Energy and Environment News Roundup – 5.29.13
A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.
GRID
Global grid storage market to jump to $10.4 billion by 2017 (via Renew Grid)
Smart grid may plug leaky, wasteful energy systems (via Forbes)
Microgrid merger highlights new business models (via Navigant Research)
PJM secures record amount of new generation, demand response (via Renew Grid)
EMISSIONS
UN says world could cut emissions by 20B tons by 2020 (via Bloomberg)
UK and Germany see CO2 emissions from energy rise in 2012 (via BusinessGreen)
Fossil fuel divestment movement reaches 200 colleges (via Toledo Blade/AP)
Oil industry: federal renewable fuel mandate causes more emissions (via Houston Chronicle)
RENEWABLES
World Bank: business as usual will fail to give sustainable energy for all (via BusinessGreen)
EU tariffs on China solar panels loom as talks fail (via Greentech Media)
Most EU states “oppose PV tariffs” (via Recharge)
China’s threatened solar duties on EU products would hurt its own producers (via Reuters)
1.1GW of wind power to be added in Africa amid new investment (via Inhabitat)
Argentina, Indonesia hit with EU tariff on biodiesel imports (via Bloomberg)
Solar industry anxious over defective panels (via New York Times)
Solar cheaper than wind? (via Sustainable Business)
Wind forecasting and data analytics revenue will surpass $300 million by 2020 (via Navigant Research)
Cold climate wind energy showing huge potential (via Phys.org)
Minnesota plants seeds for community solar gardens (via Midwest Energy News)
Wyoming makes power play to export wind energy (via Wall Street Journal)
Kansas City installing solar on municipal buildings, saving $40k/year (via Treehugger)
COAL
Coal is making a comeback in 2013 (via Washington Post)
TRANSPORTATION
Germany sticking to 1 million EVs by 2020 target despite slow sales (via Autoblog Green)
Better Place lost $459M on $6.9M in sales last year; cumulative losses of $812M (via Green Car Congress)
Tesla pushes electric-car viability with rapid charging (via Bloomberg)
Musk sticking to plan for “affordable” Tesla model (via Autoblog)
Tesla crosses the $100 per share mark (via GigaOm)
NATURAL GAS/FRACKING
Interior Department faces pressure to slow down fracking rule (via The Hill)
Natural gas may have found its price sweet spot (via Politico)
Illinois counties can do little but brace for fracking’s impact (via Chicago Tribune)
A New Mexico county’s fracking ban is all about the water (via Los Angeles Times)
CLIMATE
97% global warming consensus meets resistance from science denial (via The Guardian)
Bill would shift NOAA resources from climate research (via Climate Central)
CBS News ties extreme weather to manmade climate change (via Climate Progress)
Bill McKibben wins Sophie Prize for fight against global warming (via Washington Post/AP)
POLITICS
Former EPA Administrator Jackson heading to Apple (via The Hill)
The obscure county-level election that could change the planet (via National Journal)
OPINION
Can Pakistan survive climate change? (via ClimateWire)
5 clean tech milestones worth celebrating (via Greentech Media)
Keystone XL approval is a throw of the dice in much bigger gamble (via Huffington Post)
EV industry better off without Better Place (via Navigant Research)
Climate change adaptation: so simple, a caveman could do it (via Grist)