Energy and Environment News Roundup – 5.23.13
A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.
ENERGY POLICY
98% of DOE’s $34 billion loan portfolio is being repaid (via Facts of the Day)
CLIMATE
Thawing permafrost could produce lower CO2 emissions than previously thought (via ClimateWire)
New EU climate policy unlikely before 2015 (via Phys.org)
10 cities that will be hardest hit by climate change (via Grist)
Gov. Jerry Brown keeps pressing on the perils of climate change (via San Jose Mercury News)
NATURAL GAS/FRACKING
US shale boom shapes international energy markets (via Houston Chronicle)
Energy-rich Colorado becomes setting for fracking fight (via Bloomberg)
Illinois House panel approves fracking measure (via Chicago Tribune)
Grassroots greens challenge EDF on fracking involvement (via Mother Jones)
RENEWABLES
Germany investing €50 million in solar PV innovation (via Recharge)
Switch to low-carbon energy would save UK households 1,600 (via The Independent)
White House, Pentagon at odds over biofuel refinery program (via Greenwire)
Wind potential – all about the data (via Renewable Energy World)
North Carolina renewable energy policy will remain in place (via Sustainable Business)
EMISSIONS
China emissions cap proposal hailed as climate breakthrough (via Renew Economy)
China unveils details of pilot carbon-trading program (via The Guardian)
CBO: carbon tax an option to avoid “catastrophic” outcomes (via The Hill)
College fossil-fuel divestment movement builds (via Houston Chronicle)
TAR SANDS/KEYSTONE XL
House passes bill to speed up Keystone XL, avoid Obama review (via Houston Chronicle)
Keystone XL’s southern leg nears completion (via Houston Chronicle)
TRANSPORTATION
Tesla Motors repays its government loan in full (via Greentech Media)
Tesla Model S set to bring EVs into mainstream (via BusinessGreen)
Coalition launches EV charging station project in upstate New York (via Green Car Congress)
COAL
Coal regains some electric generation market share from natural gas (via US EIA)
Mining lobby touts economic impact of coal exports (via Charleston Gazette)
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
UK government to boost energy efficiency efforts across sectors (via Energy Manager Today)
How Cree perfected the 20-year light bulb (via Forbes)
ENVIRONMENT
Death by a thousand cuts: coal boom could destroy Great Barrier Reef (via Spiegel)
POLITICS
The GOP’s green energy tent is slowly getting bigger (via National Journal)
Climate activists to protest at Obama group’s climate events (via Grist)
Q&A: Steven Chu on his time as US Energy Secretary (via Stanford News)
Green billionaire Steyer plans to get involved in Massachusetts Senate race (via The Hill)
Terry McAuliffe reverses course, backs bill to allow oil drilling off Virginia coast (via Washington Post)
OPINION
Europe, Australia, and the slow death of carbon trading (via Renew Economy)
Could a Chinese carbon cap pave the way for a global climate deal? (via Grist)
The impact of budget sequestration on DOD energy innovation (via Innovation Files)