Energy and Environment News Roundup – 8.2.13
A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.
TAR SANDS/KEYSTONE XL
As Keystone stalls, TransCanada OKs bigger East Coast line (via Reuters)
TransCanada to build $300 million New Brunswick tar sands export terminal (via Reuters)
Enviros target Keystone in new pipeline spill video (via Politico)
CLIMATE
Study: hotter temperatures lead to hotter tempers, more conflict (via AP)
Heat-related deaths in Australia set to quadruple by 2050 (via Climate Progress)
Greenland hits highest temperature ever, almost 80 degrees (via Washington Post)
RENEWABLES
EU approves China solar deal, no state votes against (via Reuters)
Solar PV about to enter “third growth phase” – Deutsche Bank (via CleanTechnica)
Cuba’s first solar farm a step toward renewables (via Phys.org)
UK bets on offshore wind boom (via Recharge)
Azerbaijan aims to boost renewable energy output to 9.7% total demand (via Renewable Energy World)
ARPA-E announces different path for solar innovation (via Innovation Files)
Matching renewable power, worth billions, to load (via Navigant Research)
Solar energy could supply one-third of power in US West (via Phys.org)
2.8 acres of land generate 1GWh of solar energy per year, says NREL (via Energy Manager Today)
Utility Xcel wants to grow wind portfolio by 30% (via Renew Grid)
Deepwater Wind wins America’s first offshore wind competitive lease sale (via CleanTechnica)
Arizona mulls solar tax (via Sustainable Business)
COAL
Moniz: coal commitment is part of US national energy strategy (via Huffington Post/AP)
Lummi Nation’s stance could stop proposed Washington coal terminal (via Bellingham Herald)
Scope of Gateway Pacific analysis is bad news for coal industry (via Sightline Daily)
Southern Company vows to continue Mississippi “clean coal” plant despite mounting losses (via ClimateWire)
Will another Illinois coal plant bite the dust? (via Midwest Energy News)
EFFICIENCY
Japan’s appetite for demand response awakens (via Energy Collective)
America’s most unpopular way of saving energy is one of Europe’s favorites (via Outlier)
EPA to publish companies’ water data (via Environmental Leader)
Washington DC wants to lead the nation in energy efficiency (via Greentech Media)
Washington DC launches real-time building energy data project (via GigaOm)
NUCLEAR
Duke Energy shelves major nuclear project in Florida (via Reuters)
Exelon not yet bailing on any of its nuclear reactors (via Crain’s Chicago Business)
Two Missouri universities set to research small modular nuclear reactors (via AP)
GRID
Companies launch Europe’s largest energy storage trial (via Renew Grid)
Germany rejects EU smart meter recommendations on cost concerns (via Bloomberg)
Connecticut funds statewide microgrid pilot program (via Energy Manager Today)
OIL
US oil reserves rise to highest level since 1985 (via Washington Post)
Interior Department meets with oil execs about Gulf accidents (via Houston Chronicle)
Decades-old defect caused Exxon’s Arkansas oil spill (via Reuters)
TRANSPORTATION
During domestic drilling boom, why are gas prices still high? (via StateImpact Texas)
Chevy Volt sales drop to 1,788, Nissan Leaf up to 1,864 in July (via Autoblog Green)
NATURAL GAS/FRACKING
Ernest Moniz: natural gas helps battle climate change – for now (via The Hill)
Insurance issues loom over shale gas development (via EnergyWire)
Scientists, industry, regulators struggle with suspect math of natural gas leaks (via ClimateWire)
Natural gas price increase jumps wholesale electricity prices up to 101% (via Facts of the Day)
EMISSIONS
Australian emissions target should be 15% by 2020, says Climate Change Authority (via The Guardian)
Japan’s power companies miss their CO2 pledge (via Reuters Point Carbon)
How data centers make high returns from low carbon (via GreenBiz)
Climate Catch-22: how a carbon tax could save coal (via Bloomberg)
ENERGY POLICY
Mexico president to present energy reform next week (via Reuters)
ENVIRONMENT
70% of Nebraska now in considerable drought (via Omaha World-Herald)
To avoid killing birds with wind turbines, researchers track flight patterns off Maine coast (via Bangor Daily News)
POLITICS
Right’s new attack on clean energy detailed (via EarthTechnling)
Carbon tax vote looms in House of Representatives (via The Hill)
US lawmakers vote to thwart EPA move on social cost of carbon (via The Hill)
Sally Jewell doesn’t want any climate deniers at Interior (via Grist)
OPINION
A Republican case for climate action (via New York Times)
How clean energy victory bonds can power our future (via Renewable Energy World)