Category Archives:fracking

04
Nov

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 11.4.14

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

CLIMATE 

UN panel issues starkest warning yet on global warming (via New York Times)

UK to pledge “strongly” to support Green Climate Fund (via RTCC)

Across America, science center offerings on climate change are scant (via Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

Climate change brings pine beetles north to New York and New Jersey forests (via Huffington Post)

COAL 

Denmark considers phasing out coal by 2025 (via Reuters)

Australia coal port expansion will not get environmental impact study (via Al-Jazeera America)

The demise of coal-fired power in the U.S. (via Renew Economy)

RENEWABLES 

Deserted by China, Taiwanese solar cell makers eye new markets (via Reuters)

Scottish wind energy output exceeds domestic power demand (via BusinessGreen)

Solatio, Renova, Enel biggest winners in Brazil solar auction (via Bloomberg)

Tailwinds pick up for U.S. wind market (via Navigant Research)

Ohio utilities feel burned by solar-energy users (via Columbus Dispatch)

EMISSIONS 

Australian carbon tax demise leading to large rise in emissions (via BusinessGreen)

Power producers to face shortage in South Korea carbon market (via Reuters)

Australian electricity emissions could jump 9% in 2014-2015 (via Renew Economy)

Oil rout to weigh on Alberta’s carbon emissions policy (via Bloomberg)

OIL 

U.S. crude falls below $80 (via The Hill)

Big Oil feels the need to get smaller (via Wall Street Journal)

This is how ISIS smuggles oil (via BuzzFeed)

TRANSPORTATION 

Hyundai, Kia to pay $100 million for overstating fuel economy claims (via Los Angeles Times)

Nissan Leaf sets another monthly sales record, Chevy Volt remains steady (via Autoblog Green)

GRID 

Four trends shaping the U.S. solar-plus-storage market (via Greentech Media)

Companies see little value in switching electricity vendors (via Energy Manager Today)

Will California’s energy storage procurement process unless the battery market? (via Greentech Media)

Microgrid built in a day for VERGE San Francisco (via Energy Manager Today)

ENVIRONMENT 

A staggering 400 million birds have vanished from Europe since 1980 (via Washington Post)

Options drying up for some parched North Texas towns (via StateImpact Texas)

POLITICS 

3,500 North Dakota voters could put the brakes on fracking boom (via Grist)

The Tom Steyer campaigns you haven’t heard about yet (via Grist)

LCV’s Dirty Dozen: The names are in (via Huffington Post)

Most important race you haven’t heard of: Louisiana’s battle for solar (via Huffington Post)

Fracking ban divides Denton, Texas (via Houston Chronicle)

OPINION 

Why Argentina is most attractive shale play outside U.S. (via Reuters)

How the U.S. can produce cleaner energy while capturing economic benefits (via World Resources Institute)

Posted:   |   Categories: Alberta, australia, battery, Brazil, california, Carbon market, carbon tax, chevy volt, China, climate, Climate Change, coal, deforestation, denmark, drought, emissions, energy storage, environment, Extinction, fracking, Fuel Economy, global warming, Green Climate Fund, grid, Hyundai, ISIS, Kia, Louisiana, Microgrid, new jersey, new york state, News, nissan LEAF, north dakota, Ohio, oil, renewables, Scotland, solar, South Korea, Taiwan, texas, Tom Steyer, Transportation, united kingdom, wind
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03
Nov

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 11.3.14

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

UN IPCC REPORT 

UN climate report rings alarm, offers guidance (via Climate Central)

IPCC final report: We’ve blown two-thirds of our carbon budget (via Weather Underground)

UN warns planet headed toward “irreversible” climate damage (via The Hill)

10 things you need to know from the new IPCC climate report (via Grist)

RENEWABLES 

PSE&G building largest solar farm to date (via Renew Grid)

Emerging markets are leading the way on clean energy growth (via Forbes)

Brazil’s first solar PV power auction sets very low $86.79/MWh mark (via PV Tech)

German solar PV installations may undershoot target (via Recharge News)

Germany to reach more than 30% renewable power by 2015 (via Renewables International)

For cellulosic ethanol makers, the road ahead is still uphill (via Yale e360)

CLIMATE 

Climate change is making it harder to get to space (via National Journal)

U.S. Postal Service is worried about what climate change will mean for mail (via Huffington Post)

COAL 

Australia coal mining marks challenge for UN green push (via Reuters)

EMISSIONS 

Rio 2016 to offset Olympic Games’ entire carbon footprint (via Environmental Leader)

OIL 

Crude exports and re-exports continue to rise; some volumes sent to Europe and Asia (via U.S. EIA)

Hedge funds cut bullish oil bets on rising global output (via Bloomberg)

Public opposition has cost tar sands industry $17 billion, says report (via The Guardian)

Oil sands seen reaching Gulf without Keystone XL (via Bloomberg)

BOEM increases Arctic oil estimates in move to appease court (via The Hill)

For Texas farmers, drilling boom comes with a cost (via Houston Chronicle)

TRANSPORTATION 

Were small cars exactly the wrong way to launch EVs? (via Green Car Reports)

More cities experiment with electric buses and other clean mass transit (via ClimateWire)

GRID 

U.S. leads demand response, but not for long (via Energy Manager Today)

Superstorm Sandy motivates New York to explore microgrids (via Climate Central)

The next big opportunity to drop balance-of-system costs: Battery storage (via Greentech Media)

POLITICS 

Energy issues play role in Tuesday elections (via Houston Chronicle)

Coal, carpetbaggers, and Congressional candidates (via Forbes)

Post-Election Day tax extenders will be a bipartisan opportunity (via Energy Collective)

What a Republican-controlled Senate would mean for the climate (via Climate Progress)

Why oil and gas giants are trying to buy three local elections in California (via Climate Progress)

OPINION 

The UN just gave us an 85-year deadline on global warming (via National Journal)

Enough with the fat climate change reports already (via Bloomberg)

EIA study removes final barrier to U.S. oil exports (via Reuters)

The struggle to combine energy efficiency and solar power (via Clean Energy Finance Forum)

Millennials: Core of the green economy or overhyped as the green generation? (via Greentech Media)

Posted:   |   Categories: AR5, arctic, australia, battery, biofuels, BOEM, Brazil, california, Carbon budget, cellulosic ethanol, climate, Climate Change, coal, Demand response, eia, electric vehicles, emissions, Energy Efficiency, ev, fracking, germany, grid, Gulf of Mexico, IPCC, Keystone XL, Microgrids, new york state, News, offshore drilling, oil, Oil exports, Olympics, PSE&G, public transportation, renewables, solar, tar sands, texas, Transportation, UN, united nations
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31
Oct

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 10.31.14

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

CLIMATE 

IPCC preparing “most important” document on climate change (BBC)

Bangladesh leads 32 nations hit by extreme climate risk (via Bloomberg)

Brazil’s dangerous climate spiral (via National Journal)

Climate change a threat multiplier for farming-dependent states (via Reuters)

38 federal agencies reveal their climate change vulnerabilities – and what they’re doing about it (via Washington Post)

NATURAL GAS 

Ukraine, Moscow clinch deal on Russian natural gas supply (via Houston Chronicle/AP)

Oil rout seen diluting price appeal of U.S. LNG exports (via Bloomberg)

Toxic chemicals, carcinogens skyrocket near fracking sites (via U.S. News and World Report)

RENEWABLES 

U.K. Green Bank mobilizes $8 billion for clean energy since launch (via Bloomberg)

Why are solar’s largest players entering the Latin American market? (via Greentech Media)

China is top developing nation for clean energy investment, finds analysis (via Yale e360)

Brazil election opens solar growth (via Recharge Magazine)

India’s wind energy capacity to double in five years: GWEC (via CleanTechnica)

Politics dim Obama’s Africa power plan as lights go out (via Bloomberg)

U.S. trade policy in action: SolarWorld now adding jobs and solar module capacity (via Greentech Media)

SunEdison’s plan to go big in China (via Forbes)

OIL 

Report: U.S. gas prices driven more by international crude (via The Hill)

TransCanada applies to build Energy East oil pipeline (via Bloomberg)

Scientists investigate link between newborn deaths and Utah oil drilling (via Inhabitat)

TRANSPORTATION 

Tesla looks to solar to power Australian supercharging network (via Renew Economy)

Volkswagen planning 20 new plug-in models for China (via Autoblog Green)

Toyota to test EV and PHV charging infrastructure expansion in Japan (via Green Car Congress)

Nissan Leaf breaks its own annual U.S. EV sales record (via Green Car Congress)

Startup borrows financing model from solar, efficiency sectors to launch EVs in fleets (via Greentech Media)

GRID 

Southeast Asia to be the next hot spot for smart grid investment (via Breaking Energy)

Survey: Utilities expect strong competition in U.S. grid build-out (via Renew Grid)

The electricity grid gets a value chain (via RMI Outlet)

Two years after Superstorm Sandy, utilities highlight grid efforts (via Renew Grid)

NUCLEAR 

Nuclear industry lobbies to preserve tax credit; opposes similar wind incentive (via Bloomberg BNA)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

Green buildings market grows to $260 billion (via Environmental Leader)

Energy codes help drive green buildings, says Lux Research (via Energy Manager Today)

POLITICS 

Race for top House Energy Committee seat brings windfall to Democrats (via National Journal)

Poll: Swing state voters back climate action (via The Hill)

California’s Brown pushes water bond as election nears (via Bloomberg)

OPINION 

The world’s climate change watchdog may be underestimating global warming (via Washington Post)

Nine significant findings too recent to be included in the new IPCC report (via WRI Insights)

California’s carbon market is leaking (via Grist)

Posted:   |   Categories: africa, australia, Bangladesh, Brazil, california, Carbon market, China, climate, Climate Change, Energy East, Energy Efficiency, ev charging, fracking, gas prices, Global Wind Energy Council, Green bank, green building, grid, india, IPCC, japan, Jerry Brown, Liquefied natural gas, LNG, natural gas, News, nissan LEAF, nuclear, oil, renewables, Russia, smart grid, solar, Solar trade war, Solarworld, SunEdison, Superstorm Sandy, tar sands, tax credits, Tesla, Toyota, TransCanada, Transportation, Ukraine, united kingdom, utah, Volkswagen, wind
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20
Oct

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 10.20.14

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

CLIMATE 

EU climate chief says energy, climate deal next week “feasible” (via Reuters)

When island nations drown, who owns their seas? (via Boston Globe)

Some cities try to stem the flood in South Florida (via USA Today)

Climate change takes center stage on Instagram (via Climate Central)

NATURAL GAS 

Russia, Ukraine reach tentative gas deal in tough Milan talks (via Reuters)

Tracers developed for tracking frack fluids (via Environmental Leader)

RENEWABLES 

A multibillion-dollar opportunity – service for China’s wind farms (via Bloomberg)

UK wind industry sets new generation record with 24% power share (via BusinessGreen)

UK green investment bank’s wind fund raise “going well” (via Bloomberg)

Labor is most variable cost for solar, wind projects (via Energy Manager Today)

New biofuels facility converts plant waste to ethanol, is 90% cleaner than gasoline (via Huffington Post/AP)

New software modeling tool a wind industry boon (via Renewable Energy World)

Solar EPC firms must adapt to industry changes via new business models (via Solar Industry)

For taller wind turbines, Iowa engineer looks to concrete (via Midwest Energy News)

Another blow to Ohio’s solar industry as PUCO nixes in-state sourcing rule (via Columbus Business First)

COAL 

Study links mountaintop removal dust to cancer (via Charleston Gazette)

EMISSIONS 

Fossil fuel divestment: climate change activists aim at Australia’s banks (via The Guardian)

Renewables, not shale, biggest driver in US emissions cuts: study (via BusinessGreen)

EPA moves to phase out ozone-depleting chemicals (via The Hill)

OIL 

Saudi August oil exports fall to lowest level in three years (via Reuters)

Deeper oil slump seen as “disaster” risk for Australian LNG (via Bloomberg)

Fracking to make U.S. an “energy superpower” (via Saudi Gazette)

Despite slumping prices, no end in sight for U.S. oil production boom (via New York Times)

North Dakota aims to reduce natural gas flaring (via US EIA)

Murky waters: Chicagoans worry petcoke moving to barges (via Midwest Energy News)

TRANSPORTATION 

The coming era of long-range electric cars (via Plugin Cars)

CARB’s next meeting could dramatically change the EV landscape (via Autoblog Green)

GM expands zero-waste agenda worldwide (via TriplePundit)

Ford edges closer to “growing” its own car parts (via TriplePundit)

GRID 

Lawyers to debate $590 million Houston transmission project (via Houston Chronicle)

ENVIRONMENT 

The Chinese people care more about the environment than Americans (via Grist)

EPA finds little benefit to pesticide linked to bee declines (via The Hill)

GM, Dow, others launch zero-waste initiative (via Environmental Leader)

POLITICS 

Brazil’s Rouseff on the offensive a week from runoff vote (via Reuters)

Fossil fuel lobby spent $213 million last year on U.S., EU politicians (via DeSmog Blog)

How to get Republicans to stop using the “I’m not a scientist” dodge (via Grist)

First wind, now gas: Texas tax breaks face scrutiny (via Texas Tribune)

OPINION 

Are tumbling oil prices food or bad news for the world economy? (via The Economist)

Political capital needed for clean energy finance to flourish (via Clean Energy Finance Forum)

Is EPA too conservative in its clean energy projections under new carbon rules? (via Greentech Media)

LEDs are a bright idea whose time has come (via Climate Central)

Posted:   |   Categories: australia, biofuels, Brazil, CARB, cellulosic ethanol, chicago, China, climate, coal, Connie Hedeegard, Dilma Rouseff, Divestment, Dow, electric vehicles, emissions, EPA, ethanol, EU, European Union, EVs, Florida, Ford, Fossil fuel divestment, fracking, Gasoline, GM, Green bank, grid, Iowa, LED, Liquefied natural gas, LNG, methane, Mountaintop coal removal, natural gas, Neonictinoids, News, north dakota, Ohio, oil, Oil exports, Pesticide, Petcoke, renewables, Russia, saudi arabia, Sea level rise, Shale gas, solar, texas, transmission, Transportation, Ukraine, united kingdom, wind, Zero waste
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16
Oct

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 10.16.14

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

CLIMATE 

New study details alarming acceleration in sea level rise (via Climate Progress)

ENERGY POLICY 

Smart cities are driving change across the energy sector (via Navigant Research)

Evidence connects quakes to oil, natural gas boom (via Climate Central)

Lockheed claims breakthrough on fusion energy project (via Reuters)

RENEWABLES

German clean-energy costs drop for first time (via Bloomberg)

U.S. residential solar demand could approach 1GW annually (via Renewable Energy World)

Refiners press Obama to lower renewable fuel mandate (via The Hill)

Retailers, seeking out bargains, continue to lead on solar (via Midwest Energy News)

Georgia the latest state to produce dirt-cheap power (via Greentech Media)

Hawaiian utility targets 92% renewable energy by 2030 (via CleanTechnica)

Wisconsin: America’s latest solar energy battleground (via The Energy Collective)

SolarCity offers bonds, wants everybody to invest in solar (via Forbes)

OIL 

Plummeting oil prices sting Russia, other “Petro States” (via U.S. News & World Report)

Report: Oil exports could drive manufacturing renaissance (via Houston Chronicle)

Oil price slump could lead to production cuts, shakeouts at shale companies (via EnergyWire)

North Dakota oil formations produce 1 billion cumulative barrels (via The Hill)

TRANSPORTATION 

Volkswagen: Plug-in hybrids a “bridge” to pure electric cars in future (via Green Car Reports)

Gasoline prices fall to lowest average since 2011 (via The Hill)

Automakers, utilities studying how to manage electric vehicles (via Houston Chronicle)

California high court clears way for more bullet train work (via Los Angeles Times)

Tesla face possible sales prohibition in Michigan (via Bloomberg)

Battery storage breakthrough allows recharge in two minutes (via Renew Economy)

NATURAL GAS 

Long after fracking stops, the noise lives on (via NPR)

EMISSIONS 

Exxon, Shell carbon emissions rise even as output drops (via Wall Street Journal)

GRID 

In South Korea, an energy storage bonanza (via Navigant Research)

Giant energy storage project aims at renewable energy’s holy grail (via Renewable Energy World)

The opportunity of time-of-use pricing (via RMI Outlet)

OPINION 

Why natural gas won’t help save the planet (via National Journal)

Coal industry still in denial over prices, regulation (via Reuters)

Are Wal-Mart’s owners really a threat to distributed energy? (via Greentech Media)

Can a low-carbon fuels standard work in Washington? (via Washington State Wire)

Posted:   |   Categories: Bakken Shale, battery, california, climate, Climate Change, coal, earthquakes, electric vehicles, emissions, energy storage, ev, Exxon, fracking, Fusion, gas prices, Georgia, germany, Hawaii, HECO, high speed rail, hybrid, Lockheed Martin, Low carbon fuels standard, natural gas, News, north dakota, oil, Oil exports, Renewable fuel mandate, renewables, RFS, Russia, Sea level rise, Shale oil, Shell, solar, SolarCity, Tesla, Transportation, Volkswagen, wal-mart, Washington State, Wisconsin
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13
Oct

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 10.13.14

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

ENERGY POLICY

U.S. opposing China’s plan for Asian Development Bank (via New York Times)

Germany says it can’t exit coal-fired energy at same time as nuclear (via Reuters)

COAL 

China sets coal resource tax between 2%-10% (via Reuters)

RENEWABLES 

Merkel eyes multinational power market to cut renewables cost (via Bloomberg)

Renewables to drive power generation growth in Africa, says IEA (via Bloomberg)

India faces mounting calls to move solar to fixed tariffs (via Bloomberg)

China to promote utility-scale solar power projects (via Bloomberg)

Off-grid solar installation fund announced in Australia (via PV Tech)

Indian PV manufacturing insufficient to meet government ambition (via PV Tech)

40% drop in solar PV cost is brightest spot in global energy picture (via InsideClimate News)

SolarCity: PV panel supply crunch coming (via Recharge)

Biden: “Energy revolution” calls for more investment in alternatives (via The Hill)

North Carolina renewable energy boom being driven by solar (via CleanTechnica)

CLIMATE 

World’s fish leaving tropics, moving to poles (via United Press International)

Expanding Antarctic sea ice is flooding “warning bell” (via Climate Central)

Penny pinching risks global climate deal success in 2015, says France (via The Guardian)

U.S. may make “significant” climate fund pledge, says Peru minister (via Reuters)

NATURAL GAS 

Groups call for wastewater disposal halt in Oklahoma (via The Oklahoman)

In Texas, traffic deaths climb amid fracking boom (via NPR)

ENVIRONMENT 

Cyclone in India kills 8 as typhoon hits Japan (via New York Times)

Sao Paulo water supply at risk in extreme drought (via Huffington Post/AP)

Nation’s wildland firefighters grapple with relentless blazes (via Wall Street Journal)

Obama says he’s “not finished” after naming new monument (via The Hill)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

DOE sets new green standard certifications for federal buildings (via The Hill)

EMISSIONS 

IKEA may tighten carbon rules to protect environment (via Reuters)

Unions, greens press Obama to propose methane regulations (via The Hill)

Methane hotspot is huge, but nothing compared to other methane sources (via Climate Progress)

Methane hot spot in U.S. predates fracking boom, says study (via National Geographic)

OIL 

Spectators push oil into bear market as supply rises (via Bloomberg)

GRID 

Brazil planning transmission auction to link 7.5GW wind (via Recharge)

How microsynchrophasors could keep solar-saturated grids stable (via Greentech Media)

POLITICS 

GOP to investigate environmental groups’ influence on carbon rule (via New York Times)

Iowa candidates clash over EPA in U.S. Senate debate (via Politico)

Why climate hawks should still vote for fossil-fuel loving Democrats (via Grist)

OPINION 

The $10 billion question: Will the Green Climate Fund live up to expectations? (via World Resources Institute)

The price of oil is tumbling, the cost of finding it is not (via Economist)

Charting China’s carbon horizon (via Energy Collective)

Three things to know about Obama’s newest climate plan (via Bloomberg)

Posted:   |   Categories: africa, Angela Merkel, Antarctic, australia, biofuels, Brazil, China, climate, Climate Change, coal, DOE, drought, emissions, Energy Efficiency, environment, EPA, ethanol, fracking, France, germany, global warming, Green Climate Fund, grid, IEA, Ikea, india, Iowa, Japan Extreme weather, Joe Biden, methane, natural gas, News, North Carolina, nuclear, oil, oklahoma, Peru, renewables, Sao Paulo, Sea ice melt, solar, SolarCity, Synchrophasors, tariffs, texas, transmission, Wastewater disposal, wildfires, wind
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10
Oct

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 10.10.14

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

ENERGY POLICY 

Mexican opposition party clears first hurdle in bid for energy referendum (via Wall Street Journal)

Net U.S. energy imports as share of consumption lowest in 29 years (via U.S. EIA)

CEOs tout reserves of oil and gas but revealed to be less in federal reports (via Bloomberg)

COAL 

China coal tariff sends message to cut supply (via Reuters)

China coal tariffs add to pressure on Australian producers (via Bloomberg)

Cheap natural gas and emission rules darker future of U.S. coal (via Financial Times)

EMISSIONS 

Forest fragmentation’s carbon bomb: 736 million tonnes CO2 annually (via Mongabay)

Huge methane emissions “hot spot” found in U.S. (via Climate Central)

RENEWABLES 

Scotland approves four offshore wind farms with 2.2GW capacity (via BusinessGreen)

Germany’s KfW issues largest-ever U.S. green bond - $1.5 billion (via Renew Economy)

Australians copy solar garden idea (via Energy Manager Today)

Yieldcos “big” for U.S. offshore wind (via Recharge)

Amid PV boom, solar thermal systems often overlooked (via Midwest Energy News)

Battle lines drawn over Colorado net metering dispute (via PV Tech)

SunEdison yieldco makes third-party acquisition (via PV Tech)

CLIMATE

Few U.S. states preparing for climate change, says study (via Los Angeles Times)

White House pushes climate protections for natural resources (via The Hill)

DOE Secretary says climate change will affect Gulf energy facilities (via Houston Chronicle)

OIL 

Venezuela, in a quiet shift, gives foreign partners more control in oil ventures (via New York Times)

Crude oil prices fall to lowest levels in years as market pressures converge (via Houston Chronicle)

Oil companies quietly prepare for a future of carbon pricing (via GreenBiz)

Green groups sue over expansion of California crude by rail (via Reuters)

TRANSPORTATION 

Unmoved by oil export proponents, Americans still fear gasoline spike (via Reuters)

Tesla unveils all-wheel drive Model D (via San Francisco Chronicle)

310- to 373-mile EV range by 2020, says Volkswagen executive (via CleanTechnica)

GM confirms 200-mile range EV (via CleanTechnica)

NATURAL GAS 

Fracking setback in Poland dims hope for less Russian gas (via Bloomberg)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

Efficiency gains over the last decade saved more energy than China consumed in 2011 (via Climate Progress)

GRID 

PJM Interconnection offers bid to salvage demand response (via EnergyWire)

Texas power grid has first rotating outages since 2011 (via Houston Chronicle)

ENVIRONMENT 

China pollution levels hit 20 times safe limit (via The Guardian)

U.S. weather forecaster says El Nino expected to begin in 1-2 months (via Reuters)

Atlantic hurricane season making late threat (via Bloomberg)

POLITICS 

Brazil’s Silva not yet read to endorse Neves in runoff (via Reuters)

GOP flails about looking for climate denial alternatives (via Grist)

California’s top power regulator to exit amid criticism (via ABC News/AP)

Oil and gas industry “soul searching” over Landrieu (via Politico)

OPINION 

Our planet is going to blow past the “2 degrees” climate limit (via The New Republic)

The $9.7 trillion problem: Cyclones and climate change (via Climate Central)

Latin America needs good data to plan for water stress and climate change (via WRI Insights)

Why climate litigation could soon go global (via Globe and Mail)

The Keystone killer environmentalists didn’t see coming (via Bloomberg)

Google is gone, but ALEC is still winning (via National Journal)

The bell tolls for KiOR (via Energy Trends Insider)

Posted:   |   Categories: ALEC, australia, biofuel, Blackout, China, climate, Climate Change, coal, colorado, deforestation, Demand response, El Nino, Electric Vehicle, emissions, Energy Efficiency, environment, ERCOT, Ernest Moniz, ev, Extreme weather, fracking, germany, GM, google, Green bond, grid, Hurricane, Keystone XL, KiOR, methane, mexico, natural gas, Net metering, News, offshore wind, oil, Oil exports, PJM Interconnection, Poland, renewables, Russia, Scotland, solar, solar garden, Solar Thermal, SunEdison, Tesla, Tesla Model D, texas, Transportation, Volkswagen, YieldCo
0
08
Oct

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 10.8.14

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

CLIMATE 

Ocean acidification to cost global economy $1 trillion by 2100 (via BusinessGreen)

Sea level rise making floods routine for U.S. coastal cities (via Climate Central)

Canada’s federal watchdog says it will fail to meet climate goals without new policies (via Climate Progress)

ENERGY POLICY 

Less severe weather means lower expected household heating bills this winter (via U.S. EIA)

Texas uses the most electricity, burns nearly the most fuel (via Houston Chronicle)

RENEWABLES 

Solar to beat wind to wholesale grid parity in Europe (via PV Tech)

Chile top renewables market on sunny desert, windy shores (via Bloomberg)

UK confirms cuts to large-scale solar support (via PV Tech)

Study: Renewables as green as you’d expect (via Climate Central)

Solar debt financing on pace to reach highest mark since 2010 (via Bloomberg)

DOE study finds offshore wind can save U.S. billions on electricity (via NRDC Switchboard)

Drought reveals water-energy connection, cutting California hydropower in half (via Greentech Media)

Massachusetts offshore wind auction coming in 2014 (via Recharge News)

Massachusetts raises solar net metering cap for businesses, municipalities (via Renewable Energy World)

Bill to repeal Michigan renewable energy standard faces long odds (via Midwest Energy News)

Novozymes looks beyond “fantasy fuel” it helped turn into reality (via Retuers)

SolarCity to finance rooftop panels in shift from leasing (via Bloomberg)

SolarCity loan deal could propel rooftop market (via Houston Chronicle/AP)

SolarCity CEO: Half of new business by end of 2015 could be solar loans (via Greentech Media)

EMISSIONS 

Judge dismisses Nebraska lawsuit against EPA (via San Francisco Chronicle/AP)

OIL 

EIA sees lower OPEC output, weaker demand growth in 2015 (via Reuters)

Lower demand, higher supply drive oil prices to lowest level since 2012 (via U.S. EIA)

Shale boom tested as sub-$90 oil threatens U.S. drillers (via Bloomberg)

Keystone XL be darned: Canada finds oil route around Obama (via Bloomberg)

Crude oil export studies coming soon, says U.S. EIA (via The Hill)

TRANSPORTATION 

Lamborghini unveils first plug-in hybrid at Paris Motor Show (via Inhabitat)

Airlines fly the skies on a sugar high (via New York Times)

NATURAL GAS 

Pennsylvania pursues record $4.5 million fine against gas driller (via AP)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

Global energy efficiency market worth $310 billion and growing, says IEA (via BusinessGreen)

Energy efficiency remains hottest sector within clean tech (via Energy Manager Today)

ThyssenKrupp reduces manufacturing energy use 38% in 3 years (via Energy Manager Today)

Constellation, Comverge plan to merge their C&I demand response offerings (via Greentech Media)

ENVIRONMENT

Californians make big cuts in water usage, says report (via Los Angeles Times)

Drought a ”slow-motion disaster” for Western states (via Arizona Republic) 

OPINION 

Australia crushes its renewable energy industry (via Sustainable Business)

While critics debate Energiewende, Germany gains a global advantage (via The Energy Collective)

Four reasons pay-as-you-go solar financing is unlocking energy access for all (via Huffington Post)

How grid efficiency went south (via New York Times)

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07
Oct

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 10.7.14

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

EMISSIONS 

EPA ozone-pollution standard left intact by Supreme Court (via Bloomberg)

Methane pollution from federal lands rising, oil boom to blame (via Houston Chronicle)

COAL 

Leading Australian pension fund ditches coal holdings (via RTCC)

Complex market forces are challenging Appalachian coal mining (via Center for American Progress)

Coal miners to march on EPA against climate rule (via The Hill)

RENEWABLES 

Global solar power market could hit 200GW by end of 2014 (via BusinessGreen)

U.S. solar trade case could expand to include Chinese modules with any cell origin (via PV Tech)

Chinese, Japanese solar PV to soar in Q4 2014 (via Recharge)

Solar PV catching on fast in Latin America, Caribbean (via Triple Pundit)

UK offers $482 million for renewable energy auctions (via Energy Manager Today)

China’s solar industry continues rebound (via Renewable Energy World)

Solar, wind cost may fall to level for coal by 2020s (via Bloomberg)

First-ever global life cycle assessment of renewable energy future (via Phys.org)

Solar companies fall on U.S. stock market on heavy volume (via Reuters)

Despite political setback, high hopes for Ohio clean energy (via Midwest Energy News)

Researchers develop technique to turn winery waste into biofuel (via Breaking Energy)

DuPont, P&G partner to use cellulosic ethanol in Tide laundry detergent, replacing corn ethanol (via Green Car Congress)

ENERGY POLICY 

EU moves closer to 2030 deal on climate, energy (via Bloomberg)

Japan nuclear restart to hit oil usage hardest (via Reuters)

Regulatory complexities, natural gas economics driving power markets (via Energy Manager Today)

California drought leads to less hydropower, increased natural gas generation (via U.S. EIA)

OIL 

EU abandons “dirty” label for tar sands oil (via Reuters)

DOE Secretary skeptical U.S. will export oil anytime soon (via The Hill)

TRANSPORTATION 

EV sales charge up 50% in 2014 (via BusinessGreen)

Fast charging your EV might not be as bad for batteries as predicted (via Autoblog Green)

Tesla to join luxury race into automated driving (via Bloomberg)

CLIMATE 

The ocean’s surface layer has been warming much faster than previously thought (via Climate Progress)

10 countries have pledged $2.3 billion to fight climate change – the U.S. isn’t one of them (via Mother Jones)

NATURAL GAS 

A push to make “fracking” sound better (via Wall Street Journal)

Cuomo administration edited and delayed key fracking study (via Capital New York)

GRID 

Battery storage costs could plunge below $100/kWh (via Renew Economy)

POLITICS 

Anti-ALEC activists pressure eBay to drop conservative group (via National Journal)

OPINION 

Are Russian energy sanctions working? (via National Journal)

Why are institutional investors still hesitating on solar? (via Greentech Media)

Carbon capture’s energy penalty problem (via Reuters)

Can sucking CO2 out of the atmosphere really work? (via MIT Technology Review)

Why solar power is taking off at airports across the U.S. (via Climate Progress)

Posted:   |   Categories: ALEC, Andrew Cuomo, australia, battery, biofuel, california, carbon capture, cellulosic ethanol, China, Clean Power Plan, climate, Climate Change, coal, Divestment, drought, DuPont, electric vehicles, emissions, energy storage, EPA, Ernest Moniz, ethanol, European Union, EVs, Fossil fuel divestment, fracking, grid, japan, methane, natural gas, new york state, News, nuclear, Ohio, oil, Oil exports, Proctor & Gamble, renewables, Russia, Shale oil, solar, tar sands, Tesla, Transportation, united kingdom, wind
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06
Oct

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 10.6.14

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

CLIMATE 

Past measurements may have missed massive ocean warming (via Science)

Could climate change affect the number of boys and girls born? (via Smithsonian)

Miami Beach prepares for annual “King Tide” flooding and a taste of sea level rise (via Huffington Post)

COAL 

U.S. sees drop in coal exports in 2014 (via Mining.com)

U.S. coal exports fall on lower European demand, increased global supply (via U.S. EIA)

U.S. coal companies having tough 2014 so far (via Knoxville News Sentinel)

New regulations, competition have coal industry reeling (via Tuscaloosa News)

RENEWABLES 

7 renewable energy lessons from Germany (via Renewable Energy World)

German solar PV market continues shrinking (via Renewables International)

U.S. DOE says 54GW of offshore wind power waiting to be tapped (via TriplePundit)

Siemens says wind power needs subsidy to compete in U.S. (via Financial Times)

U.S. DOE awarding $25 million to reduce CSP costs (via Solar Industry Magazine)

OSU researchers build rechargeable solar battery (via Houston Chronicle/AP)

USDA provides $91 million for biogasoline blendstock plant (via Green Car Congress)

First commercial quantities of cellulosic ethanol from woody biomass marketed (via Phys.org)

OIL 

Shell suspends Siberian oil project, says Russian partner (via Wall Street Journal)

Orphaned Russian oil heads to U.S. west on Asia overflow (via Bloomberg)

Rosneft CEO says he’ll develop Arctic oil with or without Exxon (via Bloomberg Businessweek)

BP seeks revised verdict or new trial on spill negligence (via Bloomberg)

Gov. Inslee: “Outdated, inadequate, and dangerous” oil trains crossing state (via Seattle Post-Intelligencer)

TRANSPORTATION 

European regulators say incorrect C02 ratings could cost drivers $580/year (via Autoblog Green)

Carnival cruises toward $2.5 billion in fuel savings (via GreenBiz)

UMTRI monthly report shows large drop in new-vehicle fuel economy in September (via Green Car Congress)

Toyota racks up 7 million hybrids sold since 1997 (via Green Car Reports)

ENERGY POLICY 

EU seeks faster energy market integration amid crisis (via Bloomberg)

GRID 

Brazil keeps renewable energy transmission & distribution discounts (via Recharge News)

Building wind power superhighways (via Chicago Tribune)

Grid-scale energy storage continues making inroads (via Renew Grid)

NATURAL GAS 

An industry you’ve never heard of is trying to cut $1.8 billion in wasted natural gas (via Climate Progress)

Two gas drillers agree to disclose fracking risks to investors (via The Hill)

Maryland report: Fracking poses little risk to drinking water in the state (via Climate Progress)

Drilling waste site roils tiny Texas town (via Texas Tribune)

EMISSIONS 

Fish failing to adapt to rising CO2 levels in ocean (via The Guardian)

China emissions rising on high-carbon economic growth (via RTCC)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

Tougher energy efficiency target would boost UK economy by £62 billion (via The Guardian)

Johnson Controls, WRI partnership targets energy efficiency in cities (via Environmental Leader)

ENVIRONMENT 

Wilderness as economic stimulus? A closer look at the evidence (via The Hill)

In virtual mega-drought, California avoids defeat (via Los Angeles Times)

POLITICS 

Brazil’s Rousseff in tight runoff against pro-business Neves (via Reuters)

Clashing visions of conservation shake Brazil’s presidential vote (via New York Times)

Democrats lean heavily on PACs in coordinated push to counter GOP (via New York Times)

McConnell on climate change: “Not a scientist” (via Courier-Journal)

This woman could become one of the world’s most influential environmentalists (via National Journal)

OPINION 

India’s mixed climate change forecast (via Washington Post)

Why the oil majors are backing away from renewable energy (via EnergyWire)

Cold days for coal could mean a better forecast for our climate (via Energy Collective)

A carbon tax will create jobs for Americans (via CNN)

Congress should fix the gas tax (via Washington Post)

NASA explains how climate change is like the flu (via National Journal)

Will investors flock to SunEdison’s emerging market YieldCo? (via Greentech Media)

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