Energy and Environment News Roundup – 7.31.13
A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.
ENERGY MARKETS
US oil and gas projected to surge for years (via Houston Chronicle)
JPMorgan Chase to pay $410 million penalty in electricity pricing scheme (via Washington Post)
Could utilities’ future be selling light instead of electrons? (via Midwest Energy News)
GRID
$23 million energy storage research center launched in New York State (via CleanTechnica)
EMISSIONS
British Columbia’s carbon tax after five years (via Energy Collective)
California and Australia bolster carbon trading ties (via BusinessGreen)
GHG plan could cost “less than 0.5% of total airline revenue” (via Environmental Leader)
RENEWABLES
Trade fight over solar benefits a bystander – Taiwan (via New York Times)
Claims of faulty data in EU-China solar trade case now under investigation (via Renewable Energy World)
Europe’s biggest solar projects threatened by China deal (via Bloomberg)
Largest solar project in southern hemisphere gets go-ahead from Australia (via BusinessGreen)
Renewables workers wages “growing faster than oil and gas pay” (via BBC News)
Congress eyes change to US biofuels mandate, EPA targets loom (via Reuters)
US biodiesel production reached record output in May 2013 (via US EIA)
BP shelves sale of 2.6GW wind energy arm (via BusinessGreen)
BP wins as US refiners suffer under biofuel mandate (via Reuters)
Virginia seeks research lease for offshore wind energy test project (via Richmond Times-Dispatch)
COAL
Southern Company absorbs $450M in additional losses for over-budget Mississippi coal plant (via Star-Tribune/AP)
Despite slowdown, global coal remains a planet-destroying monster (via Grist)
CLIMATE
Calgary facing “well over” $3 billion in flood damage costs (via Calgary Herald)
US investors signal new interest in climate-related risks (via RTCC)
McCarthy: Climate change poses economic threat (via Politico)
A nation on fire: climate change and the burning of America (via Climate Progress)
Congressional task force links worsening wildfires to climate change (via National Journal)
NATURAL GAS/FRACKING
Gulf natgas blowout could tip regulator focus to shallow water (via Houston Chronicle)
Crews to start relief well Thursday at Gulf blowout site (via Houston Chronicle)
Ohio state forest fracking plan halted, for now (via Columbus Dispatch)
ENVIRONMENT
Something in the air: how global warming is spreading toxic dust (via ClimateWire)
The crucial question for the American West: how long will the water hold out? (via Mother Jones)
Which energy resources are gulping down our water? (via GreenBiz)
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
Sponsors pare back energy efficiency bill ahead of Senate debate (via The Hill)
Philadelphia enforces building energy benchmarking in October (via Energy Manager Today)
KEYSTONE XL/TAR SANDS
McCarthy: EPA will be “honest commenter” on Keystone XL review (via The Hill)
EPA: Enbridge nearly tripling oil spill dredging (via Houston Chronicle/AP)
NUCLEAR
Fukushima cleanup turns toxic for Japan’s Tepco (via Reuters)
Japanese utility and public in dark about crippled nuclear plant (via Reuters)
POLITICS
Obama calls out GOP for wasting time on Keystone (via Climate Progress)
New EPA head McCarthy outlines ambitious agenda in Harvard speech (via Washington Post)
Kochs tap ex-Cantor aide to lobby on anti-carbon tax measure (via The Hill)
OPINION
The world needs more Energiewende (via WRI Insights)
Can Washington find agreement on biofuels mandate? (via National Journal)