Energy and Environment News Roundup – 8.28.14
A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.
EMISSIONS
World’s existing power plants will emit 300 billion tons of CO2 in their lifetimes (via Climate Progress)
Chile set to pass Latin America’s second carbon tax (via RTCC)
Divesting from fossil fuels would cost $5 trillion (via CleanTechnica)
Study: Open trash burning significantly worsening global air pollution; unaccounted for in emission inventories (via Green Car Congress)
COAL
Why abundant coal may have “cursed” the Appalachian economy (via Washington Post)
America’s coal heartland is in economic free fall – but only the most desperate are fleeing (via Washington Post)
RENEWABLES
IEA sees $1.6 trillion in clean energy investments through 2020 (via Bloomberg)
Scalable solar a good match for South America, says DuPont (via PV Tech)
Cost of solar panels in Australia to rise by half if renewables target chopped (via Sydney Morning Herald)
Renewable energy report recommends cutting Australia’s target (via Bloomberg)
GE to add 1.5GW Brazil wind by 2016 (via Recharge)
Chile, US navies working on drop-in alternative fuels (via Green Car Congress)
EIA report: U.S. PV generation more than doubles over last year’s output (via PV Tech)
How a new group is helping West Virginia nonprofits get solar for just $1 (via Climate Progress)
CLIMATE
State Dept. denies seeking alternative to climate treaty, but has been doing so since 2009 (via Huffington Post)
What global warming might mean for extreme snowfalls (via Climate Central)
How climate change could ruin your Hawaii vacation (via Christian Science Monitor)
NATURAL GAS
Russia denies plans to block natural gas transit to Europe (via Reuters)
Plenty of reserves left in Marcellus Shale, says report (via Houston Chronicle)
ENERGY POLICY
Japan advances electricity market reform (via Recharge)
OIL
You’re welcome, world: U.S. fracking surge picks up slack for global disruption (via National Journal)
Dearth of oil finds threatens long-term supplies, price (via Reuters)
Rail deliveries of U.S. oil continue increasing in 2014 (via U.S. EIA)
Fracking foes force some oil drillers to tread lightly (via Bloomberg)
North Dakota universities crumble as oil cash pours in (via Bloomberg)
TRANSPORTATION
China’s electric and hybrid vehicle production up 280% (via CleanTechnica)
Main path to better fuel efficiency: Lighter vehicles, say automakers (via Green Car Reports)
California first to give extra funds to low-income EV buyers (via Autoblog Green)
GRID
Grid perfection, not defection: A new microgrid landscape in the making (via Greentech Media)
What Americans really want from their smart homes (via Greentech Media)
Grid infrastructure upgrades mean Texas no longer wastes wind power (via Renewable Energy World)
Illinois grapples with question of who owns energy data from smart meters (via Midwest Energy News)
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
Spending on energy efficient buildings in Europe to total $800 billion through 2023 (via Navigant Research)
What’s moving capital back into energy efficiency? (via Clean Energy Finance Forum)
ENVIRONMENT
Big wins elusive for EPA in Clean Water Act showdowns (via Greenwire)
Reminder: The terrible drought in California is still really, really terrible (via Washington Post)
POLITICS
The head-on politics of going around Congress on climate change (via National Journal)
An inside look at how ALEC ‘s plans to undo environmental legislation (via Toronto Star)
In audio recording, McConnell envisions using budget to undo Obama initiatives (via New York Times)
Climate change a central issue in tight Florida governor’s race (via InsideClimate News)
Vulnerable Dem slams Obama over UN climate change effort (via The Hill)
One Democrat’s gamble on climate change (via Politico)
OPINION
These revolutionary technologies promised to help save us from climate change – so what happened? (via Washington Post)
A climate for change: A solution conservatives could accept (via Washington Post)
Why Republicans won’t back a carbon tax (via Grist)