Category Archives:Iowa

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
0
10
May

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 5.10.13

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

GRID 

North America boasts 95% of demand response projects (via Energy Manager Today)

Microgrids for military bases to surpass $377 million in annual market value by 2018 (via Navigant Research)

PacifiCorp continues high-voltage transmission grid expansion (via Renew Grid)

Nest aims to shake up residential demand response (via Navigant Research)

GREEN BUSINESS 

Global green trade to reach $2.2 trillion by 2020 (via Environmental Leader)

How are China’s overseas investments affecting the environment? (via WRI Insights)

Patagonia’s new VC fund to invest in trailblazing green firms (via GreenBiz)

An effort to thwart sale of Tribune Company papers to the Kochs (via New York Times)

RENEWABLES 

EU to hit 100+ China solar panel makers with anti-dumping tariffs (via Greentech Media)

Wind PTC secured for now, industry focuses on long-term growth (via Greenwire)

Unique floating wind turbine base could provide glimpse into future (via Bangor Daily News)

Doubling wind power could save Mid-Atlantic consumers $6.9 billion a year (via Climate Progress)

New Hampshire governor opposes Connecticut’s plans to change renewable energy standard (via New Haven Register)

Rate design matters: utility tariffs and solar project economics (via Greentech Media)

Big gust of new wind power coming Iowa’s way (via EarthTechling)

Illinois Senate backs Lake Michigan offshore wind study (via News-Gazette)

NATURAL GAS 

DOE using broad criteria to judge LNG exports (via Houston Chronicle)

CLIMATE 

Studies of the past show an ice-free Arctic could be in our future (via Time)

Countries finding new ways to address climate change (via Sustainable Business)

Prince Charles: climate change skeptics are turning Earth into dying patient (via The Guardian)

Is it time to abandon the 2-degree warming target? (via RTCC)

Obama Administration rolls out climate and health data tool (via The Hill)

GREEN BUILDING 

Green building now mandatory in Dubai (via Sustainable Business)

“Monumental shift” in US buildings sector may surprise you (via Greentech Media)

TRANSPORTATION 

2013 Nissan Leaf named “Top Safety Pick” in IIHS crash tests (via Autoblog Green)

Nissan Leaf moves beyond early adopters to cost conscious (via Forbes)

Australian researchers more than double EV battery capacity (via Autoblog Green)

OIL 

New blowout preventer mandates coming – but companies won’t have to comply overnight (via Houston Chronicle)

Oil industry: BLM preventing job creation by postponing oil, gas lease auctions (via Washington Post/AP)

BIOMASS 

Europe’s new biomass satellite will map Earth’s forests to calculate carbon stores (via Inhabitat)

Does burning wood instead of fossil fuels increase GHG emissions? (via Midwest Energy News) 

POLITICS 

Republicans boycott vote on Obama’s EPA pick (via Mother Jones)

EPA nomination faces some hard math (via The Hill)

McCarthy’s nomination in doubt, angering Democrats (via Politico)

Major Obama donors compare Keystone decision to outlawing of slavery (via Washington Post)

OPINION 

Conventional wisdom about clean energy is still way out of date (via Greentech Media)

Once more, with feeling: EPA is required to regulate carbon from existing power plants (via Grist)

Why you can’t talk about fixing the electric grid without talking about climate change (via Climate Progress)

Time to reconsider “baseload” power (via Midwest Energy News)

California’s new energy crisis centers on nuclear power (via Forbes)

Posted:   |   Categories: arctic, australia, barack obama, battery, biomass, california, China, climate, Climate Change, Connecticut, Demand response, DOE, Dubai, Electric Vehicle, emissions, Energy Efficiency, EPA, EU, European Union, ev, Gina McCarthy, green building, green business, grid, Illinois, investment, Iowa, Keystone XL, Koch Brothers, Lake Michigan, Liquefied natural gas, LNG, Microgrid, natural gas, Natural gas exports, Nest, New Hampshire, News, nissan LEAF, nuclear power, offshore drilling, offshore wind, oil, Oil spill BLM, PacifiCorp, Patagonia, PJM Interconnection, Prince Charles, production tax credit, ptc, Renewable energy standard, renewable portfolio standard, renewables, res, rps, solar pv, Solar trade war, transmission, Transportation, wind
0
03
May

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 5.3.13

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

EMISSIONS

Atmospheric carbon to hit five-million-year record (via Phys.org)

63% of firms don’t report GHG emissions, says report (via Environmental Leader)

EU companies submit 500 million UN carbon permits in 2012 (via BusinessGreen)

EU leads new push to ban HFC greenhouse gases (via RTCC)

EU factories double use of UN carbon credits in 2012 (via Bloomberg)

RENEWABLES 

India targets minimum of 15-18GW new wind additions by 2017 (via Panchabuta)

EU to propose duties on Chinese solar panels (via Reuters)

Spain tops 50% renewables for second month in a row (via Renew Economy)

Is Japan the next big solar PV market? (via Renewable Energy World)

Russia set to build its largest wind farm (via Windpower Monthly)

TVA approves more than 250 renewable energy projects (via Renew Grid)

Hawaiian electric companies hit 13.9% renewable energy record (via Renew Grid)

Farmer and family-owned wind rises in Iowa (via CleanTechnica)

Smart turbines with batteries will feed Texas grid (via EarthTechling)

Increased renewable energy mandate wins another vote in Colorado (via Renew Grid)

Shared renewables bills moving forward in California (via CleanTechnica)

CLIMATE 

UN agency: Arctic ice loss “disturbing” sign of climate change (via The Hill)

Atlantic coastal waters are hottest since measurements began (via Grist)

Australia joins climate displacement group (via World News Australia)

White House warned on imminent Arctic ice death spiral (via The Guardian)

Drought and heat may fuel early wildfire season in West (via Climate Central)

Southern California wildfire season off to sinister start (via Los Angeles Times)

NATURAL GAS/FRACKING 

Nearly half of US fracking sites overlap with water-stressed regions (via WRI Insights)

Natural gas vehicles haven’t caught on yet – could that ever change? (via Washington Post)

New York state court upholds town zoning laws to ban fracking (via Reuters)

GRID 

Will utilities embrace distributed energy? (via MIT Technology Review)

Distributed energy storage benefits on both sides of the meter (via Renewable Energy World)

A123 reborn as technology incubator A123 Venture Technologies (via Autoblog Green)

COAL 

Alpha Coal: Appalachian coal’s decline is “structural” (via Charleston Gazette)

Wisconsin wins coal battle, loses energy war (via CleanTechnica)

Midwestern coal gasification plant and proposed CO2 pipeline appear near termination (via ClimateWire)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

The $40 billion hiding in US buildings (via Renewable Energy World)

Demand response revenue for commercial buildings will surpass $712 million annually by 2018 (via Navigant Research)

Greening hospitals would cut health care costs (via Sustainable Business)

OIL 

Russia’s April oil output near post-Soviet record (via Bloomberg)

Gulf spill cases against former BP employees advance (via Houston Chronicle)

Time for California to tax oil extraction? (via San Jose Mercury News)

POLITICS 

Senate committee vote set for EPA nominee (via The Hill)

OPINION 

What would “wartime mobilization” to fight climate change look like? (via Grist)

All renewables, all the time (via Navigant Research)

Fatality rate for oil & gas workers 7 times national average rate (via Facts of the Day)

Climate change and the carbon bubble reality check (via The Energy Collective)

The giants of the green world that profit from the planet’s destruction (via The Guardian)

Posted:   |   Categories: 400ppm, A123, Alpha Coal, arctic, australia, Batteries, BP, california, cap and trade, Carbon allowances, Carbon bubble, China, climate, Climate Change, Climate displacement, coal, Coal gasification, colorado, Demand response, distributed generation, drought, emissions, Emissions reporting, Energy Efficiency, energy storage, EPA, ERCOT, EU, EU ETS, European Union, Extreme weather, fracking, Gina McCarthy, grid, Gulf of Mexico, Hawaii, india, Iowa, japan, natural gas, new york state, News, oil, oil spill, PV solar, Renewable energy standard, renewables, Russia, Sea ice melt, Shared renewables, smart grid, solar, Solar trade war, Spain, Tennessee Valley Authority, texas, TVA, Water scarcity, Wildfire, wind, Wisconsin, WMO, World Meteorological Organization
0
03
May

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 5.3.13

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

EMISSIONS

Atmospheric carbon to hit five-million-year record (via Phys.org)

63% of firms don’t report GHG emissions, says report (via Environmental Leader)

EU companies submit 500 million UN carbon permits in 2012 (via BusinessGreen)

EU leads new push to ban HFC greenhouse gases (via RTCC)

EU factories double use of UN carbon credits in 2012 (via Bloomberg)

RENEWABLES 

India targets minimum of 15-18GW new wind additions by 2017 (via Panchabuta)

EU to propose duties on Chinese solar panels (via Reuters)

Spain tops 50% renewables for second month in a row (via Renew Economy)

Is Japan the next big solar PV market? (via Renewable Energy World)

Russia set to build its largest wind farm (via Windpower Monthly)

TVA approves more than 250 renewable energy projects (via Renew Grid)

Hawaiian electric companies hit 13.9% renewable energy record (via Renew Grid)

Farmer and family-owned wind rises in Iowa (via CleanTechnica)

Smart turbines with batteries will feed Texas grid (via EarthTechling)

Increased renewable energy mandate wins another vote in Colorado (via Renew Grid)

Shared renewables bills moving forward in California (via CleanTechnica)

CLIMATE 

UN agency: Arctic ice loss “disturbing” sign of climate change (via The Hill)

Atlantic coastal waters are hottest since measurements began (via Grist)

Australia joins climate displacement group (via World News Australia)

White House warned on imminent Arctic ice death spiral (via The Guardian)

Drought and heat may fuel early wildfire season in West (via Climate Central)

Southern California wildfire season off to sinister start (via Los Angeles Times)

NATURAL GAS/FRACKING 

Nearly half of US fracking sites overlap with water-stressed regions (via WRI Insights)

Natural gas vehicles haven’t caught on yet – could that ever change? (via Washington Post)

New York state court upholds town zoning laws to ban fracking (via Reuters)

GRID 

Will utilities embrace distributed energy? (via MIT Technology Review)

Distributed energy storage benefits on both sides of the meter (via Renewable Energy World)

A123 reborn as technology incubator A123 Venture Technologies (via Autoblog Green)

COAL 

Alpha Coal: Appalachian coal’s decline is “structural” (via Charleston Gazette)

Wisconsin wins coal battle, loses energy war (via CleanTechnica)

Midwestern coal gasification plant and proposed CO2 pipeline appear near termination (via ClimateWire)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

The $40 billion hiding in US buildings (via Renewable Energy World)

Demand response revenue for commercial buildings will surpass $712 million annually by 2018 (via Navigant Research)

Greening hospitals would cut health care costs (via Sustainable Business)

OIL 

Russia’s April oil output near post-Soviet record (via Bloomberg)

Gulf spill cases against former BP employees advance (via Houston Chronicle)

Time for California to tax oil extraction? (via San Jose Mercury News)

POLITICS 

Senate committee vote set for EPA nominee (via The Hill)

OPINION 

What would “wartime mobilization” to fight climate change look like? (via Grist)

All renewables, all the time (via Navigant Research)

Fatality rate for oil & gas workers 7 times national average rate (via Facts of the Day)

Climate change and the carbon bubble reality check (via The Energy Collective)

The giants of the green world that profit from the planet’s destruction (via The Guardian)

Posted:   |   Categories: 400ppm, A123, Alpha Coal, arctic, australia, Batteries, BP, california, cap and trade, Carbon bubble, China, climate, Climate Change, coal, Coal gasification, colorado, Demand response, distributed generation, drought, emissions, Emissions reporting, Energy Efficiency, energy storage, EPA, ERCOT, EU, EU ETS, European Union, Extreme weather, fracking, Gina McCarthy, grid, Gulf of Mexico, Hawaii, india, Iowa, japan, natural gas, new york state, News, oil, oil spill, PV solar, Renewable energy standard, renewables, Russia, Sea ice melt, Shared renewables, smart grid, solar, Solar trade war, Spain, Tennessee Valley Authority, texas, TVA, Water scarcity, Wildfire, wind, Wisconsin, WMO
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24
Apr

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 4.24.13

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

NATURAL GAS/FRACKING 

Germany is torn over shale gas fracking (via Washington Post)

Natural gas price more than doubles from 2012 low (via Houston Chronicle)

Harvard report slams fracking chemical disclosure website (via Houston Chronicle)

EMISSIONS 

Record carbon plunge means pain for Europe’s utilities (via Bloomberg)

US power sector readies for new emissions rules (via Wall Street Journal)

Utility Xcel Energy on track to surpass 20% CO2 reduction goal by 2020 (via Renew Grid)

RENEWABLES 

Four charts on the future of the global solar market (via Greentech Media)

France backs plan for EU 2030 renewables target (via BusinessGreen)

Portraits of a maturing solar market: how key states are faring (via Greentech Media)

America now has more solar energy workers than coal miners (via Treehugger)

Hydropower, energy efficiency bills get early start in Congress (via Houston Chronicle)

ALEC picks up the pace: 16 states could repeal renewable energy policy (via Sustainable Business)

Wind map shows untapped energy potential in cities (via Phys.org)

IBM’s new concentrated solar technology may provide 80% efficiency (via BusinessGreen)

Colorado renewable energy requirement bill faces another test in legislature (via Houston Chronicle/AP)

How wind energy helped Iowa attract Facebook’s new data center (via Midwest Energy News)

COAL 

Federal court backs EPA veto of mountaintop mining project (via The Hill)

New regional alliance opposes coal-export plan from Washington ports (via Seattle Times)

With natural gas costly, AEP burning more coal (via Columbus Dispatch)

LA City Council unanimously votes to phase out coal-fired energy (via Los Angeles Times)

CLIMATE 

Saudi Arabia blocks climate change from UN poverty goals (via RTCC)

Climate change as real business risk (via GreenBiz)

Climate’s best hope: another Bush presidency? (via Politico)

TRANSPORTATION 

Obama Administration had advance warning on Fisker Automotive failure (via CBS/AP)

LA to host all-electric race car series (via Los Angeles Times)

Fisker execs will be questioned today over DOE loan, repayments (via Autoblog Green) 

ENVIRONMENT 

Federal court rejects challenge to EPA power plant waste runoff rules (via The Hill)

Red River showdown: Texas-Oklahoma water war could reverberate across US (via Stateline)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

New Jersey school cuts energy use 52%, wins EPA building competition (via Energy Manager Today)

OPINION 

India’s PM talks up clean energy, but can he deliver? (via RTCC)

US oil and gas boom has had a modest economic impact – so far (via Washington Post)

Why is Reuters puzzled by global warming’s acceleration? (via The Guardian)

How much does EPA’s objection to Keystone XL matter? A lot. (via Washington Post)

Breaking down on the road to electric cars (via New York Times)

NRG Energy CEO: solar should break up with wind, date natural gas, have distributed babies (via Grist)

Three thoughts on the Fisker debacle (via Scientific American)

POLITICS 

Conservatives come out for renewable energy projects (via National Journal)

Murkowski sees wider support for clean energy tax break (via Bloomberg)

Obama’s pick for Energy Secretary blocked over cuts at South Carolina nuclear waste plant (via National Journal)

Posted:   |   Categories: AEP, ALEC, barack obama, cap and trade, Carbon market, Carbon price, climate, Climate Change, coal, Coal export, colorado, Concentrating solar power, David Crane, distributed generation, DOE, drought, emissions, Energy Efficiency, environment, EPA, Ernest Moniz, EU, europe, European Union, facebook, Fisker, FracFocus, fracking, Fracking chemical disclosure, France, germany, Harvard, Hydropower, ibm, india, Iowa, Jeb Bush, Keystone XL, Linsday Graham, Lisa Murkowski, los angeles, mountaintop removal, natural gas, new jersey, News, NRG Energy, oklahoma, Renewable energy standard, renewables, res, saudi arabia, Shale gas, solar, south carolina, texas, Transportation, Washington State, Water scarcity, wind, xcel energy
0
10
Apr

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 4.10.13

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

NATURAL GAS/FRACKING 

US recoverable natural gas estimate jumps 26 percent (via Houston Chronicle)

EIA projects flatlining of natural gas consumption through 2014 (via Facts of the Day)

Little support for natural gas exports, UT poll finds (via Houston Chronicle)

CLIMATE 

Australia prepares for new weather extremes as political opposition mounts (via ClimateWire)

Nearly 80 percent of Americans hit by extreme weather disaster since 2007 (via Climate Progress)

Climate change included in US science teaching guidelines for first time (via The Guardian)

NUCLEAR 

Ex-regulator says all US nuclear reactors have safety design flaw (via New York Times)

RENEWABLES 

Global solar PV market surges toward 100GW milestone (via BusinessGreen)

Asian Development Bank pleads for alternative energy use (via Bangkok Post)

Chinese wind energy output soars 41 percent (via BusinessGreen)

South African solar projects get $2.2 billion boost (via Sustainable Business)

Brazil planning for another 300MW of solar PV (via CleanTechnica)

When it comes to solar power, small scale is beautiful (via EarthTechling)

Renewables provide 82% of new US electrical generating capacity in1Q 2013 (via Renewable Energy World)

NRG introducing solar with battery storage for homeowners (via Renewable Energy World)

Building a solar economy: 4 lessons from Hawaii (via Yes! Magazine)

First Solar soars 45 percent on outlook, acquisition (via Reuters)

Mosiac receives approval to offer $100 million in solar investments to California residents (via San Jose Mercury News)

Illinois renewable energy fund set to jump 10x, but glitches could make it impossible to spend money (via Crain’s Chicago Business)

OIL 

OPEC joins US in lowering 2013 oil demand growth view (via Reuters)

Gazprom, Shell agree to develop Arctic oil fields despite environmental concerns (via Washington Post)

BP says safety was top priority in Gulf before massive oil spill (via Washington Post)

Today is deadline for Exxon to produce Arkansas oil spill documents (via Ozarks First)

Exxon oil spill cleanup in path of severe weather, maybe a tornado (via InsideClimate News)

Jury finds Exxon liable for $236 million in New Hampshire pollution suit (via Reuters)

EMISSIONS 

UN emissions credits surge as developers delay carbon claims (via Bloomberg)

Shanghai to become second Chinese city to launch carbon trading this June (via BusinessGreen)

Air pollution killed 7 million people in 2010 (via Mongabay)

DOE nominee mum on carbon tax during hearing (via The Hill)

KEYSTONE XL/TAR SANDS 

Keystone XL pipeline developer fears decision is “many months” away (via The Hill) 

Did Keystone XL contractor hide its conflict of interest? (via Mother Jones)

TRANSPORTATION 

More than 48,000 EV public charging stations have been deployed worldwide (via Navigant Research)

Car repair costs rising – apart from hybrids, which get cheaper (via Green Car Reports)

US public charging stations increase 9% in first quarter 2013 (via Autoblog Green)

Elon Musk says next, cheaper Tesla coming in 2016 or 2017 (via Autoblog Green)

GRID 

New grid architecture enables renewable integration (via Navigant Research)

In Iowa, researchers seeing a stronger, lighter power line (via Midwest Energy News)

ENERGY POLICY 

Energy tax reform a heavy lift for lawmakers (via Politico)

Four charts that show the US spends too little on energy research (via Washington Post)

Kansas could outlaw sustainable development (via Treehugger)

COAL 

Plans for one coal export terminal in Oregon dropped, four others still under consideration (via Climate Progress)

ENVIRONMENT 

Entire planet will soon have rapid deforestation detection system (via Mongabay)

GREEN BUSINESS 

Hundreds of US colleges creating a clean energy future, today (via EcoAffect)

Best Buy e-waste recycling actually a notable accomplishment (via EarthTechling)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

Ohio state legislature reviewing energy efficiency rules (via Columbus Dispatch)

POLITICS 

Coming and going at the Energy Department (via New York Times)

Ernest Moniz faces grilling in confirmation hearing (via Houston Chronicle)

McCarthy to face barrage of agency criticism (via E&E Daily)

OPINION 

How carbon reduction and smart grid work together (via Greentech Media)

Why First Solar is buying a silicon solar cell startup no one’s heard of (via GigaOm)

Exxon revolutionizes energy by delivering it straight to your face (via Grist)

Posted:   |   Categories: 1958, Air pollution, arctic, Arkansas, Asian Development Bank, australia, battery, Best Buy, BP, Brazil, california, cap and trade, carbon tax, carbon trading, China, climate, Climate Change, coal, Coal export, deforestation, department of energy, DOE, e-waste, eia, Electric Vehicle, Elon Musk, emissions, Energy Efficiency, energy storage, Energy tax reform, environment, Ernest Moniz, ev, ev charging, Extreme weather, Exxon, First Solar, fracking, Gazprom, Gina McCarthy, green business, Gregory Jaczko, grid, Gulf of Mexico, Hawaii, Hybrids, Illinois, Iowa, kansas, Keystone XL, Mosiac, natural gas, Natural gas exports, New Hampshire, News, NRC, NRG, nuclear, offshore drilling, Ohio, oil, oil spill, OPEC, oregon, Recycling, renewables, Shanghai, Shell, smart grid, solar, solar pv, South Africa, tar sands, Tesla, transmission, Transportation, UN, united nations, wind
0
26
Mar

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 3.26.13

GRID 

Hackers hit energy companies more than others (via Houston Chronicle)

Opower putting energy monitoring to work in New Zealand (via Renew Grid)

Why California will lead the world on microgrids (via Navigant Research)

NATURAL GAS/FRACKING 

Shell says China approves shale deal, plans more drilling (via Reuters)

New panel to advise EPA on fracking (via The Hill)

Over half of US natural gas pipeline projects in 2012 were in the Northeast (via US EIA)

States deciding note to consider seismic risks of shale drilling (via EnergyWire)

RENEWABLES 

Report: Europe losing its edge in clean tech market (via BusinessGreen)

France expects new wind tender to attract $4.5 billion (via Recharge)

Wind power peaks in UK, Denmark, US (via Renewable Energy World)

Scientists hail bio-batteries breakthrough (via BusinessGreen)

NRG skirts utilities taking solar panels to US rooftops (via Bloomberg)

The biggest fight over renewable energy is now in the states (via Washington Post)

Numbers from the war on state renewable standards (via Greentech Media)

Stunning fact: Iowa and South Dakota get nearly 25% their electricity from wind (via Facts of the Day)

In Iowa, another view on how to solve wind’s variability (via Midwest Energy News)

ENVIRONMENT 

Humans killed over 10% of world’s bird species when they colonized Pacific Islands (via Mongabay)

White House declares five national monuments (via The Hill)

TRANSPORTATION 

France’s electric car push presents power grid challenge (via Reuters)

Boeing tests Dreamliner battery fix with Japan first in line (via Bloomberg)

Better route planning cuts fuel use in freight sector (via Reuters)

Tesla to expand Supercharger network in Northwest, Texas, Florida, Northeast (via Green Car Reports)

OIL 

Exxon fined $1.7 million over Yellowstone River oil spill (via CNBC)

Tiny Dallas oil company scores two giant deepwater discoveries in one week (via Forbes)

CLIMATE 

Scientists link frozen spring to dramatic Arctic sea ice loss (via The Guardian)

New research confirms global warming has accelerated (via Skeptical Science)

Climate change will bring greater extreme weather, warns UK’s chief scientific advisor (via The Independent)

Obama’s Achilles’ heel on climate: Senate Democrats (via Politico)

EMISSIONS 

Global carbon market volume set to rise 14 percent (via BusinessGreen)

Palo Alto takes leap to 100% carbon-neutral electricity (via Sustainable Business)

OPINION 

Can we shift to renewable energy? Yes, as to how… (via Grist)

How to rebuild green after natural disasters (via Environmental Leader)

Will NRG Energy be the next ten-ton gorilla in solar leasing? (via GigaOm)

Why Google is spending billions on renewable energy (via Christian Science Monitor)

Posted:   |   Categories: arctic, battery, Boeing Dreamliner, california, Carbon market, China, climate, Climate Change, denmark, earthquakes, Electric Vehicle, emissions, environment, EPA, europe, ev, ev charging, EV charging infrastructure, Extinction, Extreme weather, Exxon, Florida, fracking, France, Fuel Economy, global warming, google, green building, grid, Iowa, japan, Microgrid, natural gas, new zealand, News, NRG, offshore drilling, offshore wind, oil, oil spill, Opower, palo alto, Pipelines, Renewable energy standards, renewables, Sea ice loss, Shale gas, Shell, solar, South Dakota, Tesla, texas, Transportation, uk, united kingdom, wind
0
20
Mar

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 3.20.13

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

ENERGY POLICY 

China expects energy talks breakthrough in official visit to Russia (via Bloomberg)

Fossil fuel generation increases 21% in Japan in 2012 (via Greentech Media)

US manufacturing sector energy use and intensity down since 2002 (via Green Car Congress)

EMISSIONS 

China postpones launch of national carbon market to post-2015 (via RTCC)

Green groups press EPA for climate rule opposed by industry (via Bloomberg)

RGGI nets $106 million for clean energy, may hit $2 billion by 2020 (via CleanTechnica)

Los Angeles halts using electricity from coal plants (via Bloomberg)

RENEWABLES 

Chinese installed wind capacity reached 75GW in 2012 (via CleanTechnica)

China’s Suntech declares bankruptcy (via Reuters)

Japanese bank signs on to support first US offshore wind farm (via AOL Energy)

With turbines on the watery horizon, hopes for a more streamlined permitting process (via ClimateWire)

Xcel hits Upper Midwest wind power record (via Star-Tribune)

Cape Wind expects construction start off Cape Cod by year-end (via Reuters)

Solar power installations top 1GW in New Jersey (via Reuters)

New Jersey solar market prices rise (via AOL Energy)

Arizona wins back its renewable energy standard (via Greentech Media)

Effort to repeal Kansas renewable energy standard fails in state legislature (via Wichita Eagle)

Feed-in tariff breakthrough in Iowa? (via Renewable Energy World)

Connecticut’s new plan for renewables turns to hydropower, away from biomass (via Hartford Courant)

NUCLEAR 

UK approves first new nuclear plant in decades (via BusinessGreen)

NRC votes for upgrades to some nuclear reactor vents (via New York Times)

Michigan nuclear plant’s fate depends on Indiana regulators (via Midwest Energy News)

NATURAL GAS/FRACKING 

US reports huge potential for “fire in the ice” as Japan hurries to production (via EnergyWire)

Natural gas exports concern chemical executive (via Houston Chronicle)

Shale gas boom alone won’t propel US industry (via Wall Street Journal)

TRANSPORTATION 

Pressure builds in EU for tighter fuel emission rules (via BusinessGreen)

No silver bullet for reaching fuel and emissions goals, says study (via New York Times)

Washington State proposes $124 fine for parking gas car in EV spot (via Plugin Cars)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

Policy changes could free $1 trillion in energy savings (via Houston Chronicle)

The EE Eight: energy-efficient campuses in the NCAA basketball tournament (via Alliance to Save Energy)

ENVIRONMENT 

From heat wave to snowstorms March weather goes to extremes (via Climate Central)

Warmer springs mean less snow cover, disruptions for plants and animals, and more allergies (via Union of Concerned Scientists)

Drought plunges Texas and US cattle herd to lowest level since 1952 (via Facts of the Day)

OIL 

US oil production is booming, but here’s the catch (via Washington Post)

Administration won’t trade ANWR drilling for clean energy fund (via Washington Post)

POLITICS 

Energy Security Trust faces partisan roadblock in Congress (via Politico)

Poll: President Obama’s voters don’t want Keystone approval (via Politico)

Billionaire targets Democrat on Keystone XL in Massachusetts Senate race (via The Hill)

OPINION 

Two reasons climate change is not like other environmental problems (via Grist)

It’s time to consider the long-term costs of fracking (via Houston Chronicle)

A short history of greenwashing the tar sands, part one (via Desmog Canada)

Posted:   |   Categories: anwr, Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, arizona, barack obama, biomass, cape wind, China, Climate Change, coal, Connecticut, drought, Electric Vehicle, emissions, Energy Efficiency, Energy Security Trust, environment, EPA, EU, European Union, ev, Extreme weather, feed-in tariff, FIT, fracking, Fuel Economy, global warming, greenwashing, Hydropower, indiana, Iowa, japan, kansas, Keystone XL, los angeles, massachusetts, Methane hydrates, michigan, natural gas, Natural gas exports, new jersey, News, NRC, nuclear, offshore wind, oil, Renewable energy standard, renewables, res, rggi, Russia, Shale gas, solar, Solar renewable energy credit, SREC, Suntech, tar sands, texas, Tom Steyer, Transportation, uk, united kingdom, Washington State, wind, xcel
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19
Mar

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 3.19.13

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

EMISSIONS 

Russia’s new 2020 carbon target could see emissions rise by 30% (via RTCC)

New Chinese premier vows to tackle pollution with “iron fist” (via Yale e360)

New EPA power plant rule running late, with major changes possible (via Greenwire)

Coal state Dems press Obama to scale back EPA emissions rules (via The Hill)

Why the EPA might delay carbon rules for power plants (via Washington Post)

California cap-and-trade funds proposed for green bank (via Bloomberg)

CLIMATE 

Climate change could mean seven times as many Katrinas for US (via Mother Jones)

A dramatic greening of the Artic over past 30 years (via Weather Underground)

RENEWABLES 

Renewables contribute 12.5% of India’s total power generation (via Panchabuta)

China may cut subsidy for largest solar projects (via Bloomberg)

Masdar cuts ribbon on world’s largest concentrated solar power plant (via BusinessGreen)

France announces tender for 400MW of large solar PV plants (via CleanTechnica)

Global clean energy reserves could match fossil fuels (via BusinessGreen)

Renewable energy standards target of multi-pronged attack (via InsideClimate News)

$4.8 billion in loans weighed by US for post-Solyndra projects (via Renewable Energy World/Bloomberg)

Next-gen biofuels making slow progress in 2013 (GigaOm)

Eagle death prompts wind farm investigation (via AOL Energy)

Fourth-graders crowdfund their own solar-powered classroom (via Treehugger)

California Green Innovation Index released (via San Jose Mercury News)

Iowa bill would support farmer-owned wind installations (via Midwest Energy News)

NATURAL GAS/FRACKING 

Saudi Arabia to drill seven shale gas test wells (via Bloomberg)

Shale gas “no competitor” outside US (via Recharge)

Marcellus Shale now most productive in US (via StateImpact Pennsylvania)

US natural gas prices rise as cold snap extends to April (via Reuters)

Chesapeake sued for fixing prices, underpaying landowners (via Houston Chronicle)

GRID 

Grid integration of wind and solar is cheap (via Greentech Media)

Infrastructure boom drives wire and cable materials market (via Renew Grid)

OIL 

Russia adopts fracking to revive Soviet oil fields (via Bloomberg)

California fracking fight has $24 billion in taxes at stake (via Bloomberg)

In Texas, recycling oilfield water has far to go (via Texas Tribune)

TRANSPORTATION 

India launches a $15,000 EV with no government help (via Forbes)

European car-efficiency rule would cut fuel bill by 25% (via Bloomberg)

Two airlines may have to buy EU carbon to give back to UK (via Bloomberg)

Toyota targets 2020 for 600-mile solid state electric car battery (via Plugin Cars)

One-third of electric car buyers might not buy another (via Green Car Reports)

Ford COO: electrified vehicles could be up to 25% of sales by 2020 (via Autoblog Green)

Automakers tell EPA it’s highly unlikely they can hit California ZEV mandate (via Autoblog Green)

TAR SANDS

German research institute pulls out of Canadian tar sands project (via EurActiv)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

Top ten US cities with the most Energy Star-certified buildings (via Renew Grid)

White roofs, green myth? (via Huffington Post)

The green in green building (via Sustainable Industries)

ENVIRONMENT 

China’s top six environmental problems (via Live Science)

Wildfires rage in Colorado as fears grow over drought (via The Guardian/Reuters)

Scientists puzzled by manatee deaths off Florida’s coast (via Tampa Bay Times)

Posted:   |   Categories: arctic, barack obama, biofuels, california, cap and trade, Chesapeake, China, climate, Climate Change, colorado, Concentrating solar power, csp, drought, Electric Vehicle, emissions, Energy Efficiency, Energy Start, environment, EPA, European Union, ev, Florida, Ford, fracking, France, fuel-efficiency, germany, global warming, green building, grid, india, Iowa, marcellus shale, masdar, natural gas, News, oil, Renewable energy standard, renewables, Russia, saudi arabia, Shale gas, solar, solar pv, solyndra, Subsidy, tar sands, texas, Toyota, transmission, Transportation, uk, united kingdom, White roofs, Wildfire, wind
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19
Feb

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 2.19.13

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

EMISSIONS 

EU Parliament approves plan to bolster carbon trading market (via New York Times)

EU gets behind ETS, but carbon price falls (via Recharge)

Researchers prove air pollution causes heart attacks (via Forbes)

Minnesota coal plans cut mercury emissions in half (via Duluth News Tribune)

KEYSTONE XL/TAR SANDS 

Oil sands mining uses up almost as much energy as it produces (via InsideClimate News)

Rupert Murdoch reveals Keystone XL opposition on Twitter (via Houston Chronicle)

CLIMATE 

UN says Arctic needs protection from resource rush as ice melts (via The Guardian)

Climate contraction: less snow, more blizzards (via AP)

RENEWABLES 

Renewable energy standards hitting blockades (via energyBiz)

Record year for US wind increases demand for service technicians (via Sustainable Business)

Two bills promoting geothermal energy reintroduced in US Senate (via Renewable Energy World)

Clean energy is a net positive on North Carolina utility rates, says report (via Energy Manager Today)

Biggest solar farm in eastern US coming to North Carolina (via Sustainable Business)

Is Iowa paying to help other states meet renewable goals? (via Midwest Energy News)

Proposed Nebraska incentives for wind energy up in the air (via Omaha World-Herald)

Washington State utility breaks wind energy generation record (via Renew Grid)

GRID

China’s army tied to hacking against US grid, energy industry (via New York Times)

A new electricity model for the US grid (via Energy Collective)

NATURAL GAS/FRACKING 

German doubts about fracking could prove costly (via Reuters)

Poland to ease environmental rules slowing shale exploration (via Bloomberg)

US natural gas exports could spur manufacturing (via Energy Collective)

Natural gas use for transport rises 26% from 2008 to 2011 (via Facts of the Day)

Investors are subsidizing natural gas consumers – but it won’t last (via Christian Science Monitor)

ENVIRONMENT 

Arctic sea ice volume plunges over a third in less than 10 years (via Mongabay)

Floating islands to the rescue for Midwest runoff pollution (via New York Times)

OIL 

US shale oil reviving East Coast refineries (via Boston Globe)

TRANSPORTATION 

Electric cars unevenly green around world – study (via EarthTechling)

Chinese car companies likely Fisker investment partners (via Los Angeles Times)

Can 10,000 charging stations make New York City America’s top EV market? (via CleanTechnica)

Is tomorrow the most important day ever for Tesla Motors? (via Green Car Reports)

GREEN BUSINESS 

The case for natural capital accounting (via GreenBiz)

NUCLEAR 

A strategy to prevent the next Fukushima (via New York Times)

US nuclear generation drops for two years running (via Facts of the Day)

POLITICS 

Why Republicans should embrace the reality of climate change (via Forbes)

Gore pans climate change media coverage (via Politico)

Could Chris Christie bring the GOP around on climate? (via Mother Jones)

OPINION 

At climate rally, some signs of fraying in a movement’s big tent (via Grist)

The politics of emissions: Keystone is an easier target than US coal-fired power plants (via Globe and Mail) 

Climate rally: how a pipeline became public enemy no. 1 (via Christian Science Monitor)

“Energy independence” alone won’t boost US power (via Council on Foreign Relations)

Problems with precision and judgment, but not integrity, in Tesla test (via New York Times)

Posted:   |   Categories: al gore, arctic, Carbon market, China, Chris Christie, climate, Climate Change, coal, Cybersecurity, Electric Vehicle, emissions, environment, EU, European Union, ev, EV charging infrastructure, ev charging station, Extreme weather, Fisker, fracking, fukushima, geothermal, germany, green business, grid, Iowa, Keystone XL, Mercury, Michael Bloomberg, minnesota, natural gas, Natural gas exports, Nebraska, New York City, News, North Carolina, nuclear, oil, Poland, Renewable energy standard, renewables, res, Rupert Murdoch, Sea ice melt, Severe weather, Shale gas, Shale oil, smart grid, solar, Subsidy, tar sands, Tax incentive, Tesla, Transportation, UN, united nations, Washington State, wind
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