Category Archives:Gulf of Mexico

29
Jan

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 1.29.15

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

EMISSIONS 

Asian air pollution may be changing U.S. weather patterns (via OnEarth)

Hearing on Inslee plan to charge polluters draws divided crowd (via Seattle Times)

A tax or a cap? Debating the path to carbon pricing in Oregon (via Portland Business Journal)

COAL 

Federal coal program costing taxpayers and states more than $1 billion per year in lost royalties (via Climate Progress)

Swedish, U.S. universities divest from coal, Oxford “meets to discuss” (via CleanTechnica)

RENEWABLES 

New report urges western governments to reconsider reliance on biofuels (via New York Times)

China connected 18.7GW of wind to the grid in 2014, says NEA (via Recharge)

Germany adds 4.75GW onshore wind, breaking 12-year record (via Recharge)

Lowering interest rates “could cut Indian solar cost by a third” (via PV Tech)

China’s wind energy output dropped in 2014 (via CleanTechnica)

U.S. wind power quadruples in 2014 as Texas leads installations (via Bloomberg)

GE, Siemens, Vestas dominate U.S. wind market in 2014 (via Recharge)

Walmart tops EPA’s on-site generation list (via Energy Manager Today)

Charting Hawaii’s spectacular solar growth (via Greentech Media)

CALSEIA issues California net metering update (via Solar Industry)

Minnesota: Where solar is about to take off (via Sustainable Business)

SolarWorld sees 6-8GW U.S. solar PV market over next decade (via Recharge)

First week of February is “Solar Education Week” (via Renewable Energy World)

Energy and Environment

NATURAL GAS 

Scotland announces moratorium on fracking for shale gas (via The Guardian)

Kansas earthquakes likely tied to rise in fracking wastewater, say state geologists (via International Business Times)

CLIMATE 

Climate models don’t over-predict warming, shows study (via Los Angeles Times)

British belief in climate change on the rise, finds research (via The Guardian)

House panel agrees to prioritize climate change (via The Hill)

TV networks now cover climate change, but they’re doing it wrong (via Grist)

OIL 

EIA chief: Cheap oil won’t last forever (via Christian Science Monitor)

Shell shaves $15 billion off three-year spending plans (via Forbes)

Shell wants to resume Arctic drilling this year (via The Hill)

Chevron and BP in deal to search for oil deep beneath Gulf of Mexico (via New York Times)

Senate votes on fracking, endangered species pave way for Keystone XL passage (via Houston Chronicle)

TRANSPORTATION : Energy and Environment

Sales of electric trucks and buses expected to reach nearly 160,000 annually by 2023 (via Navigant Research)

Psychological barriers are holding back EV adoption (via CleanTechnica)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

UK energy use falls by 7.5 percent (via BusinessGreen)

Ikea sees green product sales soar 58% to over €1 billion (via BusinessGreen)

Finally, an energy issue everybody (mostly) likes (via National Journal)

ENERGY POLICY

China’s overseas investments, explained in 10 graphics (via WRI Insights)

Northrup Grumman cuts ties with ALEC (via National Journal)

OPINION : Energy and Environment

Is surging U.S. wind power headed off a cliff? (via Breaking Energy)

The solar-utility battle is getting ugly (via Greentech Media)

The best idea in a long time: Covering parking lots with solar panels (via Washington Post)

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Posted:   |   Categories: ALEC, arctic, Asia, biofuels, BP, california, CALSEIA, cap and trade, carbon tax, Chevron, China, climate, Climate Change, coal, Divestment, eia, electric vehicles, emissions, Energy Efficiency, EPA, ev, Fossil fuel divestment, fracking, GE, germany, global warming, Gulf of Mexico, Hawaii, Ikea, india, jay inslee, kansas, Keystone XL, minnesota, natural gas, Net metering, News, Northrup Grumman, offshore drilling, oil, oregon, Oxford University, renewables, Scotland, Shale gas, Shell, Siemens, solar, Solarworld, Sweden, texas, Transportation, united kingdom, vestas, Walmart, Washington State, wind
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23
Jan

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 1.23.15

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

CLIMATE 

“Hottest year” story obscures bigger news: Ocean warming now off the charts (via Climate Progress)

UN asks countries for climate plans after record warm 2014 (via Reuters)

Climate change moves the Doomsday Clock (via Climate Central)

RENEWABLES 

China’s wind power capacity now bigger than UK’s total electricity supply (via BusinessGreen)

India clean energy investments rebound, set to pass $10 billion in 2015 (via Bloomberg)

Solar R&D needs “systemic shock” to avert death of European PV (via PV Tech)

Taiwan could use its own loophole to sidestep U.S. solar tariffs (via PV Tech)

Beyond-the-grid solar sector matures with new finance and projects (via Huffington Post)

Etrion’s latest approved Chile project could also be a “merchant” plant (via PV Tech)

Texas wind power cracks 10% threshold (via Houston Chronicle)

Iowa ethanol lobby starts 2016 campaign to regain influence (via Bloomberg)

U.S. Navy, Air Force sign up for 120MW of Florida solar (via PV Tech)

Proof in numbers: Putting solar job census, home value study in perspective (via Renewable Energy World)

In the quest to finance smaller commercial solar deals, pipeline is king (via Renewable Energy World)

Are floating PPAs an ideal worth floating to solar investors? (via Renewable Energy World)

OIL 

Oil prices rise after Saudi king’s death (via The Hill)

New Saudi king seen holding line on OPEC policy to keep oil output high (via Reuters)

The oil price tag investors say would signal a global recession (via Forbes)

Africa oil boom on hold as prices spur explorer caution (via Bloomberg)

Senate sets final Keystone XL vote next week (via The Hill)

Trial witness says Gulf spill response removed far less crude than BP expert estimates (via Houston Chronicle)

TRANSPORTATION 

Gas tax push on fumes, says House chairman (via The Hill)

DOE offers $55 million for vehicle fuel efficiency technology (via The Hill)

Energy Secretary confirms U.S. will miss Obama goal of 1 million EVs by 2015 (via Green Car Reports)

VW, BMW, ChargePoint partner to create fast-charging corridors on East & West Coasts (via Green Car Congress)

EMISSIONS 

EU carbon market price expected to rise before 2020 following MEPs’ vote (via The Guardian)

Into think air: Boston pipes leak $90 million in fuel yearly (via Reuters)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

Buildings represent 40% of total U.S. energy use (via Energy Manager Today)

When it comes to efficiency, U.S. military soldiers on (via Grist)

POLITICS 

Senate Democrats play offense on climate change ahead of 2016 (via Bloomberg)

Democrats divided on climate change (via National Journal)

KXL votes allow Dems to begin building beachhead to protect EPA rules (via E&E Daily)

Romney says climate change is real (via The Hill)

Mitt Romney believes in global warming again, but how would he deal with it? (via Vox)

Tom Steyer isn’t running for Senate, but may be angling for another office (via National Journal)

OPINION 

100 most sustainable multibillion-dollar companies revealed in Davos (via GreenBiz)

Will 2015 be a breakthrough year for energy storage in the UK? (via Greentech Media)

Solar loans: Should PV be more like car sales or cable television? (via Greentech Media)

Edison Electric Institute’s anti-solar PR spending revealed (via Huffington Post)

Missing a mining opportunity (via RMI Outlet)

Posted:   |   Categories: africa, BMW, Boston, BP, cap and trade, Carbon market, ChargePoint, Chile, China, Clean Power Plan, climate, Climate Change, Edison Electric Institute, electric vehicles, emissions, Energy Department, Energy Efficiency, energy storage, EPA, Ernest Moniz, ethanol, EU ETS, European Union, EV chargers, EVs, Florida, fuel-efficiency, Gas tax, global warming, green jobs, Gulf of Mexico, india, Iowa, Keystone XL, Mitt Romney, natural gas, News, oil, oil spill, OPEC, PPA, renewables, saudi arabia, solar, Solar trade war, Taiwan, texas, Tom Steyer, Transportation, united kingdom, Volkswagen, wind
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20
Jan

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 1.20.15

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

EMISSIONS 

UN climate chief Figueres says carbon bubble is now a reality (via RTCC)

Ten years of the European Union Emissions Trading System (via Energy Collective)

China cuts energy intensity by 4.8 percent in 2014 (via Reuters)

Investors’ new climate calculation: Engage or divest? (via GreenBiz)

CLIMATE 

India’s Modi calls for “paradigm shift” on climate (via RTCC)

RENEWABLES 

Clean energy investment jumps 12 percent in 2014 (via BusinessGreen)

China “on course to miss distributed solar PV target” (via PV Tech)

Saudi Arabia delays $109 billion solar plant by 8 years (via Bloomberg)

Defective panels threatening profit at China solar farms (via Bloomberg)

Draft of Germany PV auction rules leaked (via Renewables International)

Chile now home to world’s largest merchant solar power plant (via CleanTechnica)

France celebrates 1GW surge in wind farm capacity (via BusinessGreen)

France proposes increasing feed-in tariff for residential solar projects (via PV Tech)

America installed 22 times more solar in 2014 than in 2008 (via Greentech Media)

OIL 

Norway redefines Arctic ice edge in potential oil exploration boost (via Reuters)

50,000 gallons of crude oil spills into partially frozen Yellowstone River (via Climate Progress)

BP oil spill penalty trial begins in New Orleans (via Houston Chronicle)

TRANSPORTATION 

Light-duty EV sales expected to reach 6.4 million annually by 2023 (via Navigant Research)

Plug-in EV sales in China increase 350 percent (via CleanTechnica)

Nissan Leaf enjoys 33 percent European sales boost (via BusinessGreen)

Usage rises at DC fast chargers along West Coast EV highway (via Inside EVs)

NATURAL GAS 

Kansas official links earthquakes to fracking wastewater disposal (via Houston Chronicle)

GRID 

Japan plans to pump $700 million into energy storage (via Greentech Media)

New York town tries to “island” itself with microgrid to avoid storm-driven power outages (via ClimateWire)

ENERGY POLICY 

U.S. Senate tees up votes on Keystone XL, oil exports, climate (via Houston Chronicle)

Spiking energy prices drive interest in Massachusetts competitive power market (via Energy Manager Today)

Proposal would void new North Dakota methane flaring, oil shipment rules (via Houston Chronicle/AP)

POLITICS 

GOP finds secret weapon against Obama’s regulatory agenda (via The Hill)

OPINION 

First Solar moves into silicon: Why efficiency is back (via Forbes)

Why solar costs will fall another 40 percent in just two years (via Renew Economy)

Lower oil prices will blunt fuel efficiency drive (via Reuters)

Posted:   |   Categories: arctic, BP, cap and trade, Carbon bubble, Carbon market, Chile, China, climate, Climate Change, Divestment, electric vehicles, emissions, energy storage, EU ETS, EVs, feed-in tariff, First Solar, Fossil fuel divestment, fracking, France, germany, grid, Gulf of Mexico, india, japan, kansas, Keystone XL, massachusetts, methane, Microgrid, Narenda Modi, natural gas, new york, News, nissan LEAF, north dakota, norway, offshore drilling, oil, Oil exports, oil spill, Oil train, renewables, saudi arabia, solar, Transportation, wind, Yellowstone River
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16
Jan

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 1.16.15

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

CLIMATE 

EU plans diplomatic offensive ahead of Paris climate summit (via RTCC)

New Pew survey shows Americans may finally be serious about global warming (via Washington Post)

COAL 

Michigan governor wants to wean state off coal as an energy source (via Lansing News)

RENEWABLES 

Solar, wind power to become cheapest energy source in Asia (via Business Standard)

Brazil wind financing deals surged 83% last year to $2.5 billion (via Bloomberg)

Wind farms could save UK £7.4 billion in gas import costs, says report (via BusinessGreen)

2015 will see first solar equipment produced in Brazil, says BNDES (via Recharge)

Merkel says Germany needs “a respite from solar” (via PV Magazine)

Dubai doubles capacity of “lowest cost” PV plant to 200MW (via PV Tech)

Yingli Green kick-starts China PV project pipeline in 2015 (via PV Tech)

Queensland businesses turn to solar to offset soaring bills (via Renew Economy)

Australian households installed a rooftop solar system every 2.8 minutes in 2014 (via Renew Economy)

U.S. solar industry adds 31,000 jobs in 2014 (via The Hill)

California regulators consider west-facing incentives for solar (via Solar Industry)

Missouri net metering bills could aid battered solar industry (via Midwest Energy News)

In Wisconsin, solar “new math” could equal big impacts (via Midwest Energy News)

Minnesota group wants state energy assistance to fund solar for low-income families (via Sustainable Business)

Solar cell efficiency jumps 50% with hand-build Perovskite layer (via CleanTechnica)

Small-scale hybrid energy device harvests both sun and wind (via Treehugger)

Solar Decathlon 2015 kicks off with Irvine workshop (via CleanTechnica)

OIL 

Mexico considers delaying some oil exploration bidding (via Houston Chronicle/AP)

Canada postpones North American summit amid Keystone XL tension (via Reuters)

Lifting U.S. crude export ban could boost production, cut gas prices, says study (via Reuters)

Judge puts BP’s top fine at $13.7 billion for Gulf oil spill; U.S. sought $18 billion (via Bloomberg)

U.S. oil train safety proposal due in May (via Reuters)

Gravy train derails for oil patch workers laid off in downturn (via Bloomberg)

TRANSPORTATION 

Korea’s target: 200,000 EVs by 2020 (via Inside EVs)

Nissan to have longer-range EVs “relatively quickly,” says executive (via Green Car Reports)

Elon Musk: Hyperloop test track may be built in Texas (via San Francisco Chronicle)

GRID 

India’s power sector moves into the 21st century (via Navigant Research)

PJM files “stop-gap” proposal with FERC to allow demand response in capacity auctions (via SNL Energy)

Opower says 95 utility partners have saved 6TWh energy (via Energy Manager Today)

California takes lead in developing energy storage (via GreenBiz)

Solar and utilities can co-exist through EVs, says Elon Musk (via Renew Economy)

POLITICS 

Poll: GOP clashes with voters on oil industry priorities (via Houston Chronicle)

Solar alliance in Sunshine State may be bad news for Jeb Bush (via Forbes)

OPINION 

How beyond-the-grid solar firms and lenders can make better use of capital (via Greentech Media)

A reminder to investors dumping solar stocks: PV and oil rarely mix (via Greentech Media)

Center for Public Integrity reveals how PR firms manufacture consent for oil firms (via DeSmogBlog)

Wind must cut costs in face of cheap crude (via Renewable Energy World)

Posted:   |   Categories: Angela Merkel, australia, BNDES, BP, Brazil, california, canada, China, climate, Climate Change, coal, COP22, CPUC, Demand response, Dubai, electric vehicles, Elon Musk, energy storage, European Union, ev, FERC, Florida, global warming, grid, Gulf of Mexico, Hyperloop, india, Jeb Bush, Keystone XL, Korea, mexico, michigan, minnesota, Missouri, Net metering, News, Nissan, oil, Oil exports, oil spill, Oil train, Opower, Perovskite, PJM, renewables, solar, Solar Decathlon, texas, Transportation, united kingdom, wind, Wisconsin, Yingli
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12
Jan

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 1.12.15

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

ENERGY POLICY 

Obama’s India visit could yield progress on climate change and solar power (via The Guardian)

Solar plus batteries unlikely to threaten utilities anytime soon, says study (via Forbes)

Wholesale power prices increase across the U.S. in 2014 (via U.S. EIA)

EMISSIONS 

South Korea launches carbon cap-and-trade system (via The Hill)

Stanford professors urge withdrawal from fossil fuel investments (via The Guardian)

RENEWABLES 

India plans five separate $5 billion green energy funds (via Panchabuta)

Solar at grid parity in most of world by 2017 (via Renew Economy)

Renewable energy investment surges, nearly surpasses 2011 mark (via Climate Progess)

Solar accounted for nearly half of all global clean energy investment in 2014 (via Greentech Media)

5GW wind-solar energy park planned in Gujarat, India (via CleanTechnica)

Indian oil corporation targets 10,000 solar-powered gas stations (via CleanTechnica)

SunEdison plans $4 billion India solar factory as demand climbs (via Bloomberg)

Morocco solar agency awards 350MW of concentrating solar power contracts (via PV Tech)

Chile will be home to latest challenger for world’s largest merchant solar plant (via PV Tech)

Wind developers seen bidding to build Brazil transmission lines (via Bloomberg)

Steady wave power could be cheaper than wind and solar (via BusinessGreen)

Wind forecasting receives $2.5 million boost from U.S. DOE (via CleanTechnica)

Morgan Stanley deal nudges 2015 U.S. residential solar investment toward $800 million (via PV Tech)

Net metering fight comes to New Mexico (via Navigant Research)

Utility commission order bolsters North Carolina’s status as a rising solar power (via Solar Industry Magazine)

KEYSTONE XL 

White House: State Department studying Nebraska ruling on Keystone XL (via Reuters)

Not enough votes to override Keystone veto, says Sen. Coons (via The Hill)

TransCanada CEO: “We need Keystone” (via The Hill)

CLIMATE 

Countries could leave UN climate body if Paris fails, says Todd Stern (via RTCC)

Most physicians already seeing health effects of climate change in patients (via Yale e360)

72 percent of Republican Senators are climate deniers (via Mother Jones)

OIL 

Oil tumbles to 5-½ year low as OPEC reaffirms stance (via Houston Chronicle/Bloomberg)

Venezuela, Saudi leaders meet to talk oil prices in Riyadh (via Houston Chronicle)

As oil plummets, how much pain still looms for U.S. energy firms? (via Reuters)

Oil drillers bail on U.S. boom, idle most rigs since 1991 (via Bloomberg)

Shell to cut five to ten percent of oil sands jobs (via Houston Chronicle)

Bakken oil producers need $55 a barrel to keep production steady (via Reuters)

TRANSPORTATION 

Inflexible ethanol costs stopping further decrease in gas prices (via Autoblog)

2016 Chevy Volt arrives with 50-mile EV range, 41 mpg (via Autoblog)

Official Chevrolet Bolt details: 200-mile range, $30,000 starting price (via Inside EVs)

University of Tennessee to head $250M advanced composites manufacturing institute (via Green Car Congress)

NATURAL GAS 

Idea for gas terminal off East Coast rankles fracking foes (via Houston Chronicle)

New York fracking ban seen as having little impact on supply (via Houston Chronicle/AP)

GRID 

A next-gen battery to land in Hawaii, courtesy of Aquion Energy (via GigaOm)

Massachusetts awards $18 million for microgrids, energy resiliency (via Greentech Media)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

Green building materials market to reach $235 billion in value by 2019 (via Environmental Leader)

New U.S. DOE lighting standards could save $15 billion (via CleanTechnica)

What’s unique about the Texas PACE-in-a-box toolkit? (via Renewable Energy World)

ENVIRONMENT 

We can fix the Gulf dead zone, for $2.7 billion a year (via Grist)

New York is biggest city to ban foam packaging (via Grist)

California’s almonds use as much water annually as Los Angeles uses in three years (via Mother Jones)

OPINION 

How EVs could impact the grid in four charts (via Greentech Media)

How innovative solar business models can benefit all (via GreenBiz)

Bakken oil wells and the Red Queen’s revenge (via Reuters)

U.S. car travel has been on the decline for a decade – will cheap gas change that? (via Washington Post)

Posted:   |   Categories: Aquion Energy, Bakken Shale, Batteries, Brazil, california, cap and trade, Carbon market, chevrolet, Chevy Bolt, chevy volt, Chile, Chris Coons, climate, Climate Change, Concentrating solar power, Divestment, DOE, drought, emissions, Energy Department, Energy Efficiency, energy storage, ethanol, Fossil fuel divestment, fracking, Fracking ban, gas prices, Green Buildings, grid, Grid Parity, Gulf of Mexico, Hawaii, india, Keystone XL, massachusetts, Microgrids, Morgan Stanley, Morocco, natural gas, Nebraska, Net metering, New Mexico, New York City, new york state, News, North Carolina, oil, OPEC, PACE, renewables, saudi arabia, Shale oil, Shell, solar, South Korea, Stanford, SunEdison, Tennessee, texas, Todd Stern, TransCanada, transmission, Transportation, UNFCC, Venezuela, wind
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08
Dec

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 12.8.14

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

CLIMATE

Adapting to a warmer climate could cost almost three times as much as thought, says UN report (via The Guardian)

Peru climate change talks slowed by clashes of rich and poor nations (via Los Angeles Times)

Rift widens among greens over burying carbon as climate fix (via Reuters)

Five burning issues for Lima climate talks this week (via RTCC)

Morocco and Mexico biggest beneficiaries of climate funds (via The Guardian)

US Coast Guard proposes Bering Strait shipping route (via ABC News/AP)

How winters are changing throughout the U.S. (via Climate Central)

A fossil fuel scandal at Lima climate talks (via Huffington Post)

NATURAL GAS

Ukraine expects Russian gas supplies to resume Monday (via Reuters)

West Virginia approves fracking under Ohio River; critics leery (via Columbus Dispatch)

Plans for shale gas “energy hub” draw investors and protestors to Philadelphia (via StateImpact Pennsylvania)

RENEWABLES

India plans five-fold increase in clean energy (via ABC News/AP)

Peru lifts renewable energy target for 60% by 2025, aims for 100% long term (via Renew Economy)

Canada probes Chinese solar imports for possible dumping violations (via Forbes)

Wind farms powered 107% of Scotland’s homes in November (via BusinessGreen)

Global wind turbine manufacturing capacity far surpasses demand (via Navigant Research)

Enel Green Power starts $190 million wind farm in Chile (via Bloomberg)

Suzlon conducting study for offshore wind farm in India (via Financial Express)

Ethanol joins US fuels dominating global export market (via Houston Chronicle)

World record solar module efficiency of 40.4% from CPV startup RayGen (via Greentech Media)

Solar PV generation doubles – monthly US electricity generation report (via CleanTechnica)

Heco seeks Hawaii green light for 207MW solar PPAs (via Recharge)

Now’s the time to buy into community solar prices, at all-time low (via CleanTechnica)

New York launches “Community Solar NY” To support Solarize campaigns (via Solar Industry Magazine)

A “business” model for expanding renewable energy: The New Mexico Production Tax Credit (via Renewable Energy World)

EMISSIONS

Global Divestment Day: Climate action vs carbon bubble risk (via CleanTechnica)

China blocks carbon review sought by US at UN talks (via Bloomberg)

IETA: Carbon markets need to matter more in Lima (via RTCC)

Oil companies at climate talks dismiss carbon bubble fears (via RTCC)

Renewable energy price declines can help states meet carbon targets under EPA’s Clean Power Plan (via NRDC Switchboard)

RGGI carbon auction raises more than $94 million (via Environmental Leader)

A California community shoots for the moon: Palo Alto considers carbon neutrality (via RMI Outlet)

OIL

Global shale ambitions wane as OPEC price war deepens oil plunge (via Bloomberg)

Don’t count on oil drop greasing global growth (via Bloomberg)

Oil price drops boost argument for crude exports (via Houston Chronicle)

US oil rig count rises as shale drillers face OPEC challenge (via Bloomberg)

US Supreme Court rejects BP challenge to Gulf spill settlement (via Reuters)

TRANSPORTATION

US fuel economy average down for the first time in four years (via Autoblog)

Fuel to the fire? Fuel exports soar under Obama (via AP)

Quebec is first Canadian province to use carrot-and-stick tactics with car buyers (via Montreal Gazette)

US gasoline prices fall to four-year low (via Reuters)

US airlines will need to sharply increase fleet renewal to meet 2020 carbon neutral growth goal (via Green Car Congress)

Audi confirms it will release Tesla-rivaling electric sedan in 2017 (via Inhabitat)

Uber adds a billion dollars more to its coffers (via New York Times)

ENVIRONMENT 

Latin American coalition to restore 20 million hectares of forest (via RTCC)

California’s drought is now the worst in 1,2000 years (via Time)

Trackable, biodegradable fishing nets could put an end to “ghost nets” (via Treehugger)

COAL

Big banks propping up dirty coal industry to tune of $89 billion (via Huffington Post)

Grassroots anti-coal movements to watch (via Treehugger)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY

UK government to re-launch Green Deal energy efficiency scheme with £30 million fund (via BusinessGreen)

Are hotel energy and water savings programs really about the environment? (via Treehugger)

Freedom Tower was supposed to be the greenest building in America – so what went wrong? (via Mother Jones)

Green real estate trends (via Huffington Post)

NUCLEAR

Almost all US nuclear plants require life extension past 60 years to operate beyond 2050 (via US EIA)

GOP gain put nuclear power back on the table (via The Hill)

New math to help Exelon’s nuclear plants (via Crain’s Chicago Business)

GRID

Regional Japan grids can take less than half of renewables approved by government (via Bloomberg)

Smart meter power savings prove slow to materialize (via New York Times)

POLITICS

Energy firms secretly helped state attorneys general fight Obama (via The Hill)

Fossil-fuel lobbyists, bolstered by GOP wins, work to curb environmental rules (via Washington Post)

House Republican plans to introduce climate-science bill (via National Journal)

Black Friday shopper numbers twice as high as midterm election voter turnout (via Inhabitat)

OPINION

The end and beginning of the Arctic (via Climate Central)

India’s energy moment: Ready for a low-carbon future? (via National Geographic)

Will German wind market double? (via Renewables International)

Five reasons why Tesla’s stock is down (via GigaOm)

Why a Florida utility suddenly wants to serve Hawaii (via Christian Science Monitor)

Can solar companies really be called “high tech?” (via Renewable Energy World)

What’s really at stake in the Florida solar battle? (via Renewable Energy World)

Do gasoline prices affect home values? (via Houston Chronicle)

Why the world missed the oil price crash (via Council on Foreign Relations)

Posted:   |   Categories: arctic, audi, BP, california, canada, Carbon bubble, carbon capture, Carbon market, Carbon neutrality, Chile, China, Clean Power Plan, climate, Climate Change, coal, community solar, deforestation, Divestment, drought, electric vehicles, emissions, enel green power, Energy Efficiency, EPA, ethanol, ev, Exelon, Florida, Fossil fuel divestment, fracking, Freedom Tower, germany, global warming, green building, green deal, grid, Gulf of Mexico, Hawaii, india, japan, Latin America, mexico, Morocco, natural gas, New Mexico, new york state, News, NextEra, nuclear, offshore wind, Ohio, oil, oil spill, OPEC, Peru, Quebec, renewables, rggi, Russia, Scotland, Shale gas, Shale oil, smart meters, solar, Solar trade war, suzlon, Tesla, Transportation, Uber, Ukraine, united kingdom, US Coast Guard, West Virginia, wind
0
07
Nov

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 11.7.14

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

EMISSIONS 

UN climate talks grapple with regional carbon market integration: IEA (via Bloomberg)

China plans to cap carbon emissions from steel, cement producers by 2020 (via ClimateWire)

Election shifts Oregon closer to carbon tax, not so much for Washington (via Oregon Public Broadcasting)

COAL 

Coal’s defender-in-chief tries to shift debate about fuel (via Bloomberg)

RENEWABLES 

Renewables now cheaper than fossil fuels in developing countries (via Energy Collective)

UK utility-scale solar boom on tap for 2015 (via Solar Industry Magazine)

Solar doesn’t pay right now in Germany (via Renewables International)

UK solar companies lose legal battle over subsidy cuts (via BusinessGreen)

Republicans urged to reject wind tax credit in lame duck (via Houston Chronicle)

First Wind closes $254 million financing for Texas wind farm (via Bloomberg)

40% renewable energy integration no trouble for Midwest (via CleanTechnica)

UC-Irvine adding 3.2MW of solar canopies (via Energy Manager Today)

Vestas upgrades sales, margins forecast as profit surges (via Bloomberg)

CLIMATE 

Climate change is disrupting flower pollination, research shows (via The Guardian)

Brazil wants richer countries to step up on climate (via The Hill)

New global warming remedy: Turn rangelands into carbon vacuums (via California Magazine)

Shrimp depletion in Gulf of Maine part of a global pattern (via Portland Press-Herald)

Republican gains in Washington state legislature spoil plans for West Coast bloc of climate action states (via ClimateWire)

Tech company SAP severs ties with ALEC (via National Journal)

NATURAL GAS 

DOJ subpoenas Chesapeake Energy over royalty complaints (via StateImpact Texas)

Illinois lawmakers approve fracking rules (via Houston Chronicle/AP)

GRID 

EU’s bank to loan Britain’s power grid $2.4 billion (via Reuters)

Battery storage will replace many peaker spinning reserve plants (via CleanTechnica)

OIL 

Testing U.S. oil export ban carries some risks (via Reuters)

Federal Appeals Court reaffirms BP is liable in Gulf oil spill (via Houston Chronicle/AP)

White House would “consider” Keystone bill (via The Hill)

TRANSPORTATION 

Which EV makers are serious? U.S. sales show top three (via Green Car Reports)

Tesla projecting years of 50% growth sparks share rise (via Bloomberg)

EPA says more fuel-efficient cars available in 2015 (via The Hill)

Tesla Model X delayed thanks to Model S production lessons (via Autoblog Green)

ENVIRONMENT 

U.S. weather forecaster slightly reduces El Nino outlook (via Reuters)

No recovery, but a sliver of drought gain for California (via Climate Central)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

Commercial and industrial demand response poised for major growth (via Renew Grid)

Arizona energy efficiency programs in jeopardy (via Energy Manager Today)

POLITICS 

Republican wave unlikely to wash away Obama’s major rules (via Greenwire)

House to vote on EPA “secret science” bills (via The Hill)

Republican sweep highlights climate change politics in Alaska (via NPR)

National Democrats yanking Louisiana ad buy as Landrieu faces runoff (via Bloomberg)

Meager returns for the Democrats’ biggest donor (via New York Times)

OPINION 

Six renewable energy trends to watch for in 2015 (via Renewable Energy World)

Do Americans really want a hard right turn on climate and renewables? (via The Hill)

Can SolarCity crack the code of boosting business beyond solar homes? (via Forbes)

Election special: What the Republican takeover means for clean energy (via Greentech Media)

President Obama has stalled on Keystone for years. Now he has to make a decision. (via Slate)

Posted:   |   Categories: alaska, ALEC, arizona, battery, BP, Brazil, california, Carbon market, carbon tax, Chesapeake Energy, China, climate, Climate Change, coal, Demand response, drought, El Nino, electric vehicles, emissions, Energy Efficiency, energy storage, environment, EPA, European Union, ev, First Wind, fracking, germany, global warming, grid, Gulf of Mexico, Illinois, Keystone XL, Louisiana, Maine, Mary Landrieu, natural gas, News, oil, Oil exports, oil spill, oregon, production tax credit, renewables, solar, SolarCity, Tesla, Tesla Model S, Tesla Model X, texas, Tom Steyer, Transportation, UC Irvine, united kingdom, vestas, Washington State, 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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29
Oct

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 10.29.14

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

CLIMATE 

Study: Climate change could spark conflict in emerging economies (via BusinessGreen)

EU sets ambitious 2030 climate and energy goals (via Greentech Media)

Chinese vice premier meets Obama adviser on climate change (via Xinhua)

NUCLEAR 

Japan edges back toward nuclear power with vote to restart first reactors (via BusinessGreen)

Nuclear industry touts environment benefits as it seeks to stem reactor retirements (via Bloomberg)

RENEWABLES 

Poor countries tap renewables at twice the pace of rich nations (via Bloomberg)

EU on track for green energy goals, but 2030 a challenge (via Reuters)

Global PV operations and maintenance market to hit 237GW by 2018 (via Greentech Media)

Global hydropower to double in 20 years, but at what cost to wildlife? (via RTCC)

Millions in new investment cap record year for beyond-the-grid solar markets (via Energy Collective)

U.S. solar boom boosts European manufacturers REC and Solarworld (via Renewable Energy World/Bloomberg)

U.S. solar now 59% cheaper than analysts predicted back in 2010 (via CleanTechnica)

Wind and solar boosted California grid reliability during tough summer (via Renew Grid)

OIL 

Shell seeks five more years for Arctic oil drilling drive (via Bloomberg)

Mexico’s state-owned oil giant Pemex is in uncharted waters (via New York Times)

Goldman Sachs expects U.S. crude to fall to $70 next year (via Houston Chronicle)

Scientists discover huge “bathtub ring” of sea floor oil from BP spill (via Climate Progress)

TRANSPORTATION 

Increasing ethanol use has reduced average energy content of retail gasoline (via US EIA)

2016 Chevy Volt will have more EV range, bigger battery (via Autoblog Green)

California to require new buildings to be prepped for EV charging stations (via Green Car Reports)

Tesla announces new EV leasing package (via New York Times)

Indianapolis plans to add 425 EVs to municipal fleet by 2016 (via Green Car Congress)

GM to build Volt electric drive in Michigan (via Bloomberg)

COAL 

U.S. banks deny fund to coal port near Great Barrier Reef (via RTCC)

Coal ash rule heads to White House for final review (via The Hill)

As rail congestion crimps coal supplies, expansion calls grow louder (via Navigant Research)

EMISSIONS 

Australian government wins backing for compromise emissions scheme (via Reuters)

Drying Amazon could be major carbon concern (via Climate Central)

Climate change concerns push Chile to forefront of carbon tax movement (via New York Times)

EPA quietly revamps policy for alleged major air polluters, ends “watch list” (via SNL Energy)

Four carbon cap-tax hybrids (via Sightline Daily)

Oil-price plunge gives new ammo to divestment activists (via InsideClimate News)

Sen. Whitehouse to push carbon price bill (via The Hill)

GRID 

Europe blackout threat looms amid power supply risks, says study (via Bloomberg)

Sandia evaluates batteries for modular grid energy storage (via Energy Manager Today)

Alevo unstealthed: New gigawatt-scale grid battery contender (via Greentech Media)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

LEED retail participants on the rise (via Environmental Leader)

30% of building managers use no energy saving technology (via Energy Manager Today)

POLITICS 

Most Canadians say environment trumps energy prices (via Bloomberg)

Environmental groups spending an unprecedented $85 million in 2014 elections (via Washington Post)

Millennials could make a difference on climate, if they voted (via Grist)

NextGen targets GOP Senate hopefuls in Michigan, Iowa (via The Hill)

OPINION 

Can OPEC survive the oil industry’s new economics? (via Bloomberg)

It’s not perfect, but EU energy and climate deal is great news for green economy (via BusinessGreen)

Liebreich: Nuclear – the thin end of a failing wedge (via Bloomberg)

Posted:   |   Categories: Alevo, amazon, arctic, australia, battery, Blackout, BP, california, canada, cap and trade, carbon tax, chevy volt, Chile, China, climate, Climate Change, coal, coal ash, Coal exports, Divestment, emissions, Energy Efficiency, energy storage, EPA, ethanol, europe, European Union, ev charging, Fossil fuel divestment, Gasoline, GM, Great Barrier Reef, grid, Gulf of Mexico, Hydropower, Indianapolis, Iowa, japan, LEED, mexico, michigan, News, NextGen, nuclear, offshore drilling, oil, oil spill, OPEC, Pemex, renewables, Sheldon Whitehouse, Shell, solar, Tesla, Transportation, wind
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17
Oct

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 10.17.14

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

NATURAL GAS 

Russia’s Putin threatens to reduce European gas supplies (via Reuters)

CLIMATE 

Winter unlikely to see repeat of frigid polar vortex (via Climate Central)

NUCLEAR 

France signs agreement to build nuclear reactors in South Africa (via Yahoo! News/AFP)

UK’s Hinkley nuclear deal to face National Audit Office probe (via BusinessGreen)

RENEWABLES 

Europe’s biggest solar bonds downgraded on Italy’s policy (via Bloomberg)

As Japan eyes nuclear restarts, renewables get shut out of grid (via Reuters)

India announces 15GW solar power purchase program (via Renewable Energy World)

China to phase out financial support for solar sector by 2020 (via CleanTechnica)

JinkoSolar adds 200MW to China PV project pipeline (via PV Tech)

GTM Research expects equivalent of 25GW new polysilicon production by 2016 (via PV Tech)

Minneapolis utility fight ends with unique clean-energy deal (via Midwest Energy News)

COAL 

Pacific islanders blockade Australian coal port to protest rising sea levels (via The Guardian)

Britain’s battered coal industry sees glimmer of hope in carbon capture (via Reuters)

For $20 million, a coal utility bought an Ohio town and a clean conscience (via The Atlantic)

EMISSIONS 

Qingdao prepares China’s 8th regional carbon market (via RTCC)

Sweden calls on EU to agree to 50% carbon cuts for 2030 (via RTCC)

Texas plant to capture, then reuse carbon (via New York Times)

OIL 

Falling oil prices shake up global economies (via Houston Chronicle/AP)

As oil prices plummet, Saudi Arabia faces a test of strategy (via New York Times)

Oil-by-rail fuels record U.S. imports of Canadian oil (via DeSmogBlog)

Shale oil boom helping American consumers like never before (via Bloomberg)

U.S. moves ahead with central Gulf of Mexico offshore auction (via Houston Chronicle)

TRANSPORTATION 

Americans could waste $2.8 trillion stuck in traffic by 2030 (via Autoblog)

Tesla says first battery-swapping site will go live in December (via Green Car Reports)

11 more GM facilities worldwide go landfill-free; total rises to 122 (via Green Car Congress)

GRID 

FERC investigating polar vortex impact on grid (via The Hill)

ENVIRONMENT 

Sao Paulo running out of water unless reserve tapped now (via Bloomberg)

U.S. plastic bottle recycling increases for 24th year (via Environmental Leader)

Whole Foods launches environmental ratings for its produce (via BusinessGreen)

Tornadoes increasingly coming in swarms in U.S., study says (via Huffington Post/Reuters)

POLITICS 

Brazil’s Neves closing campaign cash gap thanks to banks and ethanol (via Reuters)

OPINION 

PJM’s capacity market: Model to copy or avoid? (via Breaking Energy)

Why you should question the value proposition of energy storage (via Greentech Media)

We don’t, and can’t know how much it will cost to tackle climate change (via Grist)

Posted:   |   Categories: australia, battery, Brazil, canada, Capacity market, carbon capture, Carbon market, China, climate, coal, drought, emissions, energy storage, European Union, ev, Extreme weather, FERC, France, gas prices, GM, grid, Gulf of Mexico, india, italy, japan, JinkoSolar, Minneapolis, natural gas, News, nuclear, offshore drilling, Ohio, oil, Oil train, PJM Interconnection, Polar vortex, Qingdao, Recycling, renewables, Russia, Sao Paulo, saudi arabia, Shale oil, solar, South Africa, Sweden, Tesla, texas, Transportation, united kingdom, Vladimir Putin, Whole Foods
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