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 – 4.5.13

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

ENERGY POLICY 

German net power exports quadrupled in 2012 (via Recharge)

US Air Force releases strategic energy plan (via Sustainable Business)

NATURAL GAS/FRACKING 

US proposal to move fracking wastewater by barge stirs debate (via Reuters)

GE to build $110 million fracking research center in Oklahoma (via Environmental Leader)

Frackers are losing $1.5 billion yearly to leaks (via Mother Jones)

RARE EARTHS 

Discovery of rare earth metals in ocean mud could help Japan (via Autoblog Green)

RENEWABLES 

Germany’s offshore wind industry finally taking off (via Recharge)

Solar milestone: 1 million PV systems installed in Australia (via Renew Economy)

Merkel losing allies in $700 billion shift to renewables (via Bloomberg)

IRS and renewable energy finance: the waiting game (via Energy Trends Insider)

US renews funding for biofuels research centers (via Detroit News)

Are feed-in tariffs a “subsidy” for a small group of utility customers? (via Midwest Energy News)

PG&E cancels California solar power contracts with BrightSource (via Bloomberg)

ALEC-sponsored bill to repeal North Carolina’s renewable energy standard narrowly passes out of committee (via Climate Progress)

OIL 

Feds add teeth to offshore drilling safety mandates (via Houston Chronicle)

Gulf oil spill killed millions of microscopic creatures at base of food chain (via Tampa Bay Times)

Texas refinery is Saudi foothold in US market (via New York Times)

Arkansas AG sets deadline for Exxon to produce oil spill documents (via CTV/AP)

Arkansas oil spill sheds light on aging pipeline system (via NPR)

TRANSPORTATION 

UK fuel sales plummet as motorists embrace efficiency (via BusinessGreen)

Nearly 200,000 plug-in EVs equipped with vehicle-to-building technology will be sold through 2020 (via Navigant Research)

Placement of quick charge stations key to eliminating range anxiety (via Plugin Cars)

Proposed gasoline pollution rules fuel air quality debate (via Houston Chronicle)

US drivers could see “significantly lower” gas prices this summer (via NBC News)

Chevy Volt pounds another nail in the coffin of range anxiety (via CleanTechnica)

Chevy Volt fleet racks up 150 million electric-powered miles (via Autoblog Green)

Fisker, A123 settle $140 million supply claims for just $15 million (via Autoblog Green)

A new electric car with an old name (via New York Times)

KEYSTONE XL/TAR SANDS 

Alberta mulls tougher carbon rules on oil (via Reuters)

Groups ask State Department for 120-day comment period on Keystone pipeline (via InsideClimate News)

Alberta premier heads to DC to press Keystone pipeline (via The Hill)

Environmentalists hope spill will turn Americans against Keystone (via Washington Post)

CLIMATE 

New culprit in sea-level rise: Arctic clouds (via Grist)

Colombia blazes a trail for smaller nations to fight global warming (via ClimateWire)

1,600 years of glaciers in Andes melted in 25 years (via New York Times)

Federal study: global warming means stronger extreme rains (via The Hill)

In wake of Sandy, NOAA alters hurricane warning policy (via Climate Central)

Federal government projects climate change will double wildfire risk in forests (via Denver Post)

EMISSIONS 

Energy-related carbon dioxide emissions declined in 2012 (via US EIA)

Mushrooms could be key to safe and natural carbon sequestration (via CleanTechnica)

GRID 

GE energy storage system makes UK debut (via Recharge)

Solar decathlon homes form microgrid village in Missouri (via Phys.org)

COAL 

Coal exports: two weeks of good news (via Sightline Daily)

Nevada utility to shut out coal, embrace renewables (via Renewable Energy World)

GREEN BUSINESS 

How Proctor & Gamble created $1 billion in value with waste (via Greentech Media)

Shell’s VC fund looks to green the fossil fuel business (via Greentech Media)

Employees take corporate sustainability efforts home, study says (via Environmental Leader)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

New technology could cut efficiency audit costs 75% (via Greentech Media)

OPINION 

BrightSource’s cancelled projects highlight hurdles for desert solar thermal plants (via GigaOm)

Is China’s State Grid too big to work? (via Recharge)

RPS attacks go against the march of history (via Renewable Energy World)

More renewables for states (via Politico)

Methane leaks are undermining the shale-gas boom. Here’s how to fix that. (via Politico)

Keystone XL: the pipeline to disaster (via Los Angeles Times) 

OTHER NEWS 

An additional roundup of energy and climate news is posted at Climate Progress

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 3.27.13

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

ENERGY POLICY 

EU to start debate on energy, climate rules amid crisis (via Bloomberg)

China’s utility giants vulnerable to water scarcity, report says (via Yale e360)

Report: Energy Department mismanaged stimulus-backed climate program (via The Hill)

ENVIRONMENT 

EPA: most of nation’s waters in “poor condition for aquatic life” (via Stateline)

Open-source project explores “choke point” of water, food, & energy crises (via EarthTechling)

Teen invents device to clean giant ocean garbage patches (via Treehugger)

New Mexico farmers seek “priority call” as drought persists (via New York Times)

RENEWABLES 

China warns EU over solar panel spat (via Recharge)

China’s bailouts darken horizon for solar panel sector (via Reuters)

Report: Vestas blown off wind market top spot by GE (via BusinessGreen)

Bosch turns off light on money-losing solar power business (via Autoblog Green)

Rooftop solar could power all Australian households, slash electricity prices (via Renew Economy)

Angola “planning 100MW wind farm” (via Recharge)

Denmark hits 1,000MW of offshore wind, shows no sign of slowing down (via Forbes)

Study shows need to account for carbon sinks when siting clean energy projects (via Greentech Media)

US DOE launches new clean energy manufacturing initiative (via Energy Collective)

Federally funded R&D centers spent $17.8 billion on R&D in FY 2011 (via Green Car Congress)

Massive energy skyscraper proposed for US-Mexico border (via Forbes)

Another PACE setback: California court dismisses suit challenging curtailment (via Solar Industry)

Georgia set to increase solar energy with new legislation (via CleanTechnica)

Dominion to pay for solar power in Virginia, but is it enough? (via EarthTechling)

EMISSIONS 

Discovery may allow scientists to make fuel from CO2 in the atmosphere (via Phys.org)

EU set to announce 30% by 2030 emissions reduction target (via RTCC)

US emissions decline, coal exports rise (via RTCC)

The price of carbon (via Huffington Post)

Washington State passes legislation to tackle greenhouse gas emissions (via Oregon Public Broadcasting)

NATURAL GAS/FRACKING 

Interior Department to release another draft of fracking rules (via Casper Star-Tribune)

US natural gas pipeline construction plummets in 2012 (via Houston Chronicle)

Wyoming judge rules fracking ingredients are trade secrets (via Casper Star-Tribune)

Waterless fracking makes headway in Texas, slowly (via Texas Tribune)

2011 Oklahoma earthquake tied to oil-drilling fracking wastewater (via Bloomberg)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

Rising UK energy bills will be reduced with climate policies, says energy secretary  (via The Guardian)

How to save the US $1 trillion: energy efficiency (via EarthTechling)

Army testing energy efficient tents (via Energy Manager Today)

OIL 

Oil spill response group forming emergency strike team for Gulf (via Houston Chronicle)

Rising North Dakota oil production and demand spurs two new refineries (via US EIA)

Cleanup of 2010 Michigan dilbit spill aims to stop spread of submerged oil (via InsideClimate News)

TRANSPORTATION 

Electric vehicle drive motor sales will reach 3.7 million units by 2020 (via Navigant Research)

China mandates strict fuel-economy increase to 47 mpg by 2020 (via Autoblog Green)

Enviros decry Virginia tax on hybrid cars (via The Hill)

COAL 

Oregon, Washington governors ask Obama to weigh climate impact of coal ports (via Bloomberg)

CLIMATE 

Arctic ice hits annual maximum extent, 6th lowest on record (via Climate Central)

UK’s lead G8 negotiator blocks climate change from agenda (via The Guardian)

Federal plan aims to help wildlife adapt to climate change (via Los Angeles Times)

Seven surprising ways US cities are adapting to monster storms (via OnEarth)

Poll questions shift public views on global warming (via USA Today)

New York State tells investors that climate change may hurt its finances (via New York Times)

POLITICS 

Five easy pieces of energy legislation for Congress (via National Journal)

Ernest Moniz should have an easy time with Senate confirmation (via Politico)

Carbon tax? No thanks, says US Senate (via Los Angeles Times)

OPINION 

Will China’s new leaders clean up the environment? (via Energy Collective)

Do clean energy innovation clusters work? (via Greentech Media)

What climate hawks can (and can’t) learn from public-health campaigns (via Grist)

Why emerging economies are not cleantech cash machines (via Navigant Research)

The state of cleantech venture capital: what lies ahead (via GigaOm)

More effort needed to meet EU’s 2020 clean energy goals (via Reuters)

Can offshore wind make or break wave energy? (via Renewable Energy World)

Do high natural gas prices mean the shale boom is ending? (via Christian Science Monitor)

OTHER NEWS 

An additional roundup of energy and climate news is posted at Climate Progress

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 2.1.13

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

OIL 

Mystery oil sheen grows near site of BP Gulf disaster (via NBC News)

EMISSIONS 

US carbon emissions fall to lowest levels since 1994 (via The Guardian)

Guidelines issues to ensure captured carbon stays sequestered (via BusinessGreen)

KEYSTONE XL/TAR SANDS 

Keystone pipeline decision to languish until mid-June (via Reuters)

RENEWABLES 

Clean energy in Europe suffering from falling CO2 prices (via Energy Collective)

German solar FIT to decline 2.2% monthly through April (via Recharge)

Greece sees impressive solar PV growth despite banking crisis (via Renewable Energy World)

Italian town runs solely on wind, sells the rest (via Sustainable Business)

Biofuel-blending battle rages on as EPA releases new projections (via The Hill)

GE introduces wind turbine for low-wind sites (via Energy Manager Today)

Seven projects looking to use big data to cut the cost of solar power (via GigaOm)

After delays, Maine approves offshore wind farm (via CLF Scoop)

ENERGY INDUSTRY 

The US has some of the lowest energy taxes in the developed world (via Washington Post)

Transformation in US power supply breeds emissions success, grid challenges (via Houston Chronicle)

US utilities expect more environmental regulations during 2nd Obama term (via Environmental Leader)

Renewables in bed with natural gas? (via Mother Jones)

TRANSPORTATION 

Nissan will triple number of EV fast chargers in US (via Autoblog Green)

EV Everywhere Blueprint outlines DOE EV goals for 2022 (via Green Car Congress)

69% of US voters support stricter auto emission standards (via Environmental Leader)

Tesla’s Musk calls Boeing 787 Dreamliner batteries “fundamentally unsafe” (via Autoblog Green)

More EV loans “remains to be seen,” Chu says (via Bloomberg)

Big price declines in 2013 EVs: price cuts put EVs on the road (via Facts of the Day)

Hertz adds Chevy Volt to car-sharing service, targets students (via Green Car Reports)

Dreamliner’s woes hearten foes (via Politico)

ENVIRONMENT 

Australian government pledges to protect Great Barrier Reef (via Reuters)

EU proposes to ban insecticides linked to bee decline (via BusinessGreen)

US drought hangs tough through January (via Climate Central)

Survey of nation’s largest cities finds water supplies not as threatened as believed (via Phys.org)

GRID 

Smart grid sector sees $434M in VC funding, $17B in M&A transactions (via Renew Grid)

SDG&E strives to develop ‘self-healing’ grid (via Renew Grid)

The (wrong) report on Silver Spring’s IPO chances (via Greentech Media)

GREEN BUSINESS 

2013 policy priorities for sustainable and responsible investors (via GreenBiz)

CLIMATE 

Philippine government says climate change is top priority (via Sustainable Business)

Planting trees may not reverse climate change but it will help local cooling (via Phys.org)

Climate scientists erring on the side of least drama (via Skeptical Science)

Alaska natives try to flee climate impacts but find little help (via ClimateWire)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

Sacramento launches $100-million energy retrofit fund (via Forbes)

Washington DC requires commercial buildings to track energy and water use (via CleanTechnica)

COAL 

Why the US coal industry is so worried (via Sightline Daily)

Half of Washington State residents support coal export terminal (via Seattle Met)

POLITICS 

Hagel vows DoD focus on alternative fuels, energy efficiency if confirmed (via The Hill)

Hagel’s other label: anti-green (via Politico)

Sen. Carper plans renewed push for offshore wind credit legislation (via The Hill)

Right place, wrong time for secretary candidate with gold-plated resume? (via Greenwire)

OPINION 

Mr. President, there’s a major flaw in your solution to climate change (via Take Part)

Can Obama do for the grid what Eisenhower did for highways? (via New York Times)

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 1.11.13

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

CLIMATE 

Heat, flood, or icy cold, extreme weather rages worldwide (via New York Times)

Australia braces for more blistering heat after record busting spell (via Washington Post)

COAL 

Ontario to be coal-free by 2013 (via Ontario Ministry of Energy)

GREEN BUSINESS 

Fossil fuel divestment campaign spreads to America’s churches (via InsideClimate News)

Investment community calls for predictable climate policy (via GreenBiz)

RENEWABLES 

Deutsche Bank predicts global solar market will rise 22 percent in 2013 (via Bloomberg)

Global clean energy investment falls for first time (via BusinessGreen)

Chile approves 3.1GW of solar PV projects (via Renewable Energy World)

US wind industry awaits tax guidance on PTC rule (via Politico)

New York Governor announces $1 billion green bank and $1.5 billion solar program (via Climate Progress)

California solar program hits 1GW-installed milestone (via EarthTechling)

NREL and Stanford team up on peel-and-stick solar cells (via Renewable Energy World)

EMISSIONS 

IRENA: shale gas boom can complement renewables to cut coal (via Bloomberg)

EPA cites Shell Arctic drilling rigs for air emissions violations (via Los Angeles Times)

Do you live near one of the nation’s dirtiest power plants? (via Huffington Post)

TRANSPORTATION 

Global auto exec survey expects internal-combustion engine dominance but with downsizing and PHEV investment (via Green Car Congress)

In lawsuit against Energy Department, firms claim cronyism in “green car” loan program (via Washington Post)

Nearly 1 million natural gas trucks and buses will be sold worldwide from 2012-2019 (via Pike Research)

New EV charging station connects to smart meters (via Renew Grid)

Fuel cell vehicles could be a $1.8 billion market in 2030 (via Environmental Leader)

How to read a plug-in hybrid’s mileage sticker (via Mapawatt)

NATURAL GAS/FRACKING 

US manufacturers lobby against “unfettered” natural gas exports (via Houston Chronicle)

California announces preliminary hydraulic fracturing regulations (via AOL Energy)

USGS finds no contamination from fracking in two Arkansas counties (via Reuters)

RARE EARTHS 

DOE plunks $120 million into rare earths research hub (via AOL Energy)

Molycorp lowers 2013 outlook, shares plunge (via Reuters)

OIL 

Support grows for more offshore drilling oversight by US (via Houston Chronicle)

BP oil spill settlement payments exceed $1 billion mark (via Houston Chronicle)

Rep. Markey: Shell may have moved Kulluk Arctic drilling rig to avoid taxes (via Reuters)

ENVIRONMENT 

Drought-damaged US states face poor outlook as dry weather persists (via The Guardian)

Native Canadians could block natural resource development (via Reuters)

Beetlemania: insects are gobbling up 1,000-year-old trees (via Mother Jones)

GRID 

ERCOT says Texas electric transmission capacity will fall short of demand (via Houston Chronicle)

OPINION 

If you aren’t alarmed about climate, you aren’t paying attention (via Grist)

Why is General Electric backing down from its plug-in pledge? (via Plugin Cars)

New York State’s clean tech challenge to California (via Forbes)

OTHER NEWS 

An additional listing of clean energy and climate news is posted at Climate Progress