Energy and Environment News Roundup – 1.13.15
A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.
EMISSIONS
2015 begins with CO2 above 400ppm mark (via Climate Central)
South Korea launches world’s second-largest carbon trading market (via Climate Progress)
Social cost of carbon six times higher than thought (via RTCC)
KEYSTONE XL
Attorney says Nebraska landowners can still challenge Keystone XL (via Topeka Capital-Journal)
Ten Democratic senators vote with Republicans for Keystone XL pipeline (via The Guardian)
Keystone XL pipeline opposition: Review of major claims, relevant facts, most probable impacts (via Energy Collective)
RENEWABLES
Distributed energy storage system revenue expected to exceed $16.5 billion by 2024 (via Navigant Research)
Mexico sees $14 billion in wind energy investment by 2018 (via Reuters)
SunEdison to build 5GW of subsidy-free renewables in India (via PV Tech)
1.5 million solar arrays in Germany (via Renewables International)
Bird charity in legal fight against 2GW of Scottish offshore wind (via Recharge)
Insights from the solar industry in rural Peru (via Renewable Energy World)
A solar system is installed in America every 2.5 minutes (via Greentech Media)
U.S. “could hit” 27% renewables penetration in 2030, says IRENA (via Recharge)
NREL enzyme enables biomass conversion 14x faster than current alternatives (via Green Car Congress)
New Mexico maxes out Renewable Energy Production Tax Credit (via GreenBiz)
Michigan could expand renewable energy to 25% for $2.60 per household (via Midwest Energy News)
OIL
Oil drops below $45 (via The Hill)
Iran’s president says countries behind oil price drop will suffer (via Reuters)
United Arab Emirates sees oil drop hurting shale drillers, not OPEC (via Houston Chronicle/Bloomberg)
Shale drillers can brag about their holdings, as investors ask, “How’s your debt?” (via Bloomberg)
Falling oil prices to hit Texas budget, says comptroller (via Reuters)
TRANSPORTATION
AAA: Gas below $2 per gallon in 18 states (via The Hill)
Uber offers cities an olive branch: Valuable trip data (via Washington Post)
CPUC says California utilities can own charging infrastructure (via Energy Collective)
CLIMATE
The U.S. climate of 2014: Remarkable hot, cold, wet, and dry extremes (via Weather Underground)
The U.S. and India keep pushing toward a climate deal (via Grist)
ENVIRONMENT
China water stress may worsen even with transfer projects (via Bloomberg)
America sucks at recycling, so we’re burning trash again (via Grist)
POLITICS
On Senate’s to-do list: Keystone, climate change, crude exports (via Houston Chronicle)
It’s open season for Keystone amendments, but big issues may stay dormant (via National Journal)
For green billionaire, a wealth of hurdles in California Senate race (via National Journal)
OPINION
How low can oil prices go? Welcome to the oil market’s old normal (via Washington Post)
Let the Sun set on the solar industry subsidy (via The Hill)
Ejecting the power line foxes from the electric customer henhouse (via CleanTechnica)
Could Obama strike a Keystone XL deal with Congress? (via Christian Science Monitor)
Key role for solar in IRENA U.S. renewables transition plan (via PV Tech)
Business and nations headline WRI’s stories to watch in 2015 (via GreenBiz)
The three best ways to optimize a commercial solar PV system (via Greentech Media)
IRENA unveils Resource – “Google” for renewable energy information (via CleanTechnica)
Why Google’s future growth is in energy (via Motley Fool)