spill evidence (via Reuters)

TRANSPORTATION 

BMW mulls boosting electric car capacity on early demand (via Bloomberg)

Ford jumps EV battery gap with new $8 million research lab (via CleanTechnica)

CLIMATE 

Climate change will affect almost every corner of ocean, study says (via Los Angeles Times)

Lloyd’s insurers mock climate skeptics over “global cooling” (via RTCC)

ENVIRONMENT 

Changes to federal flood insurance program mean higher costs (via Boston Globe)

All taxpayers are footing the rising cost of fighting wildfires (via Minneapolis Post)

California bans lead bullets for hunting (via Sustainable Business)

GRID 

Smart grid’s real-world economic and environmental benefits (via Renew Grid)

OPINION 

Three ways to get rich off global warming (via Market Watch)

By repealing the carbon tax, Tony Abbott is failing to protect his people (via The Guardian)

Should newspapers ban letters from climate science deniers? (via The Guardian)

California’s big fracking mess (via National Journal)

US Supreme Court: EPA can tackle global warming, but we’ll review a few details (via Washington Post)

These maps show where the US is most vulnerable to oil shocks (via Washington Post)

Posted:   |   Categories: arctic, australia, battery, biofuels, BMW, california, Carbon bubble, Carbon market, Carbon pricing, Climate Change, coal, Electric Vehicle, emissions, Energy Efficiency, EPA, ethanol, ev, Flood insurance, Floods, Ford, fracking, grid, Gulf of Mexico, Halliburton, Lloyd's of London, Maine, News, north dakota, NREL, Ocean acidification, offshore wind, oil, oil spill, Pipeline, renewables, Russia, saudi arabia, Saudi Aramco, Shale gas, Shale oil, smart grid, solar, Tony Abbott, Transportation, wildfires
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15
Oct

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 10.15.13

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

EMISSIONS 

Germany blocks EU car emissions law (via The Guardian)

Tony Abbott insists Australia’s carbon tax will end on July 1 even if Senate blocks repeal (via The Guardian)

NATURAL GAS/FRACKING 

Fracking comes to Saudi Arabia despite limited water resources (via Raw Story/AFP)

China will raise on-grid prices for gas-fired power generation (via Reuters)

Shell CEO says shale gas will take longer to develop than expected (via Reuters)

Combining distributed gas and solar in the US heartland (via Greentech Media)

Drilling water wells to foil fracking (via Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

RENEWABLES 

IEA projects renewable energy to surpass natural gas in 2015 (via Sustainable Business)

Global hydropower investment to top $75 billion through 2020 (via BusinessGreen)

World Bank support for China solar and wind power may have cost US jobs (via Washington Post)

Chile doubles renewable energy goal to 20% to spark new projects (via Bloomberg)

German green power surcharge to rise 18% in 2014 (via Reuters)

Solar and wind produced up to 60% of Germany’s electricity on October 3rd (via CleanTechnica)

1.8GW of new solar for Japan in Q2 (via CleanTechnica)

Solar vs. wind in Brazil’s power tender (via Recharge)

Putting robots to work in solar energy (via New York Times)

TAR SANDS 

Mercury levels rising near Alberta oil sands, study finds (via Globe and Mail)

CLIMATE 

Climate change making North American forests more vulnerable (via Washington Post)

Foliage season under fire from climate change (via Climate Central)

LA Times refuses to publish climate denial, will other newspapers? (via CleanTechnica)

Another dry year could be bad news for California (via Los Angeles Times)

TRANSPORTATION 

For EV makers, selling cars is just the start (via Navigant Research)

From RINs to supply to demand to seasonality, why gasoline is heading lower (via Houston Chronicle)

OIL 

Report: US oil growth having limited effect on energy security (via Houston Chronicle)

GRID 

Smart city market to hit $6.1 billion by 2020 (via Energy Manager Today)

10 reasons microgrids matter to corporate sustainability (via GreenBiz)

OPINION 

Clean energy not to blame for rising California energy costs (via EarthTechling)

Four key reasons why coal’s 2013 rebound will end and its decline resume (via Facts of the Day)

Renewable Fuel Standard: Are we nearing a compromise on ethanol? (via Christian Science Monitor)

Why residents of disaster-prone areas don’t move (via The Atlantic)

Renewable fuel standard needs to be modified, not repealed (via Phys.org)

Posted:   |   Categories: Alberta, australia, Brazil, california, Carbon pricing, carbon tax, Chile, China, climate, Climate Change, deforestation, distributed generation, drought, Electric Vehicle, emissions, ethanol, ev, fracking, Gasoline, germany, grid, Hydropower, IEA, japan, Microgrid, natural gas, News, oil, pennsylvania, Renewable Fuels Standard, renewables, RIN, saudi arabia, Shale gas, Shell, smart grid, solar, tar sands, Tony Abbott, Transportation, Water scarcity, wind, World Bank
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11
Oct

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 10.11.13

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

EMISSIONS 

Fossil fuel divestment spreading faster than any previous campaign – even Apartheid (via CleanTechnica)

Could China’s carbon emissions peak sooner than expected? (via RTCC)

Number of new carbon capture and storage plants drops 10% (via The Guardian)

OIL 

Southern leg of Keystone XL pipeline nearly complete (via The Oklahoman)

North Dakota pipeline spills over 20,000 barrels of crude oil (via Climate Progress)

RENEWABLES 

Citibank: Renewables will get bulk of world’s new power investment (via Houston Chronicle)

UK offshore wind industry calls for 14GW by 2022 (via Recharge)

This is how much and where algae fuel could be grown on the planet (via GigaOm)

Siemens seeks 30% cost cut in offshore wind (via Recharge)

Next-generation biofuels inching toward reality, gallon by gallon (via Time)

EPA may reduce ethanol blending volumes for 2014 (via Reuters)

Cracking the code of residential solar power (via CleanTechnica)

Quest for cheap, nonfood biofuel starts with a brewery (via ClimateWire)

California’s 600MW shared renewables law targets distributed solar in low-income areas (via Solar Industry Magazine)

Gulf Coast beckons wind farms when West Texas gusts fade (via Houston Chronicle)

Ohio business group opposes rollback of renewable energy rules (via Columbus Dispatch)

Google invests another $103 million in renewable power (via San Francisco Chronicle)

New York State’s Green Bank casts wide net over clean energy sector (via GreenBiz)

ENERGY POLICY 

Canadian spies met with energy firms, documents reveal (via The Guardian)

FERC seeks order enforcing Barclays $488 million fine (via Bloomberg)

CLIMATE 

Floods could have catastrophic impact on Australia’s east coast (via The Guardian)

Tens of thousands flee vast cyclone bearing down on India (via Reuters)

Seven mostly awful climate change winners (via Weather Underground)

Texas compares to Midwest and West in climate attitudes (via EcoAffect)

Pennsylvania publishes climate change impacts report 18 months late (via StateImpact Pennsylvania)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

Energy efficiency is one of the hottest clean tech sectors (via Greentech Media)

Could the US Navy lead the way on energy efficiency? (via Breaking Energy)

The “other” type of commercial financing: PACE (via Renewable Energy World)

NATURAL GAS/FRACKING 

France’s fracking ban “absolute” after court upholds law (via Bloomberg)

Ohio considers rule for fracking wastewater sites (via Houston Chronicle

TRANSPORTATION 

California initiative will streamline permitting of new hydrogen and EV fueling stations (via Green Car Congress)

Fisker government loan heads to auction block today (via Reuters)

OPINION 

European electricity providers face an existential threat: How to lose half a trillion euros (via The Economist)

Time for governments to end energy subsidies (via Reuters)

Politics is poorly suited to address global warming (via Washington Post)

Media sowed doubt in coverage of IPCC climate report (via Media Matters)

Parks take center stage in shutdown fight (via The Hill)

Posted:   |   Categories: algae, australia, biofuels, california, canada, carbon capture, ccs, China, Citibank, climate, Climate Change, Divestment, Electric Vehicle, emissions, Energy Efficiency, EPA, ethanol, ev, Extreme weather, FERC, Fisker, Flood, Fossil fuel divestment, fracking, France, google, Gulf of Mexico, hydrogen, india, IPCC, Keystone XL, natural gas, new york state, News, north dakota, offshore wind, Ohio, oil, oil spill, PACE, pennsylvania, Pipeline, Renewable energy standard, renewables, Severe weather, Shared renewables, Siemens, solar, Subsidies, texas, Transportation, uk, united kingdom, US Navy, wind
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10
Oct

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 10.10.13

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

CLIMATE 

By 2047, coldest years may be warmer than hottest in past, say scientists (via New York Times)

Melting permafrost is creating “drunken forests” around Arctic (via Climate Progress)

Saudi efforts to weaken IPCC report in Stockholm exposed (via RTCC)

Can cities solve climate change? (via Scientific American)

Mining, fossil fuel firms talk about embracing climate change adaptation (via SNL Energy)

Florida considers creating alternative to federal flood insurance (via Miami Herald)

FEDERAL SHUTDOWN 

90% of America’s nuclear regulators will be furloughed today (via Gizmodo)

Energy industry beginning to feel federal shutdown’s bite (via Anchorage Daily News)

RENEWABLES 

World’s largest wealth fund may become green energy investor (via Renew Economy)

Q3 portfolio review: A bottom for clean energy developers? (via Renewable Energy World)

GE boosts wind turbine output up to 5% with industrial Internet technology (via CleanTechnica)

EPA drafts scaled-back renewable fuels goal (via National Journal)

Pennsylvania discourages renewable energy as climate solution (via Philadelphia Business Journal)

New York’s SUNY Cortland College using 100% renewable energy (via EarthTechling)

Will Oregon test project bring offshore wind to the West Coast? (via ClimateWire)

EMISSIONS 

Carbon markets cut emissions 17x cheaper than subsidies (via CleanTechnica)

Study finds setbacks in carbon capture projects worldwide (via New York Times)

EU already close to meeting 2020 emissions goal (via Reuters)

Early repeal of carbon price system could cost Australia $2 billion (via Australian Financial Review)

Shell exec says oil companies might become carbon capture ones (via MIT Technology Review)

Fossil fuel divestment campaign growing, says study (via Grist)

NATURAL GAS/FRACKING 

Europe votes to tighten rules on drilling method (via New York Times)

GRID 

UK, Denmark advance grid link-study (via Recharge)

Canada unveils energy storage research program (via Renew Grid)

Less than 1% of residential electricity customers will adopt dynamic pricing by 2020 unless utilities act aggressively (via Navigant Research)

AB327 signed into law with net metering warning from Gov. Brown (via Greentech Media)

ENERGY POLICY 

Citibank: Utilities are dinosaurs waiting to die (via GreenBiz)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

Study: Efficiency leads to “amazingly good energy news” (via Midwest Energy News)

San Francisco publishes open data on energy use in city buildings (via Sustainable Industries)

KEYSTONE XL 

Alberta’s current carbon strategy no match for Keystone’s emissions (via InsideClimate News)

Influence in America: TransCanada’s Keystone XL lobbying activities (via DeSmog Blog)

TRANSPORTATION 

New vehicle fuel economy continues to increase (via US EIA)

ENVIRONMENT 

Chicago’s investment in cleaner, greener water (via Huffington Post)

POLITICS 

Germany’s Greens turn frosty toward any alliance with Merkel (via Reuters)

OPINION 

Are there any major world financial institutions that don’t want to act on climate? (via Climate Progress)

Could weather forecasting be the secret to energy management? (via Greentech Media)

Are biofuels contributing to the dead zone? (via Treehugger)

Battle over Binz: An anomaly, or first shot in a drawn-out war? (via E&E Daily)

How to divest from fossil fuels, no matter the size of your piggy bank (via Grist)

Posted:   |   Categories: Alberta, Angela Merkel, arctic, australia, Benchmarking, biofuels, california, canada, cap and trade, carbon capture, carbon markets, Carbon pricing, chicago, climate, Climate Change, denmark, Divestment, Dynamic pricing, emissions, Energy Efficiency, energy storage, EPA, EU, European Union, FERC, Floods, Florida, Fossil fuel divestment, fracking, Fuel Economy, GE, germany, global warming, grid, investment, IPCC, Jerry Brown, Keystone XL, natural gas, new york state, News, nuclear, offshore wind, oregon, pennsylvania, Permafrost melt, Renewable Fuels Standard, RFS, Ron Binz, san francisco, saudi arabia, Shale gas, Shell, solar, SUNY Cortland College, TransCanada, uk, united kingdom, wind, wind turbine
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09
Oct

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 10.9.13

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

EMISSIONS 

When CO2 levels doubled 55 million years ago, Earth may have warmed 9 degrees F in 13 years (via Climate Progress)

Carbon markets 16 times cheaper than renewable aid, OECD says (via Bloomberg)

NATURAL GAS/FRACKING 

UK shale drillers offered water cheaper than residents (via Bloomberg)

EIA raises 2013 US natgas production, demand (via Reuters)

Some foes of fracking reach out to drillers on safety (via National Journal)

GRID 

US smart grid could save each consumer $100 annually (via Energy Manager Today)

15 European national power markets set to link in search for best price (via Reuters)

RENEWABLES 

UK plans to increase solar power eight-fold by 2020 (via Bloomberg)

Renewable energy is taking a beating in Spain (via New York Times)

At what point will small-scale solar energy storage become viable? (via CleanTechnica)

Wind turbine blade maker ramps up in US (via Breaking Energy)

Oil industry sues EPA over Renewable Fuel Standard (via The Hill)

AWEA sees strong 2014 for US wind (via Recharge)

Boom and bust in New Jersey SREC market (via Renewable Energy World)

Inside DOE, one of world’s biggest clean energy finance shops is back in business (via InsideClimate News)

CLIMATE 

OECD: “No bailout” for climate threat (via BBC News)

80% of ecosystems vulnerable to climate change, finds study (via Yale e360)

IMF director Lagarde sounds warning on climate action (via The Hill)

World Bank and IMF stress urgency of climate action (via RTCC)

Alaska sinks as climate change thaws permafrost (via Des Moines Register)

After Sandy, group calls for federal fund to deal with extreme weather (via Star-Ledger)

COAL 

Peak coal in China, or a long and high plateau? (via Energy Collective)

150 plants retired: Another major milestone in moving beyond coal (via Grist) 

New England’s largest coal-fired plant is shutting down (via Climate Progress)

ENERGY POLICY 

Official says Mexican energy reform will require new laws (via Houston Chronicle)

40% of utilities predict “complete transformation” by 2030 (via Greentech Media)

Keystone XL’s not the only cross-border energy fight (via Greenwire)

The South’s new power push: Natural gas and tiny nukes (via Climate Central)

Eight practical local energy policies to boost the economy (via CleanTechnica)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

Sports beginning to see the energy-efficient light (via New York Times)

New York City apartment dwellers can compare energy, water use online (via Sustainable Business)

San Francisco public buildings’ energy use down 3.6% from 2011 (via Energy Manager Today)

OIL 

Analyst predicts growing North American production unless oil falls to $60 (via Houston Chronicle)

TRANSPORTATION 

EVs find a growing market in China (via Navigant Research)

California backs hydrogen stations in a big way (via EarthTechling)

NUCLEAR 

Report says a shortage of nuclear ingredient looms (via New York Times)

EU energy guidelines leave out nuclear in blow for Britain (via Reuters)

Nuclear plants vexed at prices that shift as demand does (via New York Times)

Small nuclear-fossil fuel reactors attracting attention but not capital (via Forbes)

POLITICS 

Germany’s Greens elect new leaders before talks with Merkel (via Reuters)

Poll: Plurality of Virginians favor EPA climate rule (via Politico)

OPINION 

Carbon emissions explained, with my son’s Legos (via Energy Collective)

US can still be the world’s solar manufacturing leader (via Sustainable Business)

Three models that could help utilities make money from solar (via Greentech Media)

The Model S fire was a good thing for Tesla (via Plugin Cars)

Posted:   |   Categories: alaska, Angela Merkel, awea, california, cap and trade, Carbon market, China, Christina Lagarde, climate, Climate Change, coal, department of energy, DOE, eia, Electric Vehicle, emissions, Energy benchmarking, Energy Efficiency, energy storage, environmental protection agency, EPA, EU, europe, European Union, ev, Extreme weather, fracking, germany, grid, Hurricane Sandy, hydrogen, IMF, International Monetary Fund, Keystone XL, mexico, natural gas, New England, new jersey, New York City, News, nuclear, OECD, oil, Permafrost, PETM, Renewable energy credit, Renewable Fuels Standard, renewables, RFS, san francisco, Shale gas, Small modular nuclear reactor, smart grid, solar, Spain, SREC, Tesla, Tesla Model S, Transportation, uk, united kingdom, virginia, Water scarcity, wind, World Bank
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07
Oct

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 10.7.13

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

GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN 

Government shutdown affects weather, climate programs (via Climate Central)

Federal shutdown vexes greens, pleases industry (via Politico)

Solar decathlon launches despite US government shutdown (via Renewable Energy World)

FRACKING 

US fracking industry has used 250 billion gallons of water since 2005 (via Oil Price)

ENERGY POLICY 

US surpasses Russia as world’s top oil and natural gas producer (via The Guardian)

94% of utilities say distributed generation is a “game changer” (via BusinessGreen)

Embattled DOE clean energy loan program restarts under new management (via InsideClimate News)

RENEWABLES 

OECD-FAO projects global ethanol production to increase 67% over next 10 years to 44 billion gallons (via Green Car Congress)

Cost of PV cells drops 99% since 1977, bringing solar to grid parity (via Climate Progress)

Russia backs 504MW of wind and solar in first clean power auction (via CleanTechnica)

India invites national solar bids after 2-year gap (via Bloomberg)

South Pacific island nation becomes first to 100% renewables (via Facts of the Day)

As Sun shines on solar industry, power companies fret (via National Journal)

Wind turbine bird threat overstated, study suggests (via EarthTechling)

Florida utility offers $9 million in solar rebates (via Solar Industry Magazine)

Consumers Energy closing in on Michigan’s RPS (via Renew Grid)

OIL 

Economist: US jobs climb along with oil boom (via Houston Chronicle)

BP trial to focus on scientists’ spill estimates (via Houston Chronicle)

Court orders closer scrutiny of oil-spill claims against BP (via Washington Post)

TRANSPORTATION 

Putting all 20,000 electric car charging stations on the map (via Bloomberg Businessweek)

US gas prices drop 14 cents over past 2 weeks (via Houston Chronicle)

Volkswagen XL1, world’s most efficient car, makes its US debut (via CleanTechnica)

Hertz starts renting Tesla Model S electric cars (via Breaking Energy)

Ford doubles US electric drive market share from 2012 to 2013 (via Green Car Congress)

EMISSIONS 

IPCC report contains “grave” carbon budget message (via Climate Central)

EU carbon advances as policy makers consider supply flexibility (via Bloomberg)

US Supreme Court today may decide whether to hear greenhouse gas case (via Bloomberg BNA)

World’s carbon budget to be spent in three decades (via CleanTechnica)

Harvard won’t divest from fossil fuels, Faust says (via Bloomberg)

“Cynical” market shrugs off latest climate warning on fossil fuels (via EnergyWire)

ENVIRONMENT 

Scientists call for more controlled burns in West’s forests (via Los Angeles Times)

Let it burn: Changing firefighting techniques for a warming world (via Time)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

Solar heating and cooling could save $61 billion in energy costs (via Energy Manager Today)

Popularity of federal energy efficiency program among farmers put it at risk (via Christian Science Monitor/AP)

Walmart sells LEDs for less than $10 (via Energy Manager Today)

COAL 

Q2 2013 coal export trends: Shipments fall nationally, rise in West (via Sightline Daily)

POLITICS 

German Greens mull new identity and coalition with Merkel (via Reuters)

Tony Abbott may have enough support to repeal Australian carbon tax (via ABC News)

FERC front-runner may be clean slate Obama’s looking for (via Greenwire)

Debt ceiling isn’t place for climate fight, says House Republican (via The Hill)

Decades in decline, issue of coal is in crosshairs for Virginia governors race (via Washington Post)

OPINION 

For insurers, climate risk is becoming a matter of policy (via GreenBiz)

When will we reach an electric vehicle tipping point? (via Greentech Media)

Hawaii’s smart grid a matter of necessity (via Navigant Research)

Is fossil fuel divestment a sound financial play? (via Triple Pundit)

Posted:   |   Categories: Angela Merkel, australia, BP, cap and trade, Carbon budget, coal, Coal exports, Consumers Energy, distributed generation, Divestment, DOE, Electric Vehicle, emissions, Energy Efficiency, environment, ethanol, EU, European Union, ev, FERC, Florida, Ford, Fossil fuel divestment, fracking, Gasoline, Grid Parity, Gulf of Mexico, Harvard, Hawaii, Hertz, hybrid, india, IPCC, LED, michigan, natural gas, News, oil, oil spill, renewable portfolio standard, Russia, solar, Solar cooling, Solar Decathlon, Solar heating, solar pv, Tesla Model S, Tony Abbott, Transportation, virginia, Volkswagen, Walmart, wildfires, wind
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02
Oct

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 10.2.13

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

GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN 

Federal shutdown weakens weather and climate operations (via Washington Post)

What the shutdown means for energy and environment programs (via Climate Progress)

EMISSIONS 

California and Quebec take another step toward linking cap-and-trade programs (via Green Car Congress)

California’s cap and trade market still needs a price ceiling (via Energy Collective)

COAL 

Coal to surpass gas in Southeast Asia power boom, says IEA (via Bloomberg)

RENEWABLES 

France launches 80MW tidal power tender (via Recharge)

Analysis shows wind tax credit would cost billions (via The Hill)

Washington DC unanimously passes community solar legislation (via Renewable Energy World)

CLIMATE 

Poland pits itself against EU climate pledges (via Reuters)

Fossil fuel interests ready to pump millions into climate change debate (via Forbes)

Three things we aren’t as sure of as climate change but accept as fact (via Climate Progress)

Wildfire season could be longer, more intense by 2050 due to climate change (via National Journal)

Climate adaptation goes mainstream in Wisconsin (via Grist)

Yosemite’s largest ice mass is melting fast (via Los Angeles Times)

OIL 

Public health report released on 2010 Michigan oil spill (via Houston Chronicle)

At trial, BP denies dithering during response to US Gulf spill (via Reuters)

TRANSPORTATION 

Nearly 64,000 public EV charging stations installed worldwide (via Navigant Research)

Once you go electric, you don’t go back, finds study (via BusinessGreen)

Tesla Model S was best-selling car in Norway during September (via Green Car Congress)

Nissan Leaf outsells Chevy Volt 1,953 to 1,766 in September (via Autoblog Green)

GM intensifies military hydrogen fuel cell research (via BusinessGreen)

$2 billion for cleaner vehicles in California (via CleanTechnica)

GRID 

40MW energy storage facility goes live in Ohio (via Renew Grid)

NATURAL GAS/FRACKING 

Chambers of Commerce want fracking oversight left to states (via Midwest Energy News)

Posted:   |   Categories: Asia, BP, california, cap and trade, Carbon market, chevy volt, climate, Climate adaptation, Climate Change, coal, community solar, Electric Vehicle, emissions, energy storage, EU, European Union, ev, EV charger, fracking, France, fuel cell, GM, grid, Gulf of Mexico, hydrogen, IEA, michigan, natural gas, News, nissan LEAF, norway, oil, oil spill, Poland, production tax credit, Quebec, renewables, solar, tar sands, Tesla Model S, tidal power, Transportation, Washington DC, Wildfire, wind, Wisconsin, Yosemite
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01
Oct

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 10.1.13

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

EMISSIONS 

IPCC report recommends fossil fuels stay in the ground (via Huffington Post)

What the carbon budget means for business (via Environmental Leader)

EU carbon market main hurdle to aviation deal, India says (via Bloomberg)

COAL 

Europe whets appetite for coal as US eschews it (via Climate Central)

Stop funding coal, green groups tell European Bank (via BusinessGreen)

The local election that could determine the future of US coal (via Climate Progress)

Nebraska coal plant tests new pollution-control system (via Houston Chronicle)

RENEWABLES 

Offshore wind in Europe: Lessons for the US (via Huffington Post)

Deutsche Banks says China solar PV may reach 15GW in 2014 (via Renew Economy)

Brazil: Just not that into second-generation biofuels (via Energy Collective)

Movin’ and shakin’ – geothermal projects face a rocky road (via Renewable Energy World)

US renewables mid-year report: 10% energy consumption, 14% net electrical generation (via Renewable Energy World)

Tax credits to spur renewable energy seen set to end (via Bloomberg)

US Air Force trains for combat on wind power (via CleanTechnica)

NATURAL GAS/FRACKING 

China faces steep climb to exploit its shale riches (via New York Times)

US gears up to be a prime natural gas exporter (via New York Times)

North Carolina rejects federal funds for fracking studies (via Grist)

CLIMATE 

“Climate refugee” fighting to stay in New Zealand goes to court (via ABC News)

The hard math of flood insurance in a warming world (via Time)

How farmworkers experience a warming climate (via EarthFix)

Bloomberg, Steyer, Paulson team up to gauge global warming’s economic toll (via The Hill)

New climate assessment likely to spark action by companies; Congress, not so much (via ClimateWire)

Resilient communities are the incentive for businesses to focus on climate change (via Triple Pundit)

“Atmospheric River” smashes storm records in Pacific Northwest (via Climate Central)

OIL 

An uphill climb for the oil giants (via New York Times)

Feds to release new rules for offshore emergency equipment this year (via Houston Chronicle)

Lawyers tell trial BP lied about size of US Gulf oil spill (via Reuters)

Texas regulators issue few fines for Eagle Ford pollution (via EnergyWire)

TRANSPORTATION 

Electric vehicles speeding toward 7% of all global sales by 2020 (via CleanTechnica)

EV-wary consumers still want utilities to develop charging infrastructure (via Renew Grid)

BMW to electrify its entire lineup (via CleanTechnica)

Ford C-Max hybrid owners get rebate for disappointing mileage (via New York Times)

GRID 

Will energy storage save the grid? (via Energy Collective)

New California net metering study appears to be DOA (via Greentech Media)

TAR SANDS 

Oil sands deals dive as foreign-state firms scrutinized by Canada (via Houston Chronicle)

British Columbia, Alberta move closer to tar sands pipeline agreement (via Globe and Mail)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

Energy efficiency drive yields $1 billion, 11 million metric tons CO2 cuts for US manufacturers (via Triple Pundit)

POLITICS 

EIA can operate through October 11 under government shutdown (via Reuters)

EPA to be hit hard in shutdown, could delay renewable fuel standard (via Reuters)

FERC nominee Binz withdraws amid coal pushback (via Politico)

“No evidence” EPA used private emails to keep records secret (via The Hill)

Can Bob Inglis make the GOP relevant on climate and clean energy policy? (via Greentech Media)

Posted:   |   Categories: Alberta, Atmospheric River, biofuels, BMW, Bob Ingliis, BP, Brazil, british columbia, california, canada, Carbon budget, carbon capture, Carbon market, China, climate, Climate Change, Climate refugees, coal, Coal exports, Deutsche Bank, Eagle Ford Shale, eia, electric vehicles, emissions, Energy Efficiency, energy storage, EPA, EU, European Bank, ev, EV charger, FERC, Floods, Ford, Ford C-Max hybrid, fracking, geothermal, grid, Gulf of Mexico, Henry Paulson, india, IPCC, Michael Bloomberg, natural gas, Natural gas exports, Nebraska, Net metering, new zealand, News, North Carolina, offshore drilling, offshore wind, oil, oil spill, Pipeline, production tax credit, renewables, Resilience, Resilient communities, Ron Binz, Shale gas, solar, solar pv, tar sands, texas, Tom Steyer, Transportation, wind
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