Energy and Environment News Roundup – 4.17.14
A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.
CLIMATE
EU to host industry talks ahead of setting 2030 climate goals (via Reuters)
Farmers seeking heat relief signal Brazil climate peril (via Bloomberg)
California drought/polar vortex jet stream pattern linked to global warming (via Weather Underground)
COAL
Is this the end of China’s coal boom? (via Climate Progress)
North Carolina governor proposes new coal ash plan (via Citizen-Times/AP)
RENEWABLES
Yingli forms $160 million China solar project fund (via Recharge)
HSBC says wind and solar best picks in climate stocks (via Renew Economy)
Gaps linger between clean energy and bond market support, says report (via ClimateWire)
Feds to provide $4 billion in green energy support (via The Hill)
Obama to challenge private companies to boost solar power use (via Washington Post)
Just how off is EIA’s renewable energy outlook? How about 20+ years? (via CleanTechnica)
Solar disrupting wholesale energy markets (via Greentech Media)
Virginia’s largest rooftop solar array to be dedicated (via Washington Times/AP)
Meet the governor who crippled his state’s solar energy future (via EcoWatch)
Oklahoma will charge customers who install their own solar panels (via Climate Progress)
EMISSIONS
Beijing’s bid to move polluting firms watched warily in nearby regions (via Reuters)
Pope Francis urged to back fossil fuel divestment campaign (via The Guardian)
Alberta considers emissions rules to win support for oil (via Bloomberg)
California shows residents the greenhouse gas money (via Bloomberg BNA)
NATURAL GAS/FRACKING
EU agrees to Putin’s call for natural gas security talks (via Reuters)
With white papers, EPA takes first step on potentially far-reaching methane regulations (via ClimateWire)
Leading states tacking fugitive emissions head on (via Breaking Energy)
States peering over the fence on fracking rules (via National Journal)
Andarko joins ad blitz to thwart Colorado fracking curbs (via Bloomberg)
Ohio state plan for earthquake monitoring worries drilling industry (via Columbus Business First)
GRID
Hydro-Quebec, Sony forming JV to develop large-scale energy storage for grids (via Green Car Congress)
Loan guarantees are back: DOE targets “catalytic” grid integration technology (via Greentech Media)
How synchrophasors are bringing America’s grid into the 21st century (via Energy.gov)
California to utilities: Connect battery-solar systems to the grid (via Greentech Media)
SolarCity resumes applications for California batteries (via Bloomberg)
OIL
Industry opposes push to tighten oil field safety rules (via Houston Chronicle)
US Coast Guard, BP end “active cleanup” of Louisiana’s coast, nearly four years after spill (via Times-Picayune)
Is Gulf cleanup over or not? BP and Coast Guard differ. (via Washington Post)
TRANSPORTATION
Selling Teslas in China won’t do much for the environment (via MIT Technology Review)
Nissan will expand free charging incentive to 25 Leaf markets (via Autoblog Green)
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
One-degree thermostat change could save NYC buildings $145 million per year (via Energy Manager Today)
The link between home ownership and energy efficiency (via Navigant Research)
ENVIRONMENT
California water contracts can be challenged by green groups (via Bloomberg)
Water shortage divides Californians on solutions and blame (via Los Angeles Times)
OPINION
Is a clean energy boom coming in 2014? (via Christian Science Monitor)
Utilities have four choices in solar revolution, and none are easy to swallow (via CleanTechnica)