Category Archives:investment

10
Oct

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 10.10.13

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

CLIMATE 

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

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

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

Can cities solve climate change? (via Scientific American)

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

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

FEDERAL SHUTDOWN 

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

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

RENEWABLES 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

EMISSIONS 

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

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

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

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

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

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

NATURAL GAS/FRACKING 

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

GRID 

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

Canada unveils energy storage research program (via Renew Grid)

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

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

ENERGY POLICY 

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

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

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

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

KEYSTONE XL 

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

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

TRANSPORTATION 

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

ENVIRONMENT 

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

POLITICS 

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

OPINION 

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

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

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

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

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

Posted:   |   Categories: Alberta, Angela Merkel, arctic, australia, Benchmarking, biofuels, california, canada, cap and trade, carbon capture, carbon markets, Carbon pricing, chicago, climate, Climate Change, denmark, Divestment, Dynamic pricing, emissions, Energy Efficiency, energy storage, EPA, EU, European Union, FERC, Floods, Florida, Fossil fuel divestment, fracking, Fuel Economy, GE, germany, global warming, grid, investment, IPCC, Jerry Brown, Keystone XL, natural gas, new york state, News, nuclear, offshore wind, oregon, pennsylvania, Permafrost melt, Renewable Fuels Standard, RFS, Ron Binz, san francisco, saudi arabia, Shale gas, Shell, solar, SUNY Cortland College, TransCanada, uk, united kingdom, wind, wind turbine
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11
Sep

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 9.11.13

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

EMISSIONS 

Markets bet on Australian carbon repeal…and a new carbon price (via Renew Economy)

EU Parliament votes to tackle biofuel emissions from 2020 (via BusinessGreen)

Biggest polluters in US ranked by emissions in new report (via Huffington Post)

California cap-and-trade may be hurt as emissions drop off (via San Francisco Chronicle)

Oil industry touts $81 billion in carbon-cutting efforts (via Houston Chronicle)

TRANSPORTATION 

Batteries and plug-ins dominate Frankfurt Auto Show (via Climate Progress)

CA, NY, WA, FL will lead US in plug-in EV sales through 2022 (via Navigant Research)

Average fuel economy for new US vehicles hits high of 24.9 mpg (via Green Car Congress)

RENEWABLES 

Development banks lend record $108.9 billion to clean energy in 2012 (via Bloomberg)

Report: Offshore wind can be installed in deeper waters at cheaper cost (via Greentech Media)

China to back 50MW Kazakhstan wind farm (via Recharge)

3D-printing robots could enable solar arrays to self-fabricate in space (via Treehugger)

Coupled solar and energy storage market to grow (via Renewable Energy World)

Talking windmills herald gust of US productivity growth (via Bloomberg)

Cuomo starts $1 billion New York State green bank for energy lending (via Bloomberg)

Energy bill in California gets a rooftop solar-friendly makeover (via Renewable Energy World)

North Dakota county approves $350-million wind farm (via Bismarck Tribune)

Minnesota opens state’s first community solar installation (via Minnesota Public Radio)

From sunlight to farm waste, small Minnesota cities create energy from what’s on hand (via Minnesota Public Radio)

Greensburg, Kansas: A high-renewables tomorrow today (via RMI Outlet)

Solar Decathlon 2013: Raising more than just walls (via Energy.gov)

NFL goes solar, who’s in the lead? (via Renewable Energy World)

Solar panel is next granite countertop for homebuilders (via Bloomberg)

GRID 

Renewable energy boom could create $90 billion global HVDC transmission market (via BusinessGreen)

London Array to sell its substations and cables for £459 million (via BusinessGreen)

In Germany, a yellow light for smart meters (via Navigant Research)

USDA provides new funding for grid improvements in eight states (via Renew Grid)

CPUC proposes 1.325GW energy storage target by 2020 (via Renew Grid)

Hawaii governor vows to link islands via undersea cable despite opposition (via Star-Advertiser)

CLIMATE 

EU limbers up for fight over new climate targets (via Renew Economy)

Australian military: Climate change will “exacerbate existing problems” (via ABC)

Drought helped cause Syria’s war – will climate change bring more like it? (via Washington Post)

NATURAL GAS/FRACKING 

Secrets of fracking fluids pave way for cleaner recipe (via Nature)

Gas flaring responsible for 42% of black carbon in the Arctic (via RTCC)

North Dakota senators seek state exemption from Interior Department fracking rules (via The Hill)

As gas continues to go up in the air, North Dakota moves to tighten loose flaring rules (via EnergyWire)

TAR SANDS/KEYSTONE XL 

US decision on Keystone XL pipeline likely to slip to 2014 (via Reuters)

No Keystone, no problem: TransCanada pushing another tar sands pipeline (via Climate Progress)

Neil Young on tar sands: “Fort McMurray looks like Hiroshima” (via Globe and Mail)

ENERGY INDUSTRY 

Moody’s: Bankruptcy of Energy Future Holdings is imminent (via Houston Chronicle)

California lawmakers close to passing energy reform bill (via Houston Chronicle/AP)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

Energy management app turns off the heat when you leave the house (via Treehugger)

LED streetlights save Las Vegas $2 million per year (via Energy Manager Today)

NUCLEAR 

Japan ponders Fukushima options, but Tepco too big to fail (via Reuters)

ENVIRONMENT 

As drought continues, Texas reservoirs could hit all-time lows (via StateImpact Texas)

OPINION 

Australia proposal to ditch carbon pricing is another nail in cap and trade (via Reuters)

Coalition wants US EIA to revamp renewable energy estimates (via Platts)

Why utilities and EV owners need demand response (via Navigant Research)

Imagining a cyberattack on the US power grid (via New York Times)

New York’s ongoing wind energy mistakes (via Breaking Energy)

How the West Texas drilling boom could go bust again (via StateImpact Texas)

Posted:   |   Categories: Andrew Cuomo, arctic, australia, battery, biofuel, Black carbon, california, cap and trade, Carbon pricing, China, climate, Climate Change, community solar, CPUC, Cyberattack, Demand response, drought, Electric Vehicle, emissions, Energy Efficiency, Energy Future Holdings, energy storage, EU, European Union, ev, Florida, fracking, Fuel Economy, fukushima, gas flaring, germany, Green bank, grid, Hawaii, Home energy management, HVDC, investment, japan, kansas, Kazakhstan, Keystone XL, Las Vegas, LED, minnesota, Moody's, natural gas, new york state, News, NFL, north dakota, nuclear, offshore wind, Pipeline, renewables, smart meters, solar, Solar Decathlon, solar pv, Syria, tar sands, Tepco, texas, TransCanada, transmission, Transportation, uk, united kingdom, usda, Washington, wind
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12
Jul

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 7.12.13

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

CLIMATE 

Rising global temperatures accelerate drought-induced forest mortality (via Phys.org)

DOE to boost energy sector climate change efforts (via The Hill)

States seek flexibility in Obama climate plan (via Stateline)

Rising temperatures, shrinking snowpack fuel western wildfires (via Climate Central)

US admirals, generals link climate change to national security (via Public News Service)

ENERGY POLICY 

Japan’s “third arrow” aims for renewables, energy storage (via Renewable Energy World)

Use of coal to generate power rises; greenhouse gas emissions next? (via Los Angeles Times)

Pumping water underground for geothermal or fracking could trigger major earthquake, say scientists (via The Guardian)

RENEWABLES 

Q2 2013 global green investment at $53.1 billion (via Greentech Media)

France wind power feed-in tariff dispute nears finish line (via Recharge News)

New offshore wind turbines begin turning in Europe, but cash scarce (via Reuters)

California fast-tracks renewable energy projects (via Greentech Media)

California Solar Initiative shines with 391MW-installed record year (via CleanTechnica)

Walgreens taking on big boxes for solar energy leadership (via Midwest Energy News)

OIL 

IEA sees 20-year supply peak outpacing demand in 2014 (via Bloomberg)

Fracking pushes US oil output to highest level since 1992 (via Houston Chronicle)

US oil soars above $106 to 15-month high (via Wall Street Journal)

Gulf oil spill settlement payment offers reach nearly $4 billion (via Houston Chronicle)

Leaner BP blanches at bill for oil spill cleanup (via New York Times)

TRANSPORTATION 

OECD countries invest on average around 1% of GDP on road and rail infrastructure (via Green Car Congress)

The business model for solar-powered electric car charging (via Plug-in Cars)

Tesla Model S output speeds past 400 per week (via Bloomberg)

ENVIRONMENT 

Air pollution kills more than 2 million people every year (via The Guardian)

Russia and Ukraine likely to block huge proposed Antarctic marine reserve (via The Guardian)

Glass sponge invasion follows Antarctic ice shelf retreat (via Los Angeles Times)

US drought grows for fourth straight week, South driest in weeks (via Reuters)

For Western landscapes, fire may be an agent of change (via ClimateWire)

Steep drop in coastal fish found in California power plant records (via Los Angeles Times)

GRID 

Global smart meter unit shipments will peak at 131 million annually in 2018 (via Navigant Research)

Distributed management systems help utilities balance complex loads (via Navigant Research)

ComEd deploying 4 million smart meters in Illinois (via Renew Grid)

NATURAL GAS/FRACKING 

China raises natural gas prices 15% (via Energy Manager Today)

Distant seismic activity can trigger quakes at fracking sites (via Reuters)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

How utilities can make any customer care about efficiency (via GreenBiz)

EIA launches energy efficiency program tracker (via Greentech Media)

Natgas industry push to repeal zero-carbon building law splits green community (via InsideClimate News)

POLITICS 

Infographic: the anti-science climate denier caucus (via Climate Progress)

Reid, McConnell spar on EPA nomination in “nuclear” debate (via The Hill)

Congress tries to turn off lights on efficient bulb mandates (via Houston Chronicle)

Over 10,000 Google users protest company’s Inhofe fundraiser (via Climate Progress)

OPINION 

German tariffs make green energy too expensive to store (via BBC News)

Hey utilities – have you seen the traffic in Los Angeles lately? (via RMI Outlet)

How climate change makes it harder to keep the lights on (via Washington Post)

Posted:   |   Categories: Air pollution, Antarctica, barack obama, BP, california, California Solar Initiative, China, climate, Climate Change, coal, ComEd, deforestation, DOE, drought, eia, Electric Vehicle, emissions, Energy efficeincy, energy storage, EPA, ev, feed-in tariff, fracking, France, geothermal, Gina McCarthy, global warming, google, green building, grid, Gulf of Mexico, harry reid, IEA, Illinois, investment, japan, Jim Inhofe, los angeles, Mitch McConnell, natural gas, News, offshore wind, oil, oil spill, renewables, Russia, Shale oil, smart meter, solar pv, Tesla Model S, Transportation, Ukraine, Walgreens, Wildfire, wind
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11
Jul

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 7.11.13

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

EMISSIONS 

US, China agree on climate steps to curb emissions (via Washington Post)

Australia carbon emissions fell 7% in first year of carbon tax (via Platts)

A new one-stop shop for greenhouse gas emissions data (via WRI Insights)

Use of coal to generate power rises; greenhouse gas emissions next? (via Los Angeles Times)

Nanomaterials could accelerate CO2 removal from coal power plants (via RTCC)

Two more financial institutions divest from fossil fuels (via Energy Collective)

NATURAL GAS 

China wants bigger share of US shale revolution (via Reuters)

RENEWABLES 

Clean energy investment rises 22% led by US, China (via Bloomberg)

Wind to double and solar to triple in 6 years, says IEA (via Greentech Media)

Worldwide solar PV market will pass $134 billion in annual revenue by 2020 (via Navigant Research)

HSBC: wind at parity with new coal in India, solar to join by 2018 (via Renew Economy)

Peru to use solar panels to provide electricity to 2 million people (via Latin American Herald Tribune)

EU parliament approve proposals to reduce biofuels emissions (via BusinessGreen)

Uncertainty over Australian Renewable Energy Target delays 1GW new wind (via Recharge)

State RPSs hold steady or expand in 2013 (via Energy Manager Today)

DoD, Interior inch closer to cooperation on renewable energy projects (via Federal Times)

Six Sioux tribes collaborate on biggest US wind farm (via Sustainable Business)

$1 billion cost to meet Colorado’s renewable-energy goal (via Denver Business Journal)

Rooftop solar takes off across California as costs come down (via San Jose Mercury News)

New York awards $54 million for 79 solar projects (via Solar Industry Magazine)

Texas A&M plans world’s largest solar testing center (via Sustainable Business)

OIL 

IEA says US oil boom to erode OPEC market share in 2014 (via Reuters)

Russia to lift oil exports to Asia at expense of Europe (via Reuters)

Report says feds should expand damage assessment of BP oil spill (via Greenwire)

Canadian officials: death toll from train crash presumed at 50 (via Los Angeles Times)

TRANSPORTATION 

China widens car-purchase restrictions to fight pollution (via Bloomberg)

Upgraded urban travel could save $70 trillion by 2050 (via Phys.org)

European Commission launches $1.8 billion fuel cell and hydrogen research initiative (via Green Car Congress)

Ford refocuses, cuts price of 2014 electric car by 10% (via NBC News/Reuters)

GRID 

Climate change will cause more energy system breakdowns, warns US (via New York Times)

Power grids to spend $64 billion on new gear by 2020 (via Reuters)

Japan sets up hydrogen “task force” to advance fuel-cell infrastructure (via Autoblog Green)

Canada represents $7 billion in smart grid potential (via Renew Grid)

Continuous test operation begins for large-format Li-ion energy storage system (via Green Car Congress)

CLIMATE 

New report tracks decades of climate change (via Rolling Stone)

Study says some trees use less water amid rising carbon dioxide (via New York Times)

A scientific storm is brewing over the hurricane-climate connection (via Mother Jones)

Dangerous global warming could be reversed, say scientists (via The Guardian)

Chicago-sized iceberg calves off Antarctic glacier (via The Guardian)

NUCLEAR 

Japanese nuclear plant may have been leaking for two years (via New York Times)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

New EIA inventory tracks state energy efficiency programs (via US EIA)

House votes to block light bulb efficiency standards (via Climate Progress)

Nest and Opower talk strategy for residential demand response (via Greentech Media)

Curtailing energy during “peak power hour” reduces next year’s rates (via Energy Manager Today)

GREEN BUSINESS 

Carbon Trust unveils supplier directory for green businesses (via BusinessGreen)

Report: reducing emissions and increasing manufacturing can go hand in hand (via Greentech media)

Nike’s new “Making” app shows sustainability of clothing material (via Inhabitat)

Sustainability exchange for cities to collaborate on best practices (via Energy Manager Today)

POLITICS 

Battle rages over Obama’s climate standards for Keystone XL pipeline (via Washington Post) 

What David Vitter got for blocking Gina McCarthy (via Politico)

Conservative climate hawks to GOP: wake the hell up (via Mother Jones)

GOP aide writing anonymously: party should “reclaim” climate debate (via The Hill)

House panel approves bill curtailing EPA power on climate regulations (via The Hill)

OPINION 

Bad news: fossil fuels are more than keeping up with clean energy (via Washington Post)

The money behind fossil fuel exports (via Sightline Daily)

Green energy policy matters in selling EVs (via Houston Chronicle)

Posted:   |   Categories: Antarctic, australia, barack obama, biofuels, BP, california, California Solar Initiative, canada, carbon capture, carbon tax, Carbon Trust, China, Climate Change, coal, colorado, David Vitter, Defense Department, Demand response, distributed generation, Divestment, eia, electric vehicles, emissions, Energy Efficiency, energy storage, EPA, EU, European Union, ev, Ford, Fossil fuel divestment, fuel cell, Gina McCarthy, green business, grid, Grid Parity, Gulf of Mexico, HSBC, hydrogen, IEA, india, interior department, International Energy Agency, investment, japan, Keystone XL, Nanomaterials, natural gas, Natural gas exports, Nest, new york state, News, nike, nuclear, oil, Oil exports, oil spill, OPEC, Opower, Peru, renewable portfolio standard, renewables, rooftop solar, rps, Russia, Shale gas, Shale oil, smart grid, solar, solar pv, Texas A&M, Transportation, wind
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11
Jun

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 6.11.13

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

EMISSIONS 

US-China emissions deal faces broader challenges (via Politico)

China’s rich provinces outsource emissions to less developed ones (via The Guardian)

America’s 20 worst corporate air polluters (via Forbes)

ENERGY POLICY 

EIA says US oil and gas reserves up 35% thanks to shale boom (via The Hill)

Electricity generation scoreboard: gas down 8%; coal up 8%; nuclear down 2.5%; wind up 10% & solar up 228% (via Facts of the Day)

RENEWABLES 

US installs record 723MW of solar PV in Q1 2013 (via Greentech Media)

SEPA report ranks US utilities by amount of deployed solar (via Greentech Media)

The coming solar electricity transformation (via CleanTechnica)

As first offshore wind turbine launches in Maine, is Texas next? (via StateImpact Texas)

Biofuels to play integral role in California’s energy future, says new study (via Phys.org)

COAL 

2014 European coal plunges to record as Credit Suisse cuts forecast (via Bloomberg)

CLIMATE 

Scientists say climate change could mean once a century floods every 10 years (via RTCC)

Catastrophic European floods raise climate concerns (via ClimateWire)

New climate data depicts New York City’s growing risk (via New York Times)

Dominion shareholder vote a loud signal to Virginia utility on climate (via InsideClimate News)

GRID 

Smart grid activity is heating up in South America (via Renew Grid)

Europe’s grid could carry 10% more electricity via next-generation technologies (via Recharge)

OIL 

Venezuelans find oil bonanza in Colombia (via Bloomberg)

TRANSPORTATION 

Toyota Europe wants clean grid before pushing electric cars (via Plugin Cars)

Frequent flyers pressure United Airlines to tackle climate change (via BusinessGreen)

FAA wants to wean private airlines off leaded fuel (via The Hill)

2013 Chevy Volt gets $4,000 incentive, more if leasing a competitor’s vehicle (via Autoblog Green)

GREEN BUSINESS 

Green product growth outpaced others during recession (via Environmental Leader)

Under-fire Sustainable Forestry Initiative revising standards (via Environmental Leader)

Chemical companies seek to limit federal LEED green building (via Bloomberg)

KEYSTONE XL/TAR SANDS 

Canadian ambassador: Alberta’s oil sands crude “will get to market” (via Houston Chronicle)

Can the new social cost of carbon estimate help stop Keystone XL? (via TriplePundit)

POLITICS 

Two Senate panels compete for control over ethanol mandate (via National Journal)

Steven Chu Q&A on Solyndra, Keystone, and US grid (via San Francisco Chronicle)

DOE official violated nepotism policy, says inspector general (via The Hill)

OPINION 

What to make of a climate change plateau (via New York Times)

Master Limited Partnerships (MLPs) will bring more clean energy investment (via Climate Progress)

Who’ll get stuck with San Onofre’s $3 billion tab? (via Greenwire)

Silver linings in IEA report on 2012 fossil fuel carbon emissions (via The Guardian)

Posted:   |   Categories: Alberta, biofuels, california, canada, chevy volt, China, climate, Climate Change, coal, Colombia, Credit Suisse, department of energy, DOE, Dominion, eia, electric vehicles, emissions, europe, ev, Extreme weather, FAA, Federal Aviation Authority, Flood, green building, green business, grid, IEA, International Energy Agency, investment, Keystone XL, LEED, Maine, Master limited partnerships, MLP, natural gas, New York City, News, nuclear, offshore wind, oil, renewables, San Onofre, Severe weather, SFI, Shale gas, Shale oil, smart grid, Social cost of carbon, solar, solar pv, solyndra, steven chu, Sustainable Forestry Initiative, tar sands, texas, Toyota, Transportation, united airlines, Venezuela, virginia
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06
Jun

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 6.6.13

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

EMISSIONS 

Research assigns US three times CO2 reduction responsibility as China (via Bloomberg)

Brazil’s emissions fall 39% since 2005, now 10% below 1990 levels (via Mongabay)

Obama officials raise “social cost” of carbon in federal regulations (via The Hill)

Schools addressing students’ fossil fears without divesting (via Bloomberg)

OIL 

Canada oil output will double by 2030 if pipelines are built (via Houston Chronicle/Bloomberg)

US crude output exceeds imports for first time in 16 years (via Houston Chronicle)

BP to pump $1 billion into its Alaska drilling efforts (via Grist)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

Smarter energy use by UK industry could cut electricity demand 75% (via Phys.org)

Amendments could sink bipartisan Senate energy efficiency bill (via Politico)

RENEWABLES 

UK solar investment jeopardized by EU tariffs on China (via Bloomberg)

Japan PM’s power plan lifts renewables at utility expense (via Bloomberg)

Brazil may unlock 21GW renewable energy market (via Recharge)

US solar PV demand to grow 20% in 2013 to 4.3GW (via CleanTechnica)

Interior Department Approves Up to 4Gw Of New Renewable Energy Projects (via CleanTechnica)

Will Master Limited Partnerships campaign put wind tax credit at risk? (via Politico)

DOE issues regulatory roadmap to spur geothermal energy development (via Green Car Congress)

Offshore wind advances create greentech investment opportunities (via Greentech Media)

Solar gardens taking root in US communities (via EarthTechling)

MIT creates solar potential map of Cambridge (via Treehugger)

Renewable energy gets a rural boost in Colorado (via Climate Progress)

Michigan legislators seek offshore wind power restrictions (via Record-Eagle)

NATURAL GAS/FRACKING 

UK prepares for US-style shale gas boom (via CNN Money)

Summer to bring upward pressure on US natural gas prices (via Wall Street Journal)

EPA Inspector General to investigate efforts to reduce natural gas pipeline leaks (via Washington Post/AP)

With more solar on the way, does Xcel need more gas peakers? (via Midwest Energy News)

North Carolina House panel Oks more cautious fracking bill (via Houston Chronicle/AP)

CLIMATE 

Russia continues to block UN climate talks (via RTCC)

As extreme weather increases, Bangladesh braces for the worst (via Yale e360)

How investors can help avert climate catastrophe (via GreenBiz)

Stormy weather set to increase due to climate change (via RTCC)

Rising sea levels, stronger storms will threaten US coasts through end of century (via Times-Picayune)

The Obama climate move that nobody noticed (via Grist)

US tailors regional climate plans to help farmers beat the heat (via Bloomberg)

Agriculture Secretary: “America must take steps now” on climate (via The Hill)

COAL 

China to cut coal use in key industrial regions (via Reuters)

Sierra Club sues BNEF over coal dust from trains in Washington State (via Houston Chronicle/AP)

TRANSPORTATION 

US new-car average gas mileage at highest level ever: 24.8 MPG (via Green Car Reports)

US hybrid & plug-in sales continue strong gains, 32,300 PEVs sold in 2013 (via Green Car Congress)

EPA to issue ethanol use targets this summer (via Reuters)

US added 180 EV charging stations in May (via Autoblog Green)

Study says California’s low-carbon fuel rule is working, but threats loom (via InsideClimate News)

GRID 

Smart and micro grids can minimize power outages during hurricane season (via Breaking Energy)

Cheap batteries for backup renewable energy (via MIT Technology Review)

POLITICS 

Americans for Prosperity targets Democrats up for re-election with anti-carbon tax campaign (via The Hill)

Congressional Democrats change climate message to focus on disaster costs (via ClimateWire)

Offshore drilling proponents launch new Congressional push (via Houston Chronicle)

The billionaire force behind GOP attempts to dismantle Maine’s renewable energy standards (via Bangor Daily News)

OPINION 

EU solar outlook still bright after binge (via Reuters)

Global signs of leadership on clean energy (via WRI Insights)

Why I wanted to be CEO of the American Wind Energy Association (via Greentech Media)

Don’t let another hurricane season blow by without climate action (via The Hill)

Now is the time to be an infrastructure hawk, not a deficit hawk (via Washington Post)

An obscure new rule on microwaves can tell us a lot about Obama’s climate policies (via Washington Post)

Posted:   |   Categories: Agriculture Department, alaska, american wind energy association, Americans for Prosperity, awea, Bangladesh, barack obama, battery, BNEF, BP, Brazil, california, Cambridge, canada, carbon tax, China, climate, coal, colorado, department of energy, Divestment, Electric Vehicle, emissions, Energy Efficiency, EPA, ethanol, EU, European Union, ev, EV charging infrastructure, Extreme weather, Fossil fuel divestment, fracking, geothermal, grid, hybrid, interior department, investment, japan, Jeanne Shaheen, Maine, massachusetts, Master limited partnerships, Methane leakage, michigan, Microgrids, MIT, MLP, natural gas, News, North Carolina, offshore drilling, offshore wind, oil, Oil exports, Pipelines, production tax credit, ptc, Renewable energy standard, renewables, res, Rob Portman, Russia, Sea level rise, Severe weather, Shale gas, Shinzo Abe, sierra club, smart grid, Social cost of carbon, solar, Solar gardens, solar pv, Solar trade war, Tom Kiernan, Tom Vilsack, Transportation, uk, united kingdom, Washington State, xcel energy
0
04
Jun

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 6.4.13

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

EMISSIONS 

Airlines agree to curb their emissions by 2020 (via The Guardian)

UK confirms backing for stronger EU 2030 emissions targets (via BusinessGreen)

Traffic gridlock grows in African cities, expanding once-tiny carbon footprint (via ClimateWire)

Hotels work together to standardize measuring carbon footprint (via Sustainable Business)

CLIMATE 

US and China intensify climate cooperation (via RTCC)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

Energy efficiency retrofits ramp up in China (via GreenBiz)

Energy efficiency firms are eating European utilities’ lunch (via Reuters)

Vehicle program to be stripped from Senate efficiency bill to shrink price tag (via E&E Daily)

COAL 

A little less coal in China – 6 ways it is lowering consumption (via Greentech Media)

RENEWABLES 

European Union backs down on China solar tariffs (via New York Times)

Climate change likely to thwart biofuel goals (via Houston Chronicle)

Harnessing India’s clean energy Tower Power (via Renew Economy)

Japanese solar industry soaring (via CleanTechnica)

Solar, biomass push out offshore wind in EU targets (via Reuters)

Could climate bonds become a major force in green finance? (via Environmental Leader)

States buffeted by turbulent wind industry (via Stateline)

State renewable energy laws survive repeal attempts – so far (via Midwest Energy News/Greenwire)

Interior Department to unveil plans for offshore wind leases (via The Hill)

Interior Department approves 520MW of renewables (via Greentech Media)

Solar executives okay with declining incentives in Colorado (via Denver Post)

OIL 

Russia joins forces with Scandinavia to finance Arctic oil rush (via Bloomberg)

Kinder Morgan to extend Eagle Ford pipeline (via Houston Chronicle)

TRANSPORTATION 

EVs are getting as cheap as gasoline rivals (via Los Angeles Times)

Nissan Leaf continues strong sales with 2,138; Chevy Volt moves 1,607 (via Autoblog Green)

EV sales in May on pace for 80,000 per year (via Facts of the Day)

Battery advice from Elon Musk: plugged in at full charge is worst thing to do (via San Jose Mercury News)

ENERGY POLICY 

Energy companies call regulatory changes their greatest threat (via Houston Chronicle)

House GOP dusts off energy bills to expand drilling, pipelines (via Politico)

Tea Party targeting Southern Company over solar and nuclear (via San Francisco Chronicle/AP)

Massachusetts launches green bond program to fund clean energy projects (via Bloomberg)

ENVIRONMENT 

China says rural environmental problems and pollution worsened in 2012 (via Reuters)

Extreme weather worsens US wheat production, cuts market share (via Bloomberg)

Severe storms bring more “weather whiplash” to US (via Climate Central)

NUCLEAR 

Worldwide capacity of small modular reactors could pass 18GW by 2030 (via Navigant Research)

Scientists say Fukushima radioactivity in seafood poses minimal health risk (via Phys.org)

Plans for Iowa nuclear power plant scrapped over design, cost concerns (via Des Moines Register)

NATURAL GAS/FRACKING 

Illinois must adopt fracking rules, hire experts before expanding drilling (via Houston Chronicle)

GRID 

Farmers oppose expanding Kansas wind power transmission line (via Topeka Capital-Journal)

POLITICS 

Sen. Alexander proposes “grand principles” for cheaper sustainable energy (via The Hill)

Billionaire Steyer to target Obama supporters in anti-Keystone effort (via The Hill)

OPINION 

3 reasons Chinese solar inverters are half the cost of American inverters (via Breaking Energy)

How to settle the US-China solar war (via Greentech Media)

Tesla was not, in fact, worse than Solyndra (via Grist)

What’s good for Arizona Public Service Isn’t Good for Arizona – or solar (via Greentech Media)

Posted:   |   Categories: africa, arctic, arizona, aviation, barack obama, battery, biofuel, biomass, carbon footprint, chevy volt, China, climate, Climate bonds, Climate Change, coal, colorado, Eagle Ford Shale, Electric Vehicle, Elon Musk, emissions, Emissions reduction, Energy Efficiency, environment, EU, European Union, ev, Extreme weather, fracking, fukushima, grid, Illinois, Incentives, india, interior department, investment, Iowa, japan, Jean Shaheen, kansas, Keystone XL, Kinder Morgan, Lamar Alexander, massachusetts, natural gas, News, nissan LEAF, nuclear, offshore drilling, offshore wind, oil, Pipeline, Pollution, radioactivity, regulation, Renewable energy portfolio, Renewable energy standard, renewables, res, Rob Portman, rps, Russia, Severe weather, Shale oil, Small modular reactors, solar, Solar tariffs, Solar trade war, solyndra, Southern Company, tea party, Tesla, Tom Steyer, transmission, Transportation, uk, united kingdom, Weather whiplash, wind
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31
May

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 5.31.13

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

OIL/NATURAL GAS 

OPEC maintains 30 million bpd oil output target for 2013 (via Retuers)

Texas leads US in drilling activity with 47.7% of all rigs (via Houston Chronicle)

California lawmakers turn down fracking moratorium (via Bloomberg)

EMISSIONS 

Carbon offsets rise 4% in 2012 (via Phys.org)

Forest and soil carbon important, but does not offset fossil fuel emissions (via Phys.org)

ENVIRONMENT 

Green groups hail sustainable EU fisheries deal (via BusinessGreen)

The latest casualty of drought may be US aquifers (via ClimateWire)

RENEWABLES 

Japan set to overtake Germany as world’s biggest solar market in 2013 (via Recharge)

Australia approaches 22% renewables by 2020, 51% by 2050 (via CleanTechnica)

US favors net-metering while Europe, Japan like feed-in tariffs (via Energy Manager Today)

Japanese domestic solar shipments increase by most in 30 years (via Bloomberg)

Big dams are booming business, but politics remain difficult (via ClimateWire)

Ontario set to overhaul its renewables support policies, end feed-in tariff (via Recharge)

Polish offshore wind energy could be worth €17.5 billion by 2025 (via Renewable Energy World)

Google invests in 96MW South African solar project (via GigaOm)

Q1 2013 clean tech venture investments hit lowest point in 4 years (via Greentech Media)

FERC report says 33MW of new solar added in US during April (via Solar Industry Magazine)

First North American offshore wind turbine rises in Maine (via CleanTechnica)

Connecticut’s renewable portfolio standard set to include more hydropower (via Renew Grid)

North Carolina fights back against anti-solar bills (via Renewable Energy World)

KEYSTONE XL 

Keystone XL protesters seek dismissal of lawsuit preventing protests (via The Oklahoman)

TRANSPORTATION 

Renault takes Better Place bankruptcy in stride, says EVs still a focus (via Autoblog Green)

Should the US government have made more money off Tesla? (via Washington Post)

Honda cuts US lease price for Fit EV to $259/month (via Green Car Congress)

GRID 

North American smart grid sensor market set to double by 2014 (via Renew Grid)

POLITICS 

GOP US Senator praises solar, warns of human-caused climate change (via Greentech Media)

OPINION 

How China may have just changed the climate game (via Climate Progress)

EU energy and climate change policy after 2020 (via Energy Collective)

Coming off fossil fuels is akin to quitting smoking – only harder (via The Guardian)

Coal is the enemy of the human race, video edition (via Grist)

How battery technology killed better place (via Environmental Leader)

Posted:   |   Categories: australia, battery, better place, california, carbon offsets, China, Climate Change, coal, Connecticut, drought, electric vehicles, emissions, environment, EU, European Union, ev, feed-in tariff, FERC, fracking, Fracking moratorium, germany, google, grid, honda, Honda Fit, Hydropower, investment, japan, Keystone XL, Lamar Alexander, Maine, natural gas, Net metering, News, North Carolina, offshore wind, oil, oklahoma, ontario, OPEC, Poland, Renault, renewable portfolio standard, renewables, smart grid, solar, South Africa, Tesla, texas, Transportation, Water scarcity, wind
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30
May

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 5.30.13

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

EMISSIONS 

UN says California and China in talks to link CO2 markets (via Reuters Point Carbon)

Where greenhouse gases come from, in one graph (via Grist)

US lab experiment removes CO2 from atmosphere at relatively low cost (via ClimateWire)

COAL 

The Chinese coal bubble (via Huffington Post)

China’s top utilities protest plan to ban low-grade coal imports (via Reuters)

TRANSPORTATION 

Tesla CEO says company is tripling size of the Supercharger network (via GigaOm)

RENEWABLES 

Solar cheaper than the grid in 102 countries (via Facts of the Day)

Australia on course to beat 2020 renewable energy target (via The Guardian)

Biomass to reach at least 82GW installed capacity worldwide by 2020 (via Navigant Research)

UAE solar power capacity to reach 20GW by 2030 (via Arab News)

India releases draft offshore wind energy policy (via Renewable Energy World)

Utilities weigh a turn to the sun (via Wall Street Journal)

As venture capital interest shrinks in clean tech, corporate investors swoop in (via San Jose Mercury News)

Feed-in tariff: policy tool encouraging deployment of renewable electricity technologies (via US EIA)

Minnesota solar could go from 13MW to 450MW with new solar bill (via CleanTechnica)

Xcel wants out of Goodhue wind farm deal (via Minnesota Finance & Commerce)

GRID 

Utilities want a piece of the FCC’s $4.5 billion rural broadband push (via Greentech Media)

NYPA spending $31 million on transmission improvements (via Renew Grid)

Viridity’s software moves beyond traditional demand response (via Greentech Media)

OIL 

Interior Department moves ahead on offshore drilling safety institute (via The Hill)

Shareholders slam Exxon on climate, discrimination concerns (via Houston Chronicle)

Arkansas residents sue Exxon after oil spill (via Houston Chronicle)

NATURAL GAS/FRACKING 

Some in Europe are rethinking opposition to fracking (via New York Times)

Escalating water strains in fracking regions of US (via Forbes)

ENVIRONMENT 

US drought damage could top $200 billion (via AG Professional)

California plan to overhaul water system hub will cost $25 billion (via Los Angeles Times)

Over 100 ski resorts join BICEP climate declaration (via Triple Pundit)

US sued over policy on killing endangered wildlife (via Los Angeles Times)

CLIMATE 

Erratic US “weather whiplash” accounts for billions in global losses (via The Guardian)

Understanding local weather key to coping with climate change (via RTCC)

POLITICS 

FERC Chairman Wellinghoff announces he’ll step down (via The Hill)

Rallies in 12 US cities protest Koch Brothers Tribune Takeover bid (via Desmog Blog)

OPINION 

Here’s why 1.2 billion people still don’t have access to electricity (via Washington Post)

Why Germany’s solar power is distributed (via Greentech Media)

Kerry’s misfire about US performance on Kyoto emissions targets (via Washington Post)

Posted:   |   Categories: Arkansas, australia, biomass, california, China, climate, Climate Change, coal, Demand response, distributed generation, drought, Elon Musk, emissions, environment, europe, Exxon, feed-in tariff, fracking, germany, grid, Grid Parity, india, interior department, investment, john kerry, Koch Brothers, Kyoto, minnesota, natural gas, News, NYPA, offshore drilling, offshore wind, oil, oil spill, renewables, smart grid, solar, Supercharger, Tesla, transmission, Transportation, UAE, UN, united nations, Viridity, Water scarcity, xcel
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30
May

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 5.30.13

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

EMISSIONS 

UN says California and China in talks to link CO2 markets (via Reuters Point Carbon)

Where greenhouse gases come from, in one graph (via Grist)

US lab experiment removes CO2 from atmosphere at relatively low cost (via ClimateWire)

COAL 

The Chinese coal bubble (via Huffington Post)

China’s top utilities protest plan to ban low-grade coal imports (via Reuters)

TRANSPORTATION 

Tesla CEO says company is tripling size of the Supercharger network (via GigaOm)

RENEWABLES 

Solar cheaper than the grid in 102 countries (via Facts of the Day)

Australia on course to beat 2020 renewable energy target (via The Guardian)

Biomass to reach at least 82GW installed capacity worldwide by 2020 (via Navigant Research)

UAE solar power capacity to reach 20GW by 2030 (via Arab News)

India releases draft offshore wind energy policy (via Renewable Energy World)

Utilities weigh a turn to the sun (via Wall Street Journal)

As venture capital interest shrinks in clean tech, corporate investors swoop in (via San Jose Mercury News)

Feed-in tariff: policy tool encouraging deployment of renewable electricity technologies (via US EIA)

Minnesota solar could go from 13MW to 450MW with new solar bill (via CleanTechnica)

Xcel wants out of Goodhue wind farm deal (via Minnesota Finance & Commerce)

GRID 

Utilities want a piece of the FCC’s $4.5 billion rural broadband push (via Greentech Media)

NYPA spending $31 million on transmission improvements (via Renew Grid)

Viridity’s software moves beyond traditional demand response (via Greentech Media)

OIL 

Interior Department moves ahead on offshore drilling safety institute (via The Hill)

Shareholders slam Exxon on climate, discrimination concerns (via Houston Chronicle)

Arkansas residents sue Exxon after oil spill (via Houston Chronicle)

NATURAL GAS/FRACKING 

Some in Europe are rethinking opposition to fracking (via New York Times)

Escalating water strains in fracking regions of US (via Forbes)

ENVIRONMENT 

US drought damage could top $200 billion (via AG Professional)

California plan to overhaul water system hub will cost $25 billion (via Los Angeles Times)

Over 100 ski resorts join BICEP climate declaration (via Triple Pundit)

US sued over policy on killing endangered wildlife (via Los Angeles Times)

CLIMATE 

Erratic US “weather whiplash” accounts for billions in global losses (via The Guardian)

Understanding local weather key to coping with climate change (via RTCC)

POLITICS 

FERC Chairman Wellinghoff announces he’ll step down (via The Hill)

Rallies in 12 US cities protest Koch Brothers Tribune Takeover bid (via Desmog Blog)

OPINION 

Here’s why 1.2 billion people still don’t have access to electricity (via Washington Post)

Why Germany’s solar power is distributed (via Greentech Media)

Kerry’s misfire about US performance on Kyoto emissions targets (via Washington Post)

Posted:   |   Categories: Arkansas, australia, BICEP, biomass, california, China, climate, Climate Change, coal, Demand response, distributed generation, drought, Elon Musk, emissions, environment, europe, Exxon, feed-in tariff, fracking, germany, grid, Grid Parity, india, interior department, investment, john kerry, Koch Brothers, Kyoto, minnesota, natural gas, News, NYPA, offshore drilling, offshore wind, oil, oil spill, renewables, smart grid, solar, Supercharger, Tesla, transmission, Transportation, UAE, UN, united nations, Viridity, Water scarcity, xcel
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