Energy and Environment News Roundup – 2.4.13
A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.
TRANSPORTATION
Germany could have a million plug-in vehicles by 2020 (via Autoblog Green)
Toyota recycling old hybrid batteries into energy-storage systems for dealers (via Autoblog Green)
Secretary Chu says 1 million EVs by 2015 is “ambitious” (via Plugin Cars)
DOE launches workplace charging challenge (via Energy Manager Today)
Chevy Volt sales drop to 1,140 in January, Nissan Leaf falls to 650 (via Autoblog Green)
OIL
Land battles rise as US eyes 450,000 miles of new pipeline (via Bloomberg)
Vast California oil reserve may now be within reach, and battle heats up (via New York Times)
North Dakota weighs industrial water extraction tax for shale oil use (via Fargo-Mooread Forum)
RENEWABLES
Red tape trips up France’s green energy hopes for wind power (via Reuters)
China adds one-third of world’s onshore wind in 2012 (via Recharge)
Solar power giving Haiti a hospital it can use (via EarthTechling)
Sabotage may have felled UK wind turbine (via United Press International)
First Solar may sell solar power cheaper than coal (via Bloomberg)
The top 10 wind energy states in 2012 (via AOL Energy)
Government’s plan to expand biofuel use runs into bumps on road (via Washington Post)
Wind now supplies 6% of US electricity (via Sustainable Business)
Texas grid operator says renewables competitive with natgas over next decade (via Facts of the Day)
Georgia Power planning 1.5GW of renewables by 2016, less coal-fired generation (via Renew Grid)
North Carolina governor boosts offshore wind (via Recharge)
NATURAL GAS/FRACKING
Reshaping Panama Canal trade means boom in US gas to Asia (via Bloomberg)
US shale gas revolution throws down the gauntlet to Europe (via Reuters)
Legal loophole keeps fracking mixes murky (via Houston Chronicle)
US Senators propose making LNG exports automatic (via Houston Chronicle)
Fracking for state dollars (via Council on Foreign Relations)
Ohio farmers divided on fracking (via Columbus Dispatch)
GRID
Pentagon promises massive response to increasing cyber attacks (via AOL Energy)
Energy companies and landowners are clashing over property rights (via Forbes)
SPP approves $751 million in transmission-expansion projects (via Renew Grid)
10-year low for electricity prices across ISO-New England in 2012 (via Renew Grid)
Texas mega-battery aims to green up the grid (via New Scientist)
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
White House delay on efficiency standards costs consumers $300 million per month (via Greentech Media)
Employee “green teams” deliver $76 million boost for US Postal Service (via BusinessGreen)
Minneapolis considers energy benchmarking for commercial buildings (via Energy Manager Today)
CLIMATE
Outgoing Energy Secretary Chu’s parting warning on warming (via Time)
Research shows the Antarctic ozone hole has changed ocean circulation (via Inhabitat)
TAR SANDS/KEYSTONE XL
Why Canada’s oil sands industry wants a CO2 tax (via Bloomberg)
Rethinking opposition to Keystone XL (via Energy Collective)
EMISSIONS
For US and China, world’s biggest climate polluters, it’s still business as usual (via InsideClimate News)
Like everything else, carbon emissions are bigger in Texas (via Houston Chronicle)
COAL
Colorado communities take on fight against energy land leases (via New York Times)
Seattle’s coal training (via Seattle Weekly)
POLITICS
Obama’s climate team appears primed for action (via Politico)
Top EPA air quality official in line to replace outgoing administrator (via The Hill)
Murkowski launches push for expanded drilling, green energy policy revamp (via The Hill)
Gore presses Obama to “follow through” on climate change promises (via The Hill)
Kerry: climate bill failure among biggest Senate regrets (via The Hill)
OPINION
UK Green Power Auction Market a “win-win-win” for renewables, consumers, suppliers (via BusinessGreen)
How will energy productivity jumpstart the US economy? (via National Journal)
Steven Chu steps down as energy secretary – so how did he do? (via Washington Post)
Is wind power reaching a tipping point? (via Midwest Energy News)