Category Archives:News

06
Jun

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 6.6.13

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

EMISSIONS 

Research assigns US three times CO2 reduction responsibility as China (via Bloomberg)

Brazil’s emissions fall 39% since 2005, now 10% below 1990 levels (via Mongabay)

Obama officials raise “social cost” of carbon in federal regulations (via The Hill)

Schools addressing students’ fossil fears without divesting (via Bloomberg)

OIL 

Canada oil output will double by 2030 if pipelines are built (via Houston Chronicle/Bloomberg)

US crude output exceeds imports for first time in 16 years (via Houston Chronicle)

BP to pump $1 billion into its Alaska drilling efforts (via Grist)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

Smarter energy use by UK industry could cut electricity demand 75% (via Phys.org)

Amendments could sink bipartisan Senate energy efficiency bill (via Politico)

RENEWABLES 

UK solar investment jeopardized by EU tariffs on China (via Bloomberg)

Japan PM’s power plan lifts renewables at utility expense (via Bloomberg)

Brazil may unlock 21GW renewable energy market (via Recharge)

US solar PV demand to grow 20% in 2013 to 4.3GW (via CleanTechnica)

Interior Department Approves Up to 4Gw Of New Renewable Energy Projects (via CleanTechnica)

Will Master Limited Partnerships campaign put wind tax credit at risk? (via Politico)

DOE issues regulatory roadmap to spur geothermal energy development (via Green Car Congress)

Offshore wind advances create greentech investment opportunities (via Greentech Media)

Solar gardens taking root in US communities (via EarthTechling)

MIT creates solar potential map of Cambridge (via Treehugger)

Renewable energy gets a rural boost in Colorado (via Climate Progress)

Michigan legislators seek offshore wind power restrictions (via Record-Eagle)

NATURAL GAS/FRACKING 

UK prepares for US-style shale gas boom (via CNN Money)

Summer to bring upward pressure on US natural gas prices (via Wall Street Journal)

EPA Inspector General to investigate efforts to reduce natural gas pipeline leaks (via Washington Post/AP)

With more solar on the way, does Xcel need more gas peakers? (via Midwest Energy News)

North Carolina House panel Oks more cautious fracking bill (via Houston Chronicle/AP)

CLIMATE 

Russia continues to block UN climate talks (via RTCC)

As extreme weather increases, Bangladesh braces for the worst (via Yale e360)

How investors can help avert climate catastrophe (via GreenBiz)

Stormy weather set to increase due to climate change (via RTCC)

Rising sea levels, stronger storms will threaten US coasts through end of century (via Times-Picayune)

The Obama climate move that nobody noticed (via Grist)

US tailors regional climate plans to help farmers beat the heat (via Bloomberg)

Agriculture Secretary: “America must take steps now” on climate (via The Hill)

COAL 

China to cut coal use in key industrial regions (via Reuters)

Sierra Club sues BNEF over coal dust from trains in Washington State (via Houston Chronicle/AP)

TRANSPORTATION 

US new-car average gas mileage at highest level ever: 24.8 MPG (via Green Car Reports)

US hybrid & plug-in sales continue strong gains, 32,300 PEVs sold in 2013 (via Green Car Congress)

EPA to issue ethanol use targets this summer (via Reuters)

US added 180 EV charging stations in May (via Autoblog Green)

Study says California’s low-carbon fuel rule is working, but threats loom (via InsideClimate News)

GRID 

Smart and micro grids can minimize power outages during hurricane season (via Breaking Energy)

Cheap batteries for backup renewable energy (via MIT Technology Review)

POLITICS 

Americans for Prosperity targets Democrats up for re-election with anti-carbon tax campaign (via The Hill)

Congressional Democrats change climate message to focus on disaster costs (via ClimateWire)

Offshore drilling proponents launch new Congressional push (via Houston Chronicle)

The billionaire force behind GOP attempts to dismantle Maine’s renewable energy standards (via Bangor Daily News)

OPINION 

EU solar outlook still bright after binge (via Reuters)

Global signs of leadership on clean energy (via WRI Insights)

Why I wanted to be CEO of the American Wind Energy Association (via Greentech Media)

Don’t let another hurricane season blow by without climate action (via The Hill)

Now is the time to be an infrastructure hawk, not a deficit hawk (via Washington Post)

An obscure new rule on microwaves can tell us a lot about Obama’s climate policies (via Washington Post)

Posted:   |   Categories: Agriculture Department, alaska, american wind energy association, Americans for Prosperity, awea, Bangladesh, barack obama, battery, BNEF, BP, Brazil, california, Cambridge, canada, carbon tax, China, climate, coal, colorado, department of energy, Divestment, Electric Vehicle, emissions, Energy Efficiency, EPA, ethanol, EU, European Union, ev, EV charging infrastructure, Extreme weather, Fossil fuel divestment, fracking, geothermal, grid, hybrid, interior department, investment, japan, Jeanne Shaheen, Maine, massachusetts, Master limited partnerships, Methane leakage, michigan, Microgrids, MIT, MLP, natural gas, News, North Carolina, offshore drilling, offshore wind, oil, Oil exports, Pipelines, production tax credit, ptc, Renewable energy standard, renewables, res, Rob Portman, Russia, Sea level rise, Severe weather, Shale gas, Shinzo Abe, sierra club, smart grid, Social cost of carbon, solar, Solar gardens, solar pv, Solar trade war, Tom Kiernan, Tom Vilsack, Transportation, uk, united kingdom, Washington State, xcel energy
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05
Jun

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 6.5.13

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

EMISSIONS 

China sticks to carbon-intensity target, dismisses CO2 cap (via Bloomberg)

UK decarbonization target narrowly defeated in legislature (via The Guardian)

Congress hates carbon pricing – the rest of the world doesn’t (via Washington Post)

KEYSTONE XL 

Climate change and Keystone XL: the numbers behind the debate (via Energy Collective)

Scientists tell State Department key parts of Keystone review are “without merit” (via InsideClimate News)

API says State Department considering Keystone hearing in Washington, DC (via The Hill)

TransCanada digging up defective segments of new pipeline, angering landowners in Texas (via InsideClimate News)

RENEWABLES 

Renewable energy investments in Middle East and North Africa grew 40% in 2012 (via Recharge)

EU solar tariffs may spur short-term imports as deal is sought (via Bloomberg)

EU imposes provisional 11.8% tariffs on Chinese solar imports (via Greentech Media)

Mining-dependent Mongolia pushes renewables as climate change hits (via Reuters)

UK government considers plans to compensate homes near wind farms (via BusinessGreen)

Wine industry dragged into EU-China solar trade war (via BusinessGreen)

New hybrid wind-solar technology could change the future of renewables (via Phys.org)

Offshore wind projects to advance as US sets auction (via Bloomberg)

EPA tool determines viability of solar projects on contaminated sites (via The Good Human)

San Francisco, San Jose dominate ranking of clean tech cities (via San Jose Mercury News)

NATURAL GAS/FRACKING 

Germany drops fracking law until after September’s election (via Reuters)

CLIMATE 

US Forest Service tells Congress climate change causing longer wildfire season (via The Guardian)

GRID 

The billion-dollar smart grid storm and summer spending surge (via Greentech Media)

As energy picture changes, Midwest grid operator considers a longer outlook (via Midwest Energy News)

California takes the lead in using batteries for grid storage (via Green Car Reports)

5MW energy storage system headlines Oregon smart grid project (via Renew Grid)

Siemens installing America’s first regenerative energy storage unit (via CleanTechnica)

OIL 

Large oil firms hit record US spending in 2012 as profits drop (via Houston Chronicle)

TRANSPORTATION 

United Airlines planes to fly on advanced biofuel (via Houston Chronicle)

Tesla loses fight to set up its own dealers in Texas (via Autoblog)

ENVIRONMENT 

EPA says US water infrastructure needs $384 billion upgrade (via Los Angeles Times)

When will the Texas drought end? (via StateImpact Texas)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

Walgreens building net zero energy store outside Chicago (via New York Times)

POLITICS 

GOP attacks landmark offshore wind power plan (via Houston Chronicle)

House panel erupts over Endangered Species Act debate (via The Hill)

Dim GOP enthusiasm for cap-and-trade bill in 2009 even dimmer now (via E&E Daily)

OPINION 

Imagining power utilities for the 21st century (via Grist)

Nuclear energy and my Greenpeace conundrum (via Energy Collective)

Posted:   |   Categories: american petroleum institute, API, battery, biofuel, brownfields, california, cap and trade, Carbon intensity, Carbon pricing, chicago, China, climate, Climate Change, drought, emissions, Endangered Species Act, Energy Efficiency, energy storage, environment, EPA, EU, European Union, fracking, germany, greenpeace, grid, Illinois, Keystone XL, MENA, Midwest ISO, MISO, Mongolia, natural gas, Net zero energy, News, nuclear, offshore wind, oil, oregon, renewables, san francisco, san jose, Siemens, smart grid, solar, Solar tariff, Solar trade war, State Department, tar sands, Tesla, texas, TransCanada, Transportation, uk, united airlines, united kingdom, US Forest Service, Walgreens, wildfires, wind
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04
Jun

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 6.4.13

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

EMISSIONS 

Airlines agree to curb their emissions by 2020 (via The Guardian)

UK confirms backing for stronger EU 2030 emissions targets (via BusinessGreen)

Traffic gridlock grows in African cities, expanding once-tiny carbon footprint (via ClimateWire)

Hotels work together to standardize measuring carbon footprint (via Sustainable Business)

CLIMATE 

US and China intensify climate cooperation (via RTCC)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

Energy efficiency retrofits ramp up in China (via GreenBiz)

Energy efficiency firms are eating European utilities’ lunch (via Reuters)

Vehicle program to be stripped from Senate efficiency bill to shrink price tag (via E&E Daily)

COAL 

A little less coal in China – 6 ways it is lowering consumption (via Greentech Media)

RENEWABLES 

European Union backs down on China solar tariffs (via New York Times)

Climate change likely to thwart biofuel goals (via Houston Chronicle)

Harnessing India’s clean energy Tower Power (via Renew Economy)

Japanese solar industry soaring (via CleanTechnica)

Solar, biomass push out offshore wind in EU targets (via Reuters)

Could climate bonds become a major force in green finance? (via Environmental Leader)

States buffeted by turbulent wind industry (via Stateline)

State renewable energy laws survive repeal attempts – so far (via Midwest Energy News/Greenwire)

Interior Department to unveil plans for offshore wind leases (via The Hill)

Interior Department approves 520MW of renewables (via Greentech Media)

Solar executives okay with declining incentives in Colorado (via Denver Post)

OIL 

Russia joins forces with Scandinavia to finance Arctic oil rush (via Bloomberg)

Kinder Morgan to extend Eagle Ford pipeline (via Houston Chronicle)

TRANSPORTATION 

EVs are getting as cheap as gasoline rivals (via Los Angeles Times)

Nissan Leaf continues strong sales with 2,138; Chevy Volt moves 1,607 (via Autoblog Green)

EV sales in May on pace for 80,000 per year (via Facts of the Day)

Battery advice from Elon Musk: plugged in at full charge is worst thing to do (via San Jose Mercury News)

ENERGY POLICY 

Energy companies call regulatory changes their greatest threat (via Houston Chronicle)

House GOP dusts off energy bills to expand drilling, pipelines (via Politico)

Tea Party targeting Southern Company over solar and nuclear (via San Francisco Chronicle/AP)

Massachusetts launches green bond program to fund clean energy projects (via Bloomberg)

ENVIRONMENT 

China says rural environmental problems and pollution worsened in 2012 (via Reuters)

Extreme weather worsens US wheat production, cuts market share (via Bloomberg)

Severe storms bring more “weather whiplash” to US (via Climate Central)

NUCLEAR 

Worldwide capacity of small modular reactors could pass 18GW by 2030 (via Navigant Research)

Scientists say Fukushima radioactivity in seafood poses minimal health risk (via Phys.org)

Plans for Iowa nuclear power plant scrapped over design, cost concerns (via Des Moines Register)

NATURAL GAS/FRACKING 

Illinois must adopt fracking rules, hire experts before expanding drilling (via Houston Chronicle)

GRID 

Farmers oppose expanding Kansas wind power transmission line (via Topeka Capital-Journal)

POLITICS 

Sen. Alexander proposes “grand principles” for cheaper sustainable energy (via The Hill)

Billionaire Steyer to target Obama supporters in anti-Keystone effort (via The Hill)

OPINION 

3 reasons Chinese solar inverters are half the cost of American inverters (via Breaking Energy)

How to settle the US-China solar war (via Greentech Media)

Tesla was not, in fact, worse than Solyndra (via Grist)

What’s good for Arizona Public Service Isn’t Good for Arizona – or solar (via Greentech Media)

Posted:   |   Categories: africa, arctic, arizona, aviation, barack obama, battery, biofuel, biomass, carbon footprint, chevy volt, China, climate, Climate bonds, Climate Change, coal, colorado, Eagle Ford Shale, Electric Vehicle, Elon Musk, emissions, Emissions reduction, Energy Efficiency, environment, EU, European Union, ev, Extreme weather, fracking, fukushima, grid, Illinois, Incentives, india, interior department, investment, Iowa, japan, Jean Shaheen, kansas, Keystone XL, Kinder Morgan, Lamar Alexander, massachusetts, natural gas, News, nissan LEAF, nuclear, offshore drilling, offshore wind, oil, Pipeline, Pollution, radioactivity, regulation, Renewable energy portfolio, Renewable energy standard, renewables, res, Rob Portman, rps, Russia, Severe weather, Shale oil, Small modular reactors, solar, Solar tariffs, Solar trade war, solyndra, Southern Company, tea party, Tesla, Tom Steyer, transmission, Transportation, uk, united kingdom, Weather whiplash, wind
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03
Jun

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 6.3.13

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

EMISSIONS 

World Bank finds 60 carbon pricing systems in place or in development (via CleanTechnica)

Beijing adding pollution tax to gas prices by next year (via Autoblog Green)

Higher CO2 levels cause “greening” from plant fertilization effect (via Mongabay)

TAR SANDS/KEYSTONE XL 

British Columbia says no to Northern Gateway pipeline on oil spill concerns (via The Globe and Mail)

Another major tar sands pipeline seeking US permit (via InsideClimate News)

Keystone builder “extremely confident” Obama will approve it (via The Hill)

All sides pressing John Kerry on Keystone XL (via Boston Globe)

RENEWABLES 

US now most attractive market for renewables, says Ernst & Young (via Renewable Energy World)

Japanese domestic solar shipments soar (via Recharge)

Ontario replacing large-scale FIT with competitive procurements process (via Renew Grid)

Utility Xcel proposes total of 30% wind across its generation system (via Denver Post)

New Jersey utility PSE&G spending half a billion on solar (via Renew Grid)

ENVIRONMENT 

In Alaska, planned mine pits salmon against gold (via Politico)

NOAA ends weather forecast furloughs as tornadoes strike Oklahoma (via The Hill)

Fracking tests ties between California oil and agriculture interests (via New York Times)

82% of California native fish species risk extinction from climate change (via Sacramento Bee)

OIL 

Oil executives tune out the call of the wild Arctic (via Reuters)

OPEC to study US shale boom on member concerns (via Houston Chronicle)

Oil fields under olive groves offer Italy an economic boost (via Bloomberg)

Canadian refineries importing US crude at 4 times historic levels (via Houston Chronicle)

China’s plastic bag ban saves 6 million tons of oil in 5 years (via China Daily)

Kinder Morgan shelves plans for Texas-to-California oil pipeline (via Houston Chronicle)

TRANSPORTATION 

EPA exploring negative environmental effects of li-ion EV batteries (via Autoblog Green)

Nissan Leaf hits 10,000-unit sales mark in Europe (via Green Car Congress)

Bosch sees 180-mile EVs as minimum by 2020 (via Autoblog Green)

Musk says fourth Tesla vehicle to be small electric SUV (via Bloomberg)

Combining EVs with smart grid technology can halve charging costs (via Climate Progress)

Range anxiety frustrating EVs with charger disconnect (via Bloomberg)

Florida repeals state renewable fuel standard (via Green Car Congress)

Car2Go comes to Denver with 300 Smart Fortwo vehicles (via Autoblog Green)

CLIMATE 

Climate envoys urged to draft plan B on failure of global temperature target (via Bloomberg)

Rainforests will survive extreme global warming, says study (via Mongabay)

Rate of ocean warming greater than previous estimates (via RTCC)

Colorado getting a climate change czar (via CBS/AP)

GRID 

Vehicle-to-grid emerges in new deployments (via Navigant Research)

Energy storage gets a boost in California (via Navigant Research)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

3 big energy efficiency stories you should know about (via Greentech Media)

Infographic: LEED buildings in the world (via USGBC)

OPINION 

Global game-changers in energy and climate (via National Journal)

America isn’t a clean-energy leader (via National Journal)

Tesla’s a success – so what? (via Greenwire)

The climate change guilt trip (via Los Angeles Times)

Is rail-bound crude oil a disaster waiting to happen? (via EnergyWire)

Silicon Valley is now paying even less attention to climate change and that sucks (via GigaOm)

Posted:   |   Categories: alaska, barack obama, battery, Beijing, Bosch, british columbia, california, canada, cap and trade, car2go, Carbon pricing, carbon tax, China, climate, Climate Change, colorado, denver, Electric Vehicle, Elon Musk, emissions, Energy Efficiency, energy storage, environment, EPA, Ernst & Young, europe, ev, Extinction, Extreme weather, feed-in tariff, FIT, Florida, fracking, global warming, grid, italy, japan, john kerry, Keystone XL, Kinder Morgan, LEED, new jersey, News, nissan LEAF, noaa, Northern Gateway, Ocean warming, oil, oil spill, oklahoma, ontario, OPEC, Pebble Bay, Pipeline, Plastic bag ban, PSE&G, Rainforests, Range anxiety, Renewable fuel standard, renewables, Russ Girling, Severe weather, Shale oil, smart grid, solar, tar sands, Tesla, texas, TransCanada, Transportation, V2G, Vehicle to grid, wind, World Bank, xcel
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03
Jun

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 6.3.13

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

EMISSIONS 

World Bank finds 60 carbon pricing systems in place or in development (via CleanTechnica)

Beijing adding pollution tax to gas prices by next year (via Autoblog Green)

Higher CO2 levels cause “greening” from plant fertilization effect (via Mongabay)

TAR SANDS/KEYSTONE XL 

British Columbia says no to Northern Gateway pipeline on oil spill concerns (via The Globe and Mail)

Another major tar sands pipeline seeking US permit (via InsideClimate News)

Keystone builder “extremely confident” Obama will approve it (via The Hill)

All sides pressing John Kerry on Keystone XL (via Boston Globe)

RENEWABLES 

US now most attractive market for renewables, says Ernst & Young (via Renewable Energy World)

Japanese domestic solar shipments soar (via Recharge)

Ontario replacing large-scale FIT with competitive procurements process (via Renew Grid)

Utility Xcel proposes total of 30% wind across its generation system (via Denver Post)

New Jersey utility PSE&G spending half a billion on solar (via Renew Grid)

ENVIRONMENT 

In Alaska, planned mine pits salmon against gold (via Politico)

NOAA ends weather forecast furloughs as tornadoes strike Oklahoma (via The Hill)

Fracking tests ties between California oil and agriculture interests (via New York Times)

82% of California native fish species risk extinction from climate change (via Sacramento Bee)

OIL 

Oil executives tune out the call of the wild Arctic (via Reuters)

OPEC to study US shale boom on member concerns (via Houston Chronicle)

Oil fields under olive groves offer Italy an economic boost (via Bloomberg)

Canadian refineries importing US crude at 4 times historic levels (via Houston Chronicle)

China’s plastic bag ban saves 6 million tons of oil in 5 years (via China Daily)

Kinder Morgan shelves plans for Texas-to-California oil pipeline (via Houston Chronicle)

TRANSPORTATION 

EPA exploring negative environmental effects of li-ion EV batteries (via Autoblog Green)

Nissan Leaf hits 10,000-unit sales mark in Europe (via Green Car Congress)

Bosch sees 180-mile EVs as minimum by 2020 (via Autoblog Green)

Musk says fourth Tesla vehicle to be small electric SUV (via Bloomberg)

Combining EVs with smart grid technology can halve charging costs (via Climate Progress)

Range anxiety frustrating EVs with charger disconnect (via Bloomberg)

Florida repeals state renewable fuel standard (via Green Car Congress)

Car2Go comes to Denver with 300 Smart Fortwo vehicles (via Autoblog Green)

CLIMATE 

Climate envoys urged to draft plan B on failure of global temperature target (via Bloomberg)

Rainforests will survive extreme global warming, says study (via Mongabay)

Rate of ocean warming greater than previous estimates (via RTCC)

Colorado getting a climate change czar (via CBS/AP)

GRID 

Vehicle-to-grid emerges in new deployments (via Navigant Research)

Energy storage gets a boost in California (via Navigant Research)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

3 big energy efficiency stories you should know about (via Greentech Media)

Infographic: LEED buildings in the world (via USGBC)

OPINION 

Global game-changers in energy and climate (via National Journal)

America isn’t a clean-energy leader (via National Journal)

Tesla’s a success – so what? (via Greenwire)

The climate change guilt trip (via Los Angeles Times)

Is rail-bound crude oil a disaster waiting to happen? (via EnergyWire)

Silicon Valley is now paying even less attention to climate change and that sucks (via GigaOm)

Posted:   |   Categories: alaska, Arctic Offshore drilling, barack obama, battery, Beijing, Bosch, british columbia, california, canada, cap and trade, car2go, Carbon pricing, carbon tax, China, climate, Climate Change, colorado, denver, Electric Vehicle, Elon Musk, emissions, Energy Efficiency, energy storage, environment, EPA, Ernst & Young, europe, ev, Extinction, Extreme weather, feed-in tariff, FIT, Florida, fracking, Gas price, global warming, grid, italy, japan, john kerry, Keystone XL, Kinder Morgan, LEED, new jersey, News, nissan LEAF, noaa, Northern Gateway, Ocean warming, oil, oil spill, oklahoma, ontario, OPEC, Pebble Bay, Pipeline, Plastic bag ban, Pollution tax, PSE&G, Range anxiety, Renewable fuel standard, renewables, Russ Girling, Severe weather, Shale oil, smart grid, solar, tar sands, Tesla, texas, TransCanada, Transportation, V2G, Vehicle to grid, wind, World Bank, xcel
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31
May

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 5.31.13

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

OIL/NATURAL GAS 

OPEC maintains 30 million bpd oil output target for 2013 (via Retuers)

Texas leads US in drilling activity with 47.7% of all rigs (via Houston Chronicle)

California lawmakers turn down fracking moratorium (via Bloomberg)

EMISSIONS 

Carbon offsets rise 4% in 2012 (via Phys.org)

Forest and soil carbon important, but does not offset fossil fuel emissions (via Phys.org)

ENVIRONMENT 

Green groups hail sustainable EU fisheries deal (via BusinessGreen)

The latest casualty of drought may be US aquifers (via ClimateWire)

RENEWABLES 

Japan set to overtake Germany as world’s biggest solar market in 2013 (via Recharge)

Australia approaches 22% renewables by 2020, 51% by 2050 (via CleanTechnica)

US favors net-metering while Europe, Japan like feed-in tariffs (via Energy Manager Today)

Japanese domestic solar shipments increase by most in 30 years (via Bloomberg)

Big dams are booming business, but politics remain difficult (via ClimateWire)

Ontario set to overhaul its renewables support policies, end feed-in tariff (via Recharge)

Polish offshore wind energy could be worth €17.5 billion by 2025 (via Renewable Energy World)

Google invests in 96MW South African solar project (via GigaOm)

Q1 2013 clean tech venture investments hit lowest point in 4 years (via Greentech Media)

FERC report says 33MW of new solar added in US during April (via Solar Industry Magazine)

First North American offshore wind turbine rises in Maine (via CleanTechnica)

Connecticut’s renewable portfolio standard set to include more hydropower (via Renew Grid)

North Carolina fights back against anti-solar bills (via Renewable Energy World)

KEYSTONE XL 

Keystone XL protesters seek dismissal of lawsuit preventing protests (via The Oklahoman)

TRANSPORTATION 

Renault takes Better Place bankruptcy in stride, says EVs still a focus (via Autoblog Green)

Should the US government have made more money off Tesla? (via Washington Post)

Honda cuts US lease price for Fit EV to $259/month (via Green Car Congress)

GRID 

North American smart grid sensor market set to double by 2014 (via Renew Grid)

POLITICS 

GOP US Senator praises solar, warns of human-caused climate change (via Greentech Media)

OPINION 

How China may have just changed the climate game (via Climate Progress)

EU energy and climate change policy after 2020 (via Energy Collective)

Coming off fossil fuels is akin to quitting smoking – only harder (via The Guardian)

Coal is the enemy of the human race, video edition (via Grist)

How battery technology killed better place (via Environmental Leader)

Posted:   |   Categories: australia, battery, better place, california, carbon offsets, China, Climate Change, coal, Connecticut, drought, electric vehicles, emissions, environment, EU, European Union, ev, feed-in tariff, FERC, fracking, Fracking moratorium, germany, google, grid, honda, Honda Fit, Hydropower, investment, japan, Keystone XL, Lamar Alexander, Maine, natural gas, Net metering, News, North Carolina, offshore wind, oil, oklahoma, ontario, OPEC, Poland, Renault, renewable portfolio standard, renewables, smart grid, solar, South Africa, Tesla, texas, Transportation, Water scarcity, wind
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30
May

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 5.30.13

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

EMISSIONS 

UN says California and China in talks to link CO2 markets (via Reuters Point Carbon)

Where greenhouse gases come from, in one graph (via Grist)

US lab experiment removes CO2 from atmosphere at relatively low cost (via ClimateWire)

COAL 

The Chinese coal bubble (via Huffington Post)

China’s top utilities protest plan to ban low-grade coal imports (via Reuters)

TRANSPORTATION 

Tesla CEO says company is tripling size of the Supercharger network (via GigaOm)

RENEWABLES 

Solar cheaper than the grid in 102 countries (via Facts of the Day)

Australia on course to beat 2020 renewable energy target (via The Guardian)

Biomass to reach at least 82GW installed capacity worldwide by 2020 (via Navigant Research)

UAE solar power capacity to reach 20GW by 2030 (via Arab News)

India releases draft offshore wind energy policy (via Renewable Energy World)

Utilities weigh a turn to the sun (via Wall Street Journal)

As venture capital interest shrinks in clean tech, corporate investors swoop in (via San Jose Mercury News)

Feed-in tariff: policy tool encouraging deployment of renewable electricity technologies (via US EIA)

Minnesota solar could go from 13MW to 450MW with new solar bill (via CleanTechnica)

Xcel wants out of Goodhue wind farm deal (via Minnesota Finance & Commerce)

GRID 

Utilities want a piece of the FCC’s $4.5 billion rural broadband push (via Greentech Media)

NYPA spending $31 million on transmission improvements (via Renew Grid)

Viridity’s software moves beyond traditional demand response (via Greentech Media)

OIL 

Interior Department moves ahead on offshore drilling safety institute (via The Hill)

Shareholders slam Exxon on climate, discrimination concerns (via Houston Chronicle)

Arkansas residents sue Exxon after oil spill (via Houston Chronicle)

NATURAL GAS/FRACKING 

Some in Europe are rethinking opposition to fracking (via New York Times)

Escalating water strains in fracking regions of US (via Forbes)

ENVIRONMENT 

US drought damage could top $200 billion (via AG Professional)

California plan to overhaul water system hub will cost $25 billion (via Los Angeles Times)

Over 100 ski resorts join BICEP climate declaration (via Triple Pundit)

US sued over policy on killing endangered wildlife (via Los Angeles Times)

CLIMATE 

Erratic US “weather whiplash” accounts for billions in global losses (via The Guardian)

Understanding local weather key to coping with climate change (via RTCC)

POLITICS 

FERC Chairman Wellinghoff announces he’ll step down (via The Hill)

Rallies in 12 US cities protest Koch Brothers Tribune Takeover bid (via Desmog Blog)

OPINION 

Here’s why 1.2 billion people still don’t have access to electricity (via Washington Post)

Why Germany’s solar power is distributed (via Greentech Media)

Kerry’s misfire about US performance on Kyoto emissions targets (via Washington Post)

Posted:   |   Categories: Arkansas, australia, BICEP, biomass, california, China, climate, Climate Change, coal, Demand response, distributed generation, drought, Elon Musk, emissions, environment, europe, Exxon, feed-in tariff, fracking, germany, grid, Grid Parity, india, interior department, investment, john kerry, Koch Brothers, Kyoto, minnesota, natural gas, News, NYPA, offshore drilling, offshore wind, oil, oil spill, renewables, smart grid, solar, Supercharger, Tesla, transmission, Transportation, UAE, UN, united nations, Viridity, Water scarcity, xcel
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30
May

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 5.30.13

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

EMISSIONS 

UN says California and China in talks to link CO2 markets (via Reuters Point Carbon)

Where greenhouse gases come from, in one graph (via Grist)

US lab experiment removes CO2 from atmosphere at relatively low cost (via ClimateWire)

COAL 

The Chinese coal bubble (via Huffington Post)

China’s top utilities protest plan to ban low-grade coal imports (via Reuters)

TRANSPORTATION 

Tesla CEO says company is tripling size of the Supercharger network (via GigaOm)

RENEWABLES 

Solar cheaper than the grid in 102 countries (via Facts of the Day)

Australia on course to beat 2020 renewable energy target (via The Guardian)

Biomass to reach at least 82GW installed capacity worldwide by 2020 (via Navigant Research)

UAE solar power capacity to reach 20GW by 2030 (via Arab News)

India releases draft offshore wind energy policy (via Renewable Energy World)

Utilities weigh a turn to the sun (via Wall Street Journal)

As venture capital interest shrinks in clean tech, corporate investors swoop in (via San Jose Mercury News)

Feed-in tariff: policy tool encouraging deployment of renewable electricity technologies (via US EIA)

Minnesota solar could go from 13MW to 450MW with new solar bill (via CleanTechnica)

Xcel wants out of Goodhue wind farm deal (via Minnesota Finance & Commerce)

GRID 

Utilities want a piece of the FCC’s $4.5 billion rural broadband push (via Greentech Media)

NYPA spending $31 million on transmission improvements (via Renew Grid)

Viridity’s software moves beyond traditional demand response (via Greentech Media)

OIL 

Interior Department moves ahead on offshore drilling safety institute (via The Hill)

Shareholders slam Exxon on climate, discrimination concerns (via Houston Chronicle)

Arkansas residents sue Exxon after oil spill (via Houston Chronicle)

NATURAL GAS/FRACKING 

Some in Europe are rethinking opposition to fracking (via New York Times)

Escalating water strains in fracking regions of US (via Forbes)

ENVIRONMENT 

US drought damage could top $200 billion (via AG Professional)

California plan to overhaul water system hub will cost $25 billion (via Los Angeles Times)

Over 100 ski resorts join BICEP climate declaration (via Triple Pundit)

US sued over policy on killing endangered wildlife (via Los Angeles Times)

CLIMATE 

Erratic US “weather whiplash” accounts for billions in global losses (via The Guardian)

Understanding local weather key to coping with climate change (via RTCC)

POLITICS 

FERC Chairman Wellinghoff announces he’ll step down (via The Hill)

Rallies in 12 US cities protest Koch Brothers Tribune Takeover bid (via Desmog Blog)

OPINION 

Here’s why 1.2 billion people still don’t have access to electricity (via Washington Post)

Why Germany’s solar power is distributed (via Greentech Media)

Kerry’s misfire about US performance on Kyoto emissions targets (via Washington Post)

Posted:   |   Categories: Arkansas, australia, biomass, california, China, climate, Climate Change, coal, Demand response, distributed generation, drought, Elon Musk, emissions, environment, europe, Exxon, feed-in tariff, fracking, germany, grid, Grid Parity, india, interior department, investment, john kerry, Koch Brothers, Kyoto, minnesota, natural gas, News, NYPA, offshore drilling, offshore wind, oil, oil spill, renewables, smart grid, solar, Supercharger, Tesla, transmission, Transportation, UAE, UN, united nations, Viridity, Water scarcity, xcel
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30
May

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 5.30.13

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

EMISSIONS 

UN says California and China in talks to link CO2 markets (via Reuters Point Carbon)

Where greenhouse gases come from, in one graph (via Grist)

US lab experiment removes CO2 from atmosphere at relatively low cost (via ClimateWire)

COAL 

The Chinese coal bubble (via Huffington Post)

China’s top utilities protest plan to ban low-grade coal imports (via Reuters)

TRANSPORTATION 

Tesla CEO says company is tripling size of the Supercharger network (via GigaOm)

RENEWABLES 

Solar cheaper than the grid in 102 countries (via Facts of the Day)

Australia on course to beat 2020 renewable energy target (via The Guardian)

Biomass to reach at least 82GW installed capacity worldwide by 2020 (via Navigant Research)

UAE solar power capacity to reach 20GW by 2030 (via Arab News)

India releases draft offshore wind energy policy (via Renewable Energy World)

Utilities weigh a turn to the sun (via Wall Street Journal)

As venture capital interest shrinks in clean tech, corporate investors swoop in (via San Jose Mercury News)

Feed-in tariff: policy tool encouraging deployment of renewable electricity technologies (via US EIA)

Minnesota solar could go from 13MW to 450MW with new solar bill (via CleanTechnica)

Xcel wants out of Goodhue wind farm deal (via Minnesota Finance & Commerce)

GRID 

Utilities want a piece of the FCC’s $4.5 billion rural broadband push (via Greentech Media)

NYPA spending $31 million on transmission improvements (via Renew Grid)

Viridity’s software moves beyond traditional demand response (via Greentech Media)

OIL 

Interior Department moves ahead on offshore drilling safety institute (via The Hill)

Shareholders slam Exxon on climate, discrimination concerns (via Houston Chronicle)

Arkansas residents sue Exxon after oil spill (via Houston Chronicle)

NATURAL GAS/FRACKING 

Some in Europe are rethinking opposition to fracking (via New York Times)

Escalating water strains in fracking regions of US (via Forbes)

ENVIRONMENT 

US drought damage could top $200 billion (via AG Professional)

California plan to overhaul water system hub will cost $25 billion (via Los Angeles Times)

Over 100 ski resorts join BICEP climate declaration (via Triple Pundit)

US sued over policy on killing endangered wildlife (via Los Angeles Times)

CLIMATE 

Erratic US “weather whiplash” accounts for billions in global losses (via The Guardian)

Understanding local weather key to coping with climate change (via RTCC)

POLITICS 

FERC Chairman Wellinghoff announces he’ll step down (via The Hill)

Rallies in 12 US cities protest Koch Brothers Tribune Takeover bid (via Desmog Blog)

OPINION 

Here’s why 1.2 billion people still don’t have access to electricity (via Washington Post)

Why Germany’s solar power is distributed (via Greentech Media)

Kerry’s misfire about US performance on Kyoto emissions targets (via Washington Post)

Posted:   |   Categories: Arkansas, australia, BICEP, biomass, california, China, climate, Climate Change, coal, Demand response, distributed generation, drought, Elon Musk, emissions, environment, europe, Exxon, feed-in tariff, fracking, germany, grid, Grid Parity, india, interior department, investment, john kerry, Koch Brothers, Kyoto, minnesota, natural gas, News, NYPA, offshore drilling, offshore wind, oil, oil spill, renewables, smart grid, solar, Supercharger, Tesla, transmission, Transportation, UAE, UN, united nations, Viridity, Water scarcity, xcel
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29
May

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 5.29.13

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

GRID 

Global grid storage market to jump to $10.4 billion by 2017 (via Renew Grid)

Smart grid may plug leaky, wasteful energy systems (via Forbes)

Microgrid merger highlights new business models (via Navigant Research)

PJM secures record amount of new generation, demand response (via Renew Grid)

EMISSIONS 

UN says world could cut emissions by 20B tons by 2020 (via Bloomberg)

UK and Germany see CO2 emissions from energy rise in 2012 (via BusinessGreen)

Fossil fuel divestment movement reaches 200 colleges (via Toledo Blade/AP)

Oil industry: federal renewable fuel mandate causes more emissions (via Houston Chronicle)

RENEWABLES 

World Bank: business as usual will fail to give sustainable energy for all (via BusinessGreen)

EU tariffs on China solar panels loom as talks fail (via Greentech Media)

Most EU states “oppose PV tariffs” (via Recharge)

China’s threatened solar duties on EU products would hurt its own producers (via Reuters)

1.1GW of wind power to be added in Africa amid new investment (via Inhabitat)

Argentina, Indonesia hit with EU tariff on biodiesel imports (via Bloomberg)

Solar industry anxious over defective panels (via New York Times)

Solar cheaper than wind? (via Sustainable Business)

Wind forecasting and data analytics revenue will surpass $300 million by 2020 (via Navigant Research)

Cold climate wind energy showing huge potential (via Phys.org)

Minnesota plants seeds for community solar gardens (via Midwest Energy News)

Wyoming makes power play to export wind energy (via Wall Street Journal)

Kansas City installing solar on municipal buildings, saving $40k/year (via Treehugger)

COAL 

Coal is making a comeback in 2013 (via Washington Post)

TRANSPORTATION 

Germany sticking to 1 million EVs by 2020 target despite slow sales (via Autoblog Green)

Better Place lost $459M on $6.9M in sales last year; cumulative losses of $812M (via Green Car Congress)

Tesla pushes electric-car viability with rapid charging (via Bloomberg)

Musk sticking to plan for “affordable” Tesla model (via Autoblog)

Tesla crosses the $100 per share mark (via GigaOm)

NATURAL GAS/FRACKING 

Interior Department faces pressure to slow down fracking rule (via The Hill)

Natural gas may have found its price sweet spot (via Politico)

Illinois counties can do little but brace for fracking’s impact (via Chicago Tribune)

A New Mexico county’s fracking ban is all about the water (via Los Angeles Times)

CLIMATE 

97% global warming consensus meets resistance from science denial (via The Guardian)

Bill would shift NOAA resources from climate research (via Climate Central)

CBS News ties extreme weather to manmade climate change (via Climate Progress)

Bill McKibben wins Sophie Prize for fight against global warming (via Washington Post/AP)

POLITICS 

Former EPA Administrator Jackson heading to Apple (via The Hill)

The obscure county-level election that could change the planet (via National Journal)

OPINION 

Can Pakistan survive climate change? (via ClimateWire)

5 clean tech milestones worth celebrating (via Greentech Media)

Keystone XL approval is a throw of the dice in much bigger gamble (via Huffington Post)

EV industry better off without Better Place (via Navigant Research)

Climate change adaptation: so simple, a caveman could do it (via Grist)

Posted:   |   Categories: adaptation, africa, apple, Argentina, better place, Bill McKibben, biodiesel, biofuels, China, climate, Climate Change, coal, Community solar gardens, Demand response, Divestment, electric vehicles, Elon Musk, emissions, energy storage, EPA, EU, European, ev, Extreme weather, Fossil fuel divestment, fracking, germany, global warming, grid, Illinois, Indonesia, interior department, Kansas City, Keystone XL, lisa jackson, Microgrid, minnesota, natural gas, New Mexico, News, noaa, pakistan, PJM, Renewable fuel mandate, renewables, smart grid, solar, Solar trade war, Tesla, Transportation, uk, UN, united kingdom, united nations, Washington State, wind, Wind forecasting, World Bank, wyoming
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