Energy and Environment News Roundup – 2.26.13

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

NATURAL GAS 

Germany to approve fracking “with conditions” (via Phys.org)

Wild cards lurk in the speedy switch to gas-fired power generation (via EnergyWire)

EMISSIONS 

Alberta cancels carbon capture and storage project (via Huffington Post)

Falling nuclear and rising coal cause rise in carbon emissions during November 2012 for first time in a year (via Facts of the Day)

California carbon price surpasses expectations (via Environmental Leader)

RENEWABLES 

India nears renewables goal with 12.4 gigawatts added in 3 years (via Panchabuta)

More than 450 geothermal power projects underway worldwide (via Renew Grid)

Are banks backing away from solar projects? (via Greentech Media)

Solar-powered cell towers lead rural electrification (via Treehugger)

New England offshore wind planning offers lessons for Great Lakes (via Midwest Energy News)

States encourage and discourage renewable energy trading (via AOL Energy)

Massachusetts maps its solar energy future (via Renewable Energy World)

OIL 

High-stakes trial resumes over 2010 Gulf oil spill (via Houston Chronicle)

As oil spill trial opens, push for a deal continues (via New York Times)

Deepwater Horizon oil spill trial begins – how much will BP pay? (via Christian Science Monitor)

BP seeks to prove Gulf oil spill errors weren’t negligence (via Bloomberg)

Land grab cheats North Dakota tribes out of $1 billion, suits allege (via ProPublica)

CLIMATE 

Global warming and airflow changes “caused US and EU heatwaves” (via The Guardian)

New study links extreme weather to climate change (via Phys.org)

Feeding ourselves on a warming planet (via New York Times)

Southwest, Great Plains most vulnerable to water shortages (via Environmental Leader)

Study: climate change may dry up important US reservoirs like Lakes Powell and Mead (via Climate Progress)

Global warming worries California voters, poll finds (via Sacramento Bee)

KEYSTONE XL/TAR SANDS 

Report finds diluted oil sands bitumen not more corrosive than comparable heavy crude in pipelines (via Green Car Congress)

Alberta premier says climate change important to US approval of Keystone XL (via CBC News)

Flickers of life for clean fuels standard as oil sands plans form (via InsideClimate News)

GRID

FERC makes first Order 1000 compliance rulings (via Renew Grid)

The ant, the grasshopper, and electricity prices in New England (via New York Times)

JCP&L seeks to recover Sandy repair costs, deploy smart grid tech (via Renew Grid)

NUCLEAR 

US nuclear power on track for lowest production since 2000-2001 (via Facts of the Day)

Nuclear waste in the age of climate change (via National Journal)

TRANSPORTATION 

Tesla CEO says NY Times article reduced market cap by $100 million (via Bloomberg)

Variable utility rate plans will have little impact for electric vehicle drivers (via Pike Research)

COAL 

Utility settles with EPA, agrees to stop burning coal at three sites (via The Hill)

“Green” strategists now back coal trains (via Seattle Times)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

Power market transparency: money out of negawatts (via AOL Energy)

America: the worldwide leader in wasting energy (via Forbes)

Energy efficiency in Maine receives two powerful boosts (via CLF Scoop)

Boston mayor wants building energy reporting (via Energy Manager Today)

POLITICS 

Obama’s quiet strategy on climate change (via National Journal)

Lew: White House won’t propose carbon tax (via The Hill)

Bipartisan push to address climate change (via Politico)

OPINION 

Fight over gas exports is prelude to oil exports brawl (via Houston Chronicle)

Why the debt crisis has trumped the climate crisis – at least in DC (via Time)

What California can teach DC about climate change policy (via GreenBiz)

Divestment: the best solution for environmental justice (via Good)

Why innovation alone isn’t enough to win the climate fight (via Time)

What ARPA-E can’t do (via MIT Technology Review)

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 2.18.13

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

KEYSTONE XL/TAR SANDS 

Green groups rally on climate, urge Obama to reject Keystone XL (via The Hill)

Canada defends climate record amid Keystone XL protests in US (via Canadian Press)

Canadian ambassador slams press coverage of Keystone XL pipeline battle (via The Hill)

Oil sands tailings leaking into groundwater, Canadian Natural Resources Minister told in memo (via Canada.com)

Nebraska utility says transmission project for Keystone XL will be delayed (via Houston Chronicle/AP)

NATURAL GAS/FRACKING 

Shale LPG poised to make US net exporter for first time (via Bloomberg)

Fracking is only way to achieve Obama climate goals, says senior scientist (via The Guardian)

Apache natural gas well has leak beneath floor of Gulf of Mexico (via Reuters)

Shale gas boom slows in Marcellus formation (via Christian Science Monitor/AP)

Illinois fracking rules could be strictest in America (via Midwest Energy News)

RENEWABLES 

China on track to exceed targets, install 140GW of wind capacity by 2015 (via Greentech Media)

Why German solar is so much cheaper than US solar – updated study (via CleanTechnica)

Solar PV below $2/watt in Australia (via CleanTechnica)

US bioethanol makers face 5-year EU anti-dumping tariff (via Bloomberg)

New trends in financing wind power (via Greentech Media)

Wind energy records fall in Washington, Texas, Colorado (via EarthTechling)

Bill proposed in Congress would streamline US solar and wind permits (via Recharge)

Wyden floats plan to boost geothermal energy (via The Hill)

Could wind power cool New England’s price fever? (via New York Times)

Federal approval near for sprawling California wind project (via Greenwire)

Offshore wind gets another try in Maryland (via EarthTechling)

TRANSPORTATION 

EPA says it will more closely monitor fuel economy claims from automakers (via Autoblog)

What does a sub-$20k EV mean for the industry? (via EarthTechling)

More electric car owners install home charging stations (via Green Car Reports)

ARPA-E funds $20 million to develop energy storage systems for EVs (via Green Car Congress)

CLIMATE 

Global warming affects Arctic and Antarctic regions differently (via Phys.org)

Extreme rainfall rises with global temperatures (via Climate Progress)

Tens of thousands demand action on climate change (via USA Today)

Secret funding of climate skeptics is not restricted to the US (via The Guardian)

Two thirds of Americans want Obama to act on climate (via Climate Central)

OIL 

Direct threat to Canadian economy posed by US shale oil production (via Edmonton Journal)

Elegiac images from North Dakota’s boom (via New York Times)

EMISSIONS 

BASIC countries oppose EU carbon tax model (via Yahoo! News/Hindustan Times)

Obama’s carbon “cavalry” may help revive EU market (via Bloomberg)

Natural gas isn’t the only reason US carbon emissions are falling (via Washington Post) 

GRID 

Electricity costs up in gas-dependent New England (via New York Times)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

Military facilities benefit from using LEED (via Sustainable Cities Collective)

The low-tech solution to big cities’ climate woes: triple-pane windows (via Grist)

Defense Department “should continue” LEED certifications (via Environmental Leader)

COAL 

Misunderstanding coal in Europe (via Christian Science Monitor)

Developers drop plans for Texas coal plant (via Houston Chronicle)

After White Stallion power plant canceled, coal faces dark future in Texas (via StateImpact Texas)

ENVIRONMENT 

NOAA head: weather forecasts at risk over budget cuts (via Climate Central)

Report points to risk of serious gap in weather satellite data (via New York Times)

The top 10 hardest-hit states for crop damage (via Climate Central)

TESLA-NEW YORK TIMES CONFLICT 

Tesla, the New York Times, and the leveling of the media playing field (via PaidContent)

Tesla Model S owners crowdsource trip to counter NYT report (via Green Car Reports)

Sparks fly between Tesla and NYT, but here’s what matters to the rest of us (via OnEarth)

POLITICS 

Obama faces risks in pipeline decision (via New York Times)

Keystone for climate: could Obama craft a horse trade? (via Houston Chronicle)

Obama acknowledges climate change difficulties (via Politico)

Billionaire Steyer has unique role in official Washington: climate change radical (via Washington Post)

OPINION 

Environmentalists and the military should play nice (via Slate)

Oil and gas feeding off each other while they fuel an economic recovery (via Forbes)

Will shale oil stop the Keystone XL pipeline? (via Christian Science Monitor)

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 2.6.13

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

CLIMATE 

USDA: climate change could devastate US agriculture (via USA Today)

Preparing for the rising tide across New England (via CLF Scoop)

How climate change impacts America’s energy infrastructure (via WRI Insights)

Warm weather forces changes ahead of Iditarod race (via New York Times)

Boston mayor calls on city to prepare for climate change (via Reuters)

New York Governor seeking home buyouts in flood zones (via New York Times)

Alaska climate taskforce hasn’t met since 2011, documents show (via The Guardian)

EMISSIONS 

UK emissions fall seven percent in 2011 as gas use plunges (via BusinessGreen)

White House weighs emissions rules for power plants (via Wall Street Journal)

EPA: power plants accounted for two-thirds of US industrial emissions in 2011 (via The Hill)

CARB chair Mary Nichols discusses state carbon trading (via Greentech Media)

RENEWABLES 

Solar PV installations hit 32GW in 2012, 35GW projected for 2013 (via CleanTechnica)

Wind could power nine million homes in Eastern Europe (via BusinessGreen)

Europe’s first wind-powered province touts renewables as key to recovery (via BusinessGreen)

New German wind installations expected to top “up to 3.5GW this year” (via Recharge)

Norway expects onshore wind lift-off (via Recharge)

Wind energy fund plans $320 million IPO with UK government backing (via Reuters)

Novel designs are taking wind power to the next level (via MIT Technology Review)

US solar will eclipse wind in 2013, says Duke Energy (via Bloomberg)

Midwest gets into clean tech investing with energy foundry (via Greentech Media)

Beyond tax incentives: how to make solar attractive to universities (via Good)

ENERGY POLICY 

Time for change: China flags peak in coal usage (via Sydney Morning Herald)

Canada set to cut direct spending on fossil fuel sector (via Reuters)

Seattle and San Francisco consider divesting from fossil fuels (via Grist)

OIL 

Deep-sea drilling muddles political waters (via New York Times)

Canada not ready for major offshore spill, says environmental agency (via Reuters)

North Dakota’s Bakken Oil finally hits the East Coast (via Bloomberg Businessweek)

As profits sag, BP girds for “trial of the year” (via Forbes)

TRANSPORTATION 

China to roll out cleaner fuel standards, says government (via Reuters)

Better Place to shut down US, Australian operations (via Forbes)

Americans now spending most on gas since early 1980s (via Washington Post)

Toyota recycles hybrid batteries into energy management systems (via CleanTechnica)

Boeing 787 batteries: what’s causing their “thermal runaways?” (via Christian Science Monitor)

UPS deploys 100 commercial EVs in California (via Green Car Congress)

Volt owners are almost equally Republicans & Democrats (via CleanTechnica)

ENVIRONMENT 

Lake Michigan and Lake Huron hit all-time low water levels (via Weather Underground)

Some parts of Texas approaching worst-ever drought (via Star-Telegram/AP)

Wyoming explores oil-gas regulations for groundwater testing (via Casper Star-Tribune)

KEYSTONE XL/TAR SANDS 

Alberta may offer more environmental initiatives to smooth way for Keystone XL (via Yahoo! News/Reuters)

Debunking Nature’s arguments in favor of Keystone XL (via Grist)

GREEN BUSINESS 

How to get your CFO to love your sustainability director (via GreenBiz)

Alaskan Brewing Company runs on energy generated by its own beer (via AP)

NATURAL GAS/FRACKING 

MIT engineers develop process to treat produced water from natgas wells at low cost (via Green Car Congress)

Shale industry moves to ship fracking waste via barge down Ohio River (via DeSmog Blog)

Former PA Governor Rendell intervened on behalf of gas driller in Texas contamination case (via StateImpact Texas)

VEHICLE-TO-GRID 

Connecting EVs to the grid – NREL takes the lead (via CleanTechnica)

Pentagon places $20 million bet on vehicle-to-grid technology (via Greenwire)

POLITICS 

Waxman to push for Congressional climate hearings (via The Hill)

Can Congress ever agree on climate change? An interview with Henry Waxman (via Washington Post)

Obama to nominate CEO of REI for Interior Secretary (via Washington Post)

OPINION 

How can we prepare for climate change without screwing poor people? (via Grist)

Work less, save the planet? (via Mother Jones)

Analysts: energy policy not keeping pace with technology (via Houston Chronicle)

Will climate change be President Obama’s legacy? (via EarthTechling)