Energy and Environment News Roundup – 12.16.14
A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.
EMISSIONS
Carbon markets link in $500 million clean energy investment (via CleanTechnica)
Tropical rainforests not absorbing as much carbon as expected (via The Guardian)
Emissions growth slows as economies clean up (via RTCC)
United Kingdom renewables displaced 38 million tonnes of CO2 in 2013 (via CleanTechnica)
COAL
China slashes coal export tariff as mining in crisis (via Reuters)
Coal-heavy rural electric cooperatives take hard line on EPA Clean Power Plan (via EnergyWire)
RENEWABLES
Year-end rush in China leads Asia-Pacific solar PV market to record Q4 level (via Solar Industry Magazine)
Five key stats reveal Latin American’s breakthrough year in solar (via Greentech Media)
New wind power record in Germany (via Renewables International)
Honduras in line for 81.7MW of SunEdison solar (via PV Tech)
IKEA to start selling solar panels in Switzerland (via Renewable Energy World)
Kyocera to build world’s largest floating PV project near Tokyo (via Recharge News)
Local market conditions and policies strongly influence solar PV pricing (via Phys.org)
Minnesota regulators authorize state’s largest solar power project (via Star-Tribune)
Austin, Texas plans to get hover half its power from renewables by 2025 (via ClimateProgress)
SEIA board facing call to resign over stance on US-China trade spat (via PV Tech)
SunPower backs Tendril, plans to use its energy software (via GigaOm)
CLIMATE
White House to healthcare providers: Prepare for climate impacts (via The Hill)
U.S. and India to announce joint climate change action during Obama visit (via The Guardian)
Scientists are worried Greenland might melt even faster than expected (via Washington Post)
OIL
Plunging oil prices could boost geopolitical risks, says Bank of England (via Reuters)
Big Oil could chop $930 billion in projects as prices fall (via Houston Chronicle)
U.S. oil falls to new low of $55.91 per barrel (via The Hill)
In Canada’s oil sands, a boomtown starts feeling the chill (via Reuters)
Oil plunge seen as boon for U.S. banks as traders benefit (via Bloomberg)
TRANSPORTATION
Only five countries will sell over 10,000 EVs in 2014 (via Autoblog Green)
France could soon have EV charging stations every 25 miles (via Green Car Reports)
2015 U.S. household gasoline expenditures on track to be lowest in 11 years (via U.S. EIA)
Electric cars could be cheaper than gas guzzlers within a decade (via Quartz)
Sunswift solar electric car reaches crowdfunding goal to hit the streets (via CNET)
GRID
Europe’s “biggest battery” sparks into life (via BusinessGreen)
United Kingdom set for £2.5 billion capacity auction to keep lights on (via Bloomberg)
ABB, Hitachi set up power grid joint venture in Japan (via Reuters)
NATURAL GAS
U.S. shale junk debt tumbles amid oil crunch (via Houston Chronicle)
ENERGY POLICY
Evaluating 15 years of IEA energy forecasts (via Energy Collective)
The energy system in 2014 – did the ice really crack? (via Bloomberg)
A $48 billion opportunity for U.S. electric customers (via Renewable Energy World)
The race is on for solar companies to woo utilities (via Forbes)
While seeking “bailout,” Ohio utilities keep cost data secret (via Midwest Energy News)
POLITICS
Elizabeth Warren, GOP rookies set up energy panel for pyrotechnics (via National Journal)
OPINION
9 things scientists did this year to ensure a better climate future (via Climate Progress)
Why climate change is forcing some environmentalists to back nuclear power (via Washington Post)
Winners and losers at the UN climate talks (via RTCC0
Cleantech IPOs: Predictions revisited, 2014 winners, 2015 picks (via Greentech Media)
Will the 2,250-foot solar-wind tunnel ever be more than a pipe dream? (via Greentech Media)