Energy and Environment News Roundup – 10.6.14
A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.
CLIMATE
Past measurements may have missed massive ocean warming (via Science)
Could climate change affect the number of boys and girls born? (via Smithsonian)
Miami Beach prepares for annual “King Tide” flooding and a taste of sea level rise (via Huffington Post)
COAL
U.S. sees drop in coal exports in 2014 (via Mining.com)
U.S. coal exports fall on lower European demand, increased global supply (via U.S. EIA)
U.S. coal companies having tough 2014 so far (via Knoxville News Sentinel)
New regulations, competition have coal industry reeling (via Tuscaloosa News)
RENEWABLES
7 renewable energy lessons from Germany (via Renewable Energy World)
German solar PV market continues shrinking (via Renewables International)
U.S. DOE says 54GW of offshore wind power waiting to be tapped (via TriplePundit)
Siemens says wind power needs subsidy to compete in U.S. (via Financial Times)
U.S. DOE awarding $25 million to reduce CSP costs (via Solar Industry Magazine)
OSU researchers build rechargeable solar battery (via Houston Chronicle/AP)
USDA provides $91 million for biogasoline blendstock plant (via Green Car Congress)
First commercial quantities of cellulosic ethanol from woody biomass marketed (via Phys.org)
OIL
Shell suspends Siberian oil project, says Russian partner (via Wall Street Journal)
Orphaned Russian oil heads to U.S. west on Asia overflow (via Bloomberg)
Rosneft CEO says he’ll develop Arctic oil with or without Exxon (via Bloomberg Businessweek)
BP seeks revised verdict or new trial on spill negligence (via Bloomberg)
Gov. Inslee: “Outdated, inadequate, and dangerous” oil trains crossing state (via Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
TRANSPORTATION
European regulators say incorrect C02 ratings could cost drivers $580/year (via Autoblog Green)
Carnival cruises toward $2.5 billion in fuel savings (via GreenBiz)
UMTRI monthly report shows large drop in new-vehicle fuel economy in September (via Green Car Congress)
Toyota racks up 7 million hybrids sold since 1997 (via Green Car Reports)
ENERGY POLICY
EU seeks faster energy market integration amid crisis (via Bloomberg)
GRID
Brazil keeps renewable energy transmission & distribution discounts (via Recharge News)
Building wind power superhighways (via Chicago Tribune)
Grid-scale energy storage continues making inroads (via Renew Grid)
NATURAL GAS
An industry you’ve never heard of is trying to cut $1.8 billion in wasted natural gas (via Climate Progress)
Two gas drillers agree to disclose fracking risks to investors (via The Hill)
Maryland report: Fracking poses little risk to drinking water in the state (via Climate Progress)
Drilling waste site roils tiny Texas town (via Texas Tribune)
EMISSIONS
Fish failing to adapt to rising CO2 levels in ocean (via The Guardian)
China emissions rising on high-carbon economic growth (via RTCC)
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
Tougher energy efficiency target would boost UK economy by £62 billion (via The Guardian)
Johnson Controls, WRI partnership targets energy efficiency in cities (via Environmental Leader)
ENVIRONMENT
Wilderness as economic stimulus? A closer look at the evidence (via The Hill)
In virtual mega-drought, California avoids defeat (via Los Angeles Times)
POLITICS
Brazil’s Rousseff in tight runoff against pro-business Neves (via Reuters)
Clashing visions of conservation shake Brazil’s presidential vote (via New York Times)
Democrats lean heavily on PACs in coordinated push to counter GOP (via New York Times)
McConnell on climate change: “Not a scientist” (via Courier-Journal)
This woman could become one of the world’s most influential environmentalists (via National Journal)
OPINION
India’s mixed climate change forecast (via Washington Post)
Why the oil majors are backing away from renewable energy (via EnergyWire)
Cold days for coal could mean a better forecast for our climate (via Energy Collective)
A carbon tax will create jobs for Americans (via CNN)
Congress should fix the gas tax (via Washington Post)
NASA explains how climate change is like the flu (via National Journal)
Will investors flock to SunEdison’s emerging market YieldCo? (via Greentech Media)