Energy and Environment News Roundup – 2.13.13

A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.

STATE OF THE UNION 

Obama gives Congress a climate change ultimatum (via Reuters)

Obama vows executive action climate push but many specifics remain absent (via The Hill)

Obama floats “Energy Security Trust” in State of the Union (via The Hill)

Obama calls for doubling US energy efficiency by 2030 (via Greentech Media)

Obama talks tough on climate, proposes “drilling for clean energy” program (via Houston Chronicle)

Obama promises cap-and-trade action (via Washington Post)

Obama cites storms, drought to build case for climate action (via National Journal)

EMISSIONS 

Australia’s electricity emissions fall to 10-year low as coal sidelined by renewables (via Renew Economy)

EU aviation carbon emissions to decline in 2013 (via Bloomberg)

North American carbon markets to “more than double” this year (via Environmental Leader)

On-ship carbon capture concept developed, could reduce ship emissions up to 65% (via Green Car Congress)

RENEWABLES 

Three charts to help you understand Chile’s emerging utility-scale solar market (via Greentech Media)

Tea party targets renewable energy standard in Kansas (via Grist)

New York State solar market shows significant promise for 2013 (via Renewable Energy World)

Maine leads trend toward floating offshore wind turbines (via Sustainable Business)

NATURAL GAS/FRACKING 

US Senate Energy Committee mulls future of natural gas policy (via Reuters)

Beyond the boom, unanswered questions about the life of new natural gas wells (via EnergyWire)

New York State puts off fracking decision (via New York Times)

New York State may issue fracking permits without final regulations (via Bloomberg)

GRID 

Germany may implement energy storage incentive (via CleanTechnica)

Data centers morphing into virtual power plants (via Pike Research)

CLIMATE 

Climate change outpacing green investment, report shows (via GreenBiz)

Why Tokyo has more to fear from sea-level rise than Vancouver (via Washington Post)

East Coast faces rising seas from slowing Gulf Stream (via Climate Central)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

Almost two-thirds of consumers remain unaware of UK’s energy efficiency Green Deal (via BusinessGreen)

Newer US homes are 30% larger but consumer about as much energy as older homes (via US EIA)

EPEAT green electronics registry adds printers, copiers (via GreenBiz)

Minneapolis commercial buildings to report energy use starting in 2014 (via Energy Manager Today)

TRANSPORTATION 

Holland’s plan to go EV is working (via Autoblog Green)

The charges are flying over a test of Tesla’s charging network (via New York Times)

San Jose State University and CalCharge launch “Battery University” program (via Green Car Congress)

OIL 

US approves Chinese-Canadian oil deal (via The Hill)

Russia plans $25-30 billion oil-for-loans deal with China (via Reuters)

GREEN BUSINESS 

Corporations face mounting investor demand to enhance environmental performance (via BusinessGreen)

ENVIRONMENT 

Deaths of endangered fish curtail California water exports (via Los Angeles Times)

POLITICS 

Top Republican to Obama: don’t bypass Congress on climate (via The Hill)

Sen. Boxer’s ideal EPA candidate seems to describe Gina McCarthy (via The Hill)

OPINION 

Obama can’t change polarization on climate change (via Grist)

Can Congress compromise on clean energy? (via Midwest Energy News)

Is exporting natural gas a problem? (via Politico)

Is another Enron possible in today’s energy market? (via Forbes)

Is more charging needed to sell electric cars in Northeast US? (via Green Car Reports)

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 2.12.13

A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.

COAL 

Coal’s darkest hour: Fitch warns of increased bankruptcy possibilities in US coal sector (via International Business Times)

EMISSIONS 

Investors worth $87 trillion call on companies to reveal carbon data (via RTCC)

Carbon markets threatened if EU backload plan fails (via Bloomberg)

Critics blast “target-less” Irish climate bill (via BusinessGreen)

Energy-related carbon emissions lowest since 1994 (via Greentech Media)

OIL 

Shell will repair rigs in Asia, possibly delaying Arctic drilling in 2013 (via Houston Chronicle)

The boom in US oil drilling hasn’t lowered gas prices (via Washington Post)

RENEWABLES 

Global wind capacity increased almost 20% in 2012 to 82 gigawatts (via Climate Progress)

Corn shortage idles 20 Midwest ethanol plants (via Boston Globe/AP)

Solar outside the Sunbelt: Michigan (via Greentech Media)

ARPA-E summit hosts next generation renewable technologies (via Sustainable Business)

GREEN JOBS 

EU budget delivers “mixed news” for green economy (via BusinessGreen)

State of Green Business Report 2013 (via GreenBiz)

Are green jobs meant to help the economy or the jobless? (via Grist)

NATURAL GAS 

German minister dashes hopes for shale gas fracking (via Reuters)

“There’s no way to tell” how much gas the US can produce (via EnergyWire)

Cuomo warned on fracking in Iowa ads (via Politico)

CLIMATE 

New Harvard report probes security risks of extreme weather and climate change (via Phys.org)

Wanted: business leaders to aid Obama on climate (via Politico)

Climate change impact on Nor’easters: an increased storm surge threat (via Weather Underground)

Hurricane Sandy survivors demand climate change action from Obama (via Huffington Post)

Hollywood actors press Obama to fight climate change (via The Hill)

ENVIRONMENT 

IEA says energy industry in trouble with future water usage (via CleanTechnica)

Group seeks to jump-start ocean protections (via New York Times)

Rich moisture feed helped blizzard bury Northeast (via Climate Central)

GREEN BUILDING 

Government considers replacing LEED as preferred federal certification (via Triple Pundit)

Cool steps help fight global warming (via San Francisco Chronicle)

TRANSPORTATION 

Plugging in, Dutch put electric cars to the test (via New York Times)

America’s high speed rail dream: what it could look like (via EarthTechling)

GRID 

CA-ISO release app that shows status of power grid (via Renew Grid)

POLITICS 

Obama expected to announce executive action on climate during State of the Union speech (via The Hill)

MIT physicist Moniz seen as front-runner to replace Chu (via Greenwire)

OPINION 

Never mind the State of the Union; here’s what Obama can actually do on climate (via Grist)

The state of our energy union is strongest in 40 years (via Facts of the Day)

Why Big Ag could become major fracking ally (via Sustainable Business)

Obama’s Keystone XL decision could doom the tar sands…or the planet (via Grist)

Why the fight over natural gas exports may be overblown (via Washington Post)

Will Ernest Moniz be the next Energy secretary? (via Christian Science Monitor)

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 1.30.13

A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.

CLIMATE 

Report finds climate change a threat to wildlife (via USA Today)

Spring may come 17 days earlier for North American forests (via Phys.org)

Redrawn New York City FEMA flood zone map contains twice as many structures (via New York Times)

Why San Francisco can lead the way on resiliency planning (via GreenBiz)

COAL 

China consumes nearly as much coal as the rest of the world combined (via US EIA)

TAR SANDS/KEYSTONE XL 

EU maintains plan to label Canadian tar sands oil as highly polluting (via Reuters)

US State Department’s Keystone XL review will face EPA scrutiny a third time (via InsideClimate News)

Keystone XL decision may loom large for red state Democrats in 2014 midterms (via The Hill)

House GOP, citing North African turmoil, boosts Keystone pipeline pressure (via The Hill)

RENEWABLES 

Germany adds 2.4GW of wind in 2012 (via Recharge)

Denmark announces 1.5GW offshore wind tender (via Recharge)

German wind market may defy global slump to grow 43% this year (via Bloomberg)

9 in 10 French favor renewables but perceive high costs (via Renewable Energy World)

The rapid rise of UK offshore wind (via Greentech Media)

Chinese company sues to void blocked US wind farm purchase (via Bloomberg)

Top solar states vs top solar countries (via CleanTechnica)

Scaling solar and wind: a hard look at innovation priorities (via Energy Collective)

Oil-and-gas lobby might take ethanol fight to Supreme Court (via The Hill)

EPA reveals 100% green power users list (via Environmental Leader)

Can wind developers halt “the march of the buffer zones’? (via BusinessGreen)

Solar industry gets burned in Arizona (via Energy Manager Today)

Solar with energy storage coming to California, at a cost (via EarthTechling)

EMISSIONS 

Russia exploring plans for domestic carbon market (via RTCC)

Scotland pledges to decarbonize power sector by 2030 (via BusinessGreen)

Australian businesses counting carbon tax (via Sydney Morning Herald)

Missoula city council passes plan to be carbon neutral by 2025 (via Missoulian)

NATURAL GAS/FRACKING 

Pipeline explosion rattles natural gas industry (via Forbes)

Can natural gas undo nuclear power? (via Wall Street Journal)

Chesapeake chief McClendon quits, cites “philosophical differences” (via Houston Chronicle)

McClendon out at Chesapeake – is a takeover next? (via Forbes)

Departure of Chesapeake CEO McClendon signals new era in natural gas (via Christian Science Monitor)

Congressmen supporting LNG exports received $11.5 million from Big Oil, electric utilities (via DeSmog Blog)

GRID 

German grid operators coping with power supply swings (via Reuters)

Survey to utilities: stress smart grid benefits to win over consumers (via Energy Manager Today)

Silver Spring Networks could finally go public within a month (via GigaOm)

TRANSPORTATION 

Hybrids outsell many market segments in 2012 but still struggling (via Autoblog)

Wanxiang wins US approval to buy battery maker A123 (via Bloomberg)

Boeing Dreamliner battery was a concern before failure (via New York Times)

Nissan “almost” sold out of 2012 Leafs (via Autoblog Green)

OIL 

Judge accepts BP’s $4 billion criminal settlement over Gulf oil spill (via New York Times)

Texas oil output hits highest level in two decades (via Houston Chronicle)

ENVIRONMENT 

Recapping a year of weather extremes (via C2ES)

Colorado wildfire air pollution rivaled worst days in Mexico City, Los Angeles (via Phys.org)

Stretches of upper Mississippi River near record-low levels (via US EIA)

POLITICS 

Yale poll finds climate change action is a political winner (via Climate Progress)

John Kerry’s Secretary of State confirmation delights climate campaigners (via The Guardian)

Kerry likely to face great green expectations at State Department (via E&E Daily)

Al Gore faces “The Future” with optimism (via The Hill)

LaHood to step down as head of US Transportation Department (via The Hill)

Top Ohio utility regulator tied to group pushing repeal of state renewable energy targets (via Columbus Republic)

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 1.25.13

A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.

CLIMATE 

Billionaires secretly fund attacks on climate science (via The Independent)

Kerry says global climate change is threat to US (via Washington Post)

Obama’s inaugural speech rallies campus climate divestment campaign (via Buzzfeed)

How climate change could wipe out the Western Forests (via The Atlantic)

Explained in 90 seconds: it’s cold – that doesn’t mean global warming is fake (via Mother Jones)

EMISSIONS 

Japan to announce lower greenhouse gas reduction targets by November (via Bloomberg)

Norwegian Sea can hold 100 years of Norway’s CO2 emissions (via Reuters)

EU carbon price crashes to record low (via The Guardian)

Tokyo’s cap-and-trade cuts CO2 23% in second year (via Environmental Leader)

Federal court won’t review decision that struck down EPA pollution rule (via The Hill)

RENEWABLES 

China “finalizing renewables quote” (via Recharge)

What the president’s focus on climate change means for cleantech (via GreenBiz)

Crowd-funded solar projects top $1 million in US (via Treehugger)

Wind tax credit has appeal for red states, too (via Politico)

Arizona regulators slash home solar incentive, kill commercial plan (via Arizona Daily Star)

KEYSTONE XL/TAR SANDS 

How much will tar sands oil add to global warming? (via Scientific American)

After Nebraska setback, greens regroup on Keystone XL (via Mother Jones)

From John Kerry, cautious words on Keystone XL (via The Hill)

John Kerry says he’ll control Keystone XL review as Secretary of State (via InsideClimate News)

Enbridge says Eastern US Gulf Coast next big market for Canadian oil (via InsideClimate News/Reuters)

GRID 

Global smart grid spending rose to $13.9 billion driven by China (via Bloomberg)

Nearly 70 percent of electric meters in Europe will be smart by 2020 (via Pike Research)

Oak Park, Illinois test drives a blackout-proof, solar-powered smart grid (via Grist)

NATURAL GAS/FRACKING 

Ukraine signs landmark $10 billion shale gas deal with Shell (via Reuters)

110 lawmakers urge exports of US natural gas (via Houston Chronicle)

Do we have enough water to frack our way to energy independence? (via Huffington Post)

California sued for allegedly failing to regulate fracking (via Bloomberg)

TRANSPORTATION 

Number of ChAdeMO EV charging stations in US jumped tenfold in 2012 (via Autoblog Green)

UK could roll out 122,000 EV chargers under EU plan (via BusinessGreen)

Are vehicle miles travelled (VMT) fees the key to federal transportation woes? (via Sustainable Cities Collective)

Will Texas be next to tax electric vehicles? (via Autoblog Green)

With new battery hub, Chicago seeks to lead nation on electric vehicles (via Midwest Energy News)

GREEN BUSINESS 

McDonald’s, Unilever, Pepsi, Adidas make sustainability news at Davos (via GreenBiz)

Should oil firms make a list of the world’s most sustainable companies? (via GreenBiz)

Unilever reveals half of its factories send ‘zero waste’ to landfills (via BusinessGreen)

Oregon tops US in new clean jobs index (via Sustainable Business Oregon)

COAL 

Governors at odds over Northwest export terminal proposals (via Greenwire)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

Does increased energy efficiency just spark us to use more? (via Scientific American)

Washington DC once again leads America in LEED certifications (via CleanTechnica)

Energy efficiency in the Northeast US: Massachusetts leads, New Jersey lags (via Energy Manager Today)

ENERGY INDUSTRY 

Energy industry fueled by strong M&A activity (via Houston Chronicle)

Texas regulatory commission that oversees drilling is being overhauled, even in name (via New York Times/Texas Tribune)

OPINION 

How the “Kochtopus” stifled green debate (via The Independent)

Obama’s second chance on Keystone XL (via Washington Post)

From words to deeds: how to push Obama toward climate action (via Grist)

Memo to DC: think long-term on clean energy (via Earth Techling)

The Keystone XL objections wither away (via Wall Street Journal)

US Northeast faces stark choice on climate pollution (via New York Times)

An economic tale of two shale booms: Pennsylvania is not North Dakota (via Facts of the Day)

POLITICS 

Would a White House green team help on climate? (via Politico)

Democrats form Congressional task force to fight climate change (via Bloomberg)

White House official details Obama plans for climate change, clean energy (via SNL Energy)

White House official: corporate tax reform should boost green energy (via The Hill)

Obama climate push to tie environment, jobs (via Reuters)

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 1.24.13

A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.

NATURAL GAS/FRACKING 

Japan’s 2012 LNG imports at record high on nuclear woes (via Reuters)

White House starts review of revised gas “fracking” rule (via The Hill)

GAO says regulators need to improve natural gas pipeline incident response data (via Washington Post/AP)

Dow Chemical fights ally Exxon’s natural gas export push (via Bloomberg)

Pennsylvania fracking wastewater might overwhelm Ohio injection wells (via Akron Beacon Journal)

TRANSPORTATION 

Electrifying auto fleets could cut company fuel costs by 75% (via BusinessGreen)

Plug-in readiness reports show wide difference between California regions (via Green Car Congress)

KEYSTONE XL/TAR SANDS 

Majority of US senators back Keystone XL pipeline (via Reuters)

RENEWABLES 

Sting operations reveal mafia involvement in Italian renewable energy (via Washington Post)

Expensive loans dim prospects for renewable energy in India (via Forbes)

Big funders bought wind in 2012 (via Greentech Media)

Mitsubishi Heavy seeks 10% share of global offshore wind market (via Bloomberg)

Latin American solar markets poised for 66% growth through 2017 (via Greentech Media)

Report: lack of consistent policy holding back clean energy industry (via Midwest Energy News)

North America’s largest wind energy storage facility goes online in Texas (via CleanTechnica)

VW starts up largest solar park at US auto factory in Tennessee (via Autoblog Green)

EMISSIONS 

Japan ready to ditch emissions reduction target (via Phys.org)

Beijing to scrap old cars and swap coal-burners in clean air bid (via Bloomberg)

Greenhouse gas emissions dip in Minnesota, but future is uncertain (via Minneapolis Star-Tribune)

ENERGY INDUSTRY 

Deutsche Bank pays $1.6 million to end US energy market trading probe (via Bloomberg)

Study: college endowments triple returns on fossil fuel stocks (via Houston Chronicle)

GRID 

China to cap electricity growth at 8% through 2015 (via Bloomberg)

Smart grid may be shortest route to Obama’s green energy goals (via Forbes)

The importance, challenge, and future of smart grid data analytics (via Renew Grid)

Duke completes battery storage project at Texas wind farm (via Renew Grid)

New aggregation programs drive consumer participation in Illinois energy choice (via US EIA)

NUCLEAR 

Japan faces nuclear shutdown for second time since Fukushima (via Reuters)

Funding no problem for German shift from nuclear energy (via Reuters)

Fracking for uranium (via Forbes)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

Companies call on EU to deliver 2030 energy efficiency goals (via BusinessGreen)

Surge expected for utility customer-funded energy efficiency programs (via Renew Grid)

Does your state lead in LEED? (via Greentech Media)

How energy literate are you? (via Mapawatt)

CLIMATE 

Why Greenland’s melting could be the biggest climate disaster of all (via Mother Jones)

Andes glaciers melting at record rates (via Christian Science Monitor/Reuters)

Analysis: Obama’s next climate steps apt to be temperate (via Reuters)

Derek Jeter steps to the plate for climate change (via Politico)

Climate change bill readied for 2013 Utah state legislative session (via Salt Lake Tribune)

OIL 

Alaskans want role in US Arctic offshore drilling probe (via Houston Chronicle)

POLITICS 

Obama’s covert plans for climate (via Politico)

Tracking the changes at EPA in Obama’s second term (via AOL Energy)

Ashton Carter said to be leading contender for US Energy Secretary (via Bloomberg)

Sen. Kerry to divest financial holdings to avoid conflicts of interest (via Boston Globe)

Sen. Murkowski to release “comprehensive” energy blueprint next week (via The Hill)

OPINION 

Why are greens so defensive about the rebound effect? (via Grist)

Uncertainty about climate change is reason for more aggressive action (via Grist)

Breaking down the Federal clean energy innovation budget: demonstration projects (via Innovation Files)

OTHER NEWS 

An additional listing of clean energy and climate news is posted at Climate Progress

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 1.16.13

A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.

GRID 

Offshore transmission line breaks new ground on grid rules (via New York Times)

Why military microgrids influence exceeds their market share (via Pike Research)

ENERGY POLICY 

Large mergers drive changes in ownership of electric generating capacity in 2012 (via US EIA)

Oil lobby touts Keystone XL pipeline, natural gas exports (via Politico)

Oil refiners ask Congress to scrap renewable fuels mandate (via Houston Chronicle)

EMISSIONS 

Hong Kong offers $1.3 billion to replace polluting vehicles (via Bloomberg)

EPA says final revisions to 2010 air quality rule will cut industry costs, health risks (via The Hill)

California cuts GHGs for third year (via Environmental Leader)

RENEWABLES 

“Advanced energy” is a trillion-dollar market, and actually grew in 2012 (via GigaOm)

China passes 60GW grid-connected wind capacity (via Recharge)

Inside MENA countries’ solar energy plans (via Renewable Energy World)

Saudi Arabia will set up power buyer for renewables electricity (via Bloomberg)

Royal family investing £20 million in UK wave and tidal power (via BusinessGreen)

Solar provides 5.6% of Italian electricity demand in 2012 (via CleanTechnica)

Morocco to launch new concentrated solar power tenders (via Recharge)

50% solar cell efficiency could be in sight (via EarthTechling)

PTC in place, the US wind industry looks ahead (via Greentech Media)

Solar net metering will provide over $92 million in benefits to California ratepayers (via Electric Light & Power)

Sungevity scores $125 million for third-party solar financing (via Greentech Media)

ALEC to attack North Carolina renewable energy initiative (via DeSmogBlog)

Virginia attorney general targets utility renewable energy incentives (via Washington Times/AP)

NATURAL GAS/FRACKING 

Texas study finds increase in water used for fracking (via Texas Tribune)

CLIMATE 

2012 was Earth’s 10th warmest year on record, warmest with a La Nina (via Weather Underground)

US climate diplomat says emissions deal is in nations’ core interest (via The Hill)

Black carbon 2x larger cause of climate change than previously assessed (via Green Car Reports)

Record taxpayer cost is seen for US crop insurance (via New York Times)

Decades of temperature changes where you lived mapped online (via The Guardian)

National Flood Insurance Program – a mighty engine that couldn’t (via ClimateWire)

Science and religion meet at a climate protest (via New York Times)

Do cities really take the lead on climate change? (via Grist)

Sandy relief bill passes House despite conservative opposition (via Huffington Post)

TRANSPORTATION 

Cadillac and Nissan press the case for electric cars (via New York Times)

Tesla Model S to hit UK market in early 2014 (via BusinessGreen)

Cadillac introduces 2014 ELR extended range electric vehicle (via Green Car Congress)

Nissan to use US battery plant for hybrid vehicles (via Bloomberg)

Johnson Controls offers start-stop battery system for vehicles (via New York Times)

GREEN BUSINESS 

Google makes new electricity push with funding to Energy Foundation (via The Hill)

How Ford and Adidas are making climate change work in their favor (via GreenBiz)

US government seeing big savings from green buildings (via Greentech Media)

COAL 

10 things to know about leasing coal on public land (via Oregon Public Radio)

POLITICS 

Interior Secretary Ken Salazar to leave Obama administration (via Reuters)

Ken Salazar’s legacy includes push for wind, solar energy (via Politico)

Chuck Hagel’s Chevron tie not criticized (via Houston Chronicle)

OPINION 

2013: the year of climate decision (via Climate Progress)

Can the Chinese rescue Fisker? (via Autoblog)

For greater job growth, invest in clean energy, not US coal exports (via National Geographic)

Wind might not roar in 2013, even with PTC (via EarthTechling) 

The extreme weather threat that’s all around us (via Huffington Post)

Why is net metering under attack? (via Greentech Media)

A holding pattern at Tesla (via New York Times)