Energy and Environment News Roundup – 3.13.13
A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.
ENERGY POLICY
Brussels looks to reignite 2030 EU carbon target debate (via BusinessGreen)
Merkel may create new energy ministry in nuclear to renewables switch (via Bloomberg)
COAL
Report: coal killed 100,000 in India in 2012 (via Huffington Post)
Coal to gas moves are generating economic waves (via Forbes)
CLIMATE
China plans first commercial trip through Arctic shortcut in 2013 (via Reuters)
Obama: climate change threatens US shipping routes (via The Hill)
As CO2 emissions rise, so will pollen counts and asthma attacks (via Climate Progress)
Bloomberg announces mayor’s summit to fight climate change (via CBS News)
RENEWABLES
China to outpace Germany as leading solar PV consumer in 2013 (via San Jose Mercury News)
Chinese solar panel maker Suntech on financial brink (via New York Times)
Cellulosic ethanol “to be cost-competitive by 2016” (via Environmental Leader)
California’s Mount Diablo school district leads the world on solar (via Sustainable Business)
Cape Wind going overseas, snubs Massachusetts steel company (via Boston Globe)
OIL
Brazil says subsalt oil finds could triple total reserves (via Reuters)
The Gulf of Mexico oil leak we’re not supposed to know about (via Triple Pundit)
Halliburton official “surprised” by unauthorized tests before Gulf oil spill (via Bloomberg)
TRANSPORTATION
Tesla Motors to expand European operations (via Plugin Cars)
New EPA gasoline rule could raise prices, fuel political fires (via National Journal)
US public charging stations increase by 180 a month, on track for 7,400 by end of year (via Autoblog Green)
Chevy Volt outsold Nissan Leaf for first time in 2012, says BNEF (via Bloomberg)
ChargePoint installs first of 80 new EV charging stations in NY State (via Renew Grid)
NATURAL GAS/FRACKING
Japan hopes methane hydrates are the next big energy source (via Washington Post)
Fracking fluid suppliers defend trade secrets on West Coast (via EnergyWire)
Fracking groundwater rules in Texas reflect legal ambiguities (via Texas Tribune)
How much water does it take to frack a well? (via StateImpact Pennsylvania)
New York health commissioner says fracking recommendation may come soon (via Huffington Post/AP)
Ohio’s resurgent natural gas industry spends millions to set up shop (via New York Times)
ENVIRONMENT
Rains or not, India is falling short of drinkable water (via New York Times)
Bat-killing fungus reaches South Carolina; now found in 21 states and 5 provinces (via Scientific American)
Senate bill would boost funding for weather satellites (via Climate Central)
KEYSTONE XL/TAR SANDS
Canadian opposition leader: government playing US “for fools” on Keystone (via The Hill)
Keystone XL pipeline jobs vs. 100,000 green jobs (via CleanTechnica)
Michigan officials say water supplies along Kalamazoo River unharmed from tar sands oil spill (via Michigan Live/Kalamazoo Gazette)
29 Vermont communities say no to tar sands shipments, New England opposition grows (via DeSmogBlog)
GRID
Power grids in US, EU, third world face huge and varied challenges (via Greentech Media)
Nearly 56GW of long-duration energy storage to be installed from 2012 to 2022 (via Pike Research)
Hackers may breach US grid within two years (via Bloomberg)
Silver Spring raises $81 million in IPO (via Greentech Media)
NUCLEAR
Developing nations put nuclear on fast-forward (via MIT Technology Review)
Lawsuits filed against Tepco in Fukushima nuclear disaster (via United Press International)
NRC upholds ruling on Calvert Cliffs nuclear plant (via Baltimore Sun)
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
Computers and appliances: today’s home-based energy hogs (via National Geographic)
NREL unveils world’s most efficient data center, could cut operation costs by $1 million (via Inhabitat)
POLITICS
Draft bill released by Waxman and Whitehouse would price carbon and reduce emissions (via Climate Progress)
Ryan, Murray unveil dueling energy deficit plans (via Politico)
Dems launch series of climate change speeches to fight GOP “climate deniers” (via The Hill)
OPINION
What is the underlying value of EU carbon? (via Reuters)
Could Waxman’s new bill offer new hope for a carbon tax? (via Mother Jones)
Where innovation advocates go wrong (via Grist)