Energy and Environment News Roundup – 5.12.14
A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.
EMISSIONS
Obama administration limits on soot pollution upheld by appeals court (via Los Angeles Times)
Deval Patrick calls for “future free of fossil fuels,” zero coal in four years (via Climate Progress)
Stanford divesting coal helps students seeking domino effect (via Bloomberg)
ENERGY POLICY
Merkel says Germany would support Siemens-Alstom merger (via Reuters)
Obama doubles down on solar, energy efficiency in climate push (via The Hill)
US failed to inspect thousands of at-risk oil and gas wells, finds report (via The Guardian)
House votes to make energy research tax credit permanent (via ABC News/AP)
RENEWABLES
Global renewable energy jobs count tops 6.5 million (via BusinessGreen)
UBS: Solar could be 10% global capacity by 2020 (via Renew Economy)
Germany approves 328MW of offshore wind (via Recharge)
Chile approves 110MW solar-thermal plant (via Recharge)
Renewables provide record 27% of German electricity demand (via Bloomberg)
Mexico’s newly opened energy market attracts renewables (via Renewable Energy World)
More solar energy powering corporate America (via USA Today)
Wal-Mart doubles down on solar energy plans (via Wall Street Journal)
SolarCity surges on higher rooftop installation forecast (via Bloomberg)
US hopes to tap offshore wind potential (via Houston Chronicle)
ABB rolls out new grid interconnection technology for wind farms (via Renew Grid)
Solar seen bailing California out of summer hydro shortage (via Bloomberg)
Ohio senate votes to kill state’s renewable energy standard (via Climate Progress)
Hawaii confronts green energy’s bugaboo: Batteries (via Christian Science Monitor)
The only active landfill in Vermont goes solar (via CleanTechnica)
COAL
China’s coal dependency threatens efforts to curb warming (via New York Times)
Coal investments a bad bet for state pensions (via Times-Union)
After coal ash spill, Dan is a river of calm and caution (via Winston-Salem Journal)
CLIMATE
Lloyd’s of London urges insurers to factor in climate change risk (via Environmental Leader)
Obama continues to push unilateral action to fight climate change (via National Journal)
As population surges, harsh Southwest climate will only get harsher (via Climate Progress)
South Carolina’s solution to sea level rise: Build more walls (via Climate Progress)
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
Senate standoff threatens to kill energy efficiency bill (via The Hill)
Energy bill fizzles as Senate begins debate on tax extenders (via National Journal)
Better Buildings Challenge partners reduce energy use 2.5% (via Energy Manager Today)
PACE is picking up for Michigan efficiency program (via Midwest Energy News)
Philips continues lighting revolution, tweaks LEDs for hydroponic growing (via GigaOm)
NATURAL GAS/FRACKING
Russia ratchets up Ukraine’s gas bills in shift to economic battlefield (via New York Times)
Cleanest fossil fuel is Wall Street’s bet on climate change (via Bloomberg)
EPA weighs rule requiring fracking chemical disclosure (via The Hill)
Hundreds of small quakes in North Texas since December (via StateImpact Texas)
EMISSIONS
IEA: Decarbonizing world economy will save $71 trillion by 2050 (via RTCC)
Few funds ready to follow Stanford’s lead on fossil fuel stocks (via Reuters)
OIL
Oil industry risks $1.1 trillion of investor cash (via Bloomberg)
Saudi Arabia, OPEC said will cover any Ukraine-related oil shortage (via Reuters)
BNSF says federal order won’t affect railroad oil shipments (via Bismarck Tribune)
TRANSPORTATION
US buyers show little interest in big hybrids (via Autoblog Green)
RMI: What’s the true cost of EV charging stations? (via GreenBiz)
Texas will soon offer $2,500 rebate for EVs, PHEVs, and more (via Autoblog Green)
ENVIRONMENT
Obama: Palm oil is destroying Malaysia’s rainforests (via Mongabay)
Summer blockbuster? El Nino looking more likely (via Climate Central)
California drought: Parched state braces for fire season (via San Francisco Chronicle)
KEYSTONE XL
How the Senate’s Keystone XL vote came crumbling down (via EcoWatch)
Keystone XL foes vow to fight South Dakota permit renewal (via Bloomberg)
GRID
Australian households could go off-grid by 2018 (via Renew Economy)
USDA awards $540 million for electric system upgrades, including $35 million for smart grid (via Renew Grid)
Clean Line wins key FERC approval (via Recharge)
POLITICS
Rubio on a presidential bid, and climate change (via New York Times)
Colorado – energy’s continental divide (via Politico)
OPINION
How to phase out incentives and grow solar energy (via Renewable Energy World)
Climate debate isn’t so heated in the US (via New York Times)
Obama’s energy announcements are nice, but we’ll need much more (via Time)
Can Congress ever have a reasonable energy debate? (via National Journal)
Texas is American energy leader – so how can its electricity markets be such a mess? (via Energy Trends Insider)
Obama’s new energy efficiency standards will lead to big electricity, consumer, carbon savings (via NRDC Switchboard)
Obama’s solar move is equivalent to a year without 80 million cars (via Climate Progress)