Category Archives:oil spill

17
Apr

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 4.17.14

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

CLIMATE 

EU to host industry talks ahead of setting 2030 climate goals (via Reuters)

Farmers seeking heat relief signal Brazil climate peril (via Bloomberg)

California drought/polar vortex jet stream pattern linked to global warming (via Weather Underground)

COAL 

Is this the end of China’s coal boom? (via Climate Progress) 

North Carolina governor proposes new coal ash plan (via Citizen-Times/AP)

RENEWABLES 

Yingli forms $160 million China solar project fund (via Recharge)

HSBC says wind and solar best picks in climate stocks (via Renew Economy)

Gaps linger between clean energy and bond market support, says report (via ClimateWire)

Feds to provide $4 billion in green energy support (via The Hill)

Obama to challenge private companies to boost solar power use (via Washington Post)

Just how off is EIA’s renewable energy outlook? How about 20+ years? (via CleanTechnica)

Solar disrupting wholesale energy markets (via Greentech Media)

Virginia’s largest rooftop solar array to be dedicated (via Washington Times/AP)

Meet the governor who crippled his state’s solar energy future (via EcoWatch)

Oklahoma will charge customers who install their own solar panels (via Climate Progress)

EMISSIONS 

Beijing’s bid to move polluting firms watched warily in nearby regions (via Reuters)

Pope Francis urged to back fossil fuel divestment campaign (via The Guardian)

Alberta considers emissions rules to win support for oil (via Bloomberg)

California shows residents the greenhouse gas money (via Bloomberg BNA)

NATURAL GAS/FRACKING 

EU agrees to Putin’s call for natural gas security talks (via Reuters)

With white papers, EPA takes first step on potentially far-reaching methane regulations (via ClimateWire)

Leading states tacking fugitive emissions head on (via Breaking Energy)

States peering over the fence on fracking rules (via National Journal)

Andarko joins ad blitz to thwart Colorado fracking curbs (via Bloomberg)

Ohio state plan for earthquake monitoring worries drilling industry (via Columbus Business First)

GRID 

Hydro-Quebec, Sony forming JV to develop large-scale energy storage for grids (via Green Car Congress)

Loan guarantees are back: DOE targets “catalytic” grid integration technology (via Greentech Media)

How synchrophasors are bringing America’s grid into the 21st century (via Energy.gov)

California to utilities: Connect battery-solar systems to the grid (via Greentech Media)

SolarCity resumes applications for California batteries (via Bloomberg)

OIL 

Industry opposes push to tighten oil field safety rules (via Houston Chronicle)

US Coast Guard, BP end “active cleanup” of Louisiana’s coast, nearly four years after spill (via Times-Picayune)

Is Gulf cleanup over or not? BP and Coast Guard differ. (via Washington Post)

TRANSPORTATION 

Selling Teslas in China won’t do much for the environment (via MIT Technology Review)

Nissan will expand free charging incentive to 25 Leaf markets (via Autoblog Green)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

One-degree thermostat change could save NYC buildings $145 million per year (via Energy Manager Today)

The link between home ownership and energy efficiency (via Navigant Research)

ENVIRONMENT 

California water contracts can be challenged by green groups (via Bloomberg)

Water shortage divides Californians on solutions and blame (via Los Angeles Times)

OPINION 

Is a clean energy boom coming in 2014? (via Christian Science Monitor)

Utilities have four choices in solar revolution, and none are easy to swallow (via CleanTechnica)

Posted:   |   Categories: Alberta, Andarko, battery, Beijing, BP, Brazil, california, China, climate, Climate Change, coal, coal ash, colorado, Divestment, DOE, drought, earthquakes, eia, emissions, Energy Efficiency, energy storage, EPA, EU, Federal loan guarantee, Fossil fuel divestment, fracking, Fugitive emissions, Green bonds, grid, Gulf of Mexico, HSBC, Hydro-Quebec, Louisiana, Maine, methane, natural gas, New York City, News, nissan LEAF, North Carolina, Ohio, oil, oil spill, oklahoma, Paul LePage, Polar vortex, Pope Francis, renewables, solar, SolarCity, Sony, Synchrophasors, Tesla, Transportation, US Coast Guard, virginia, Vladimir Putin, Wholesale energy markets, wind, Yingli
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16
Apr

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 4.16.14

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

CLIMATE 

Right wing threatens EU climate change goals (via RTCC)

Study ties epic California drought, “frigid east” to manmade climate change (via Climate Progress)

KEYSTONE XL 

The green case against Keystone XL (via Politico)

Jimmy Carter comes out against Keystone XL pipeline (via The Hill)

RENEWABLES 

Clean energy investment rises 9%, led by solar power (via Bloomberg)

European Investment Bank promises €2 billion clean energy funding boost (via BusinessGreen)

India signs power contracts for 700MW of new solar capacity (via Bloomberg)

IFC backs 50MW Pakistan wind project (via Recharge)

Solar trends for Q1 of 2014 and beyond: View from Mercom Capital (via Forbes)

Department of Defense undertakes largest solar project to date (via Climate Progress)

Oil group says EPA may flip-flop on ethanol mandate (via The Hill)

Dual turning point for biofuels (via New York Times)

Tiny portable wind turbine fits in your bag, charges your gadgets (via TreeHugger)

EMISSIONS 

Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions fall 0.8% in 2013 (via Reuters)

Plants are key to removing 63 million tons of CO2 a year (via The Guardian)

US greenhouse gas emissions dropped 3.4% in 2012 (via Los Angeles Times)

Federal appeals court says EPA can force power plans to cut mercury emissions (via Washington Post)

US EPA studies whether to regulate methane from oil and gas (via Reuters Point Carbon)

Pitzer College selling fossil fuel stocks in environmental move (via Los Angeles Times)

COAL 

Identifying the global coal industry’s water risks (via World Resources Institute)

The Pacific Rim coal bubble (via Sightline Daily)

Washington University students continue Peabody protest (via St. Louis Business Journal)

ENERGY POLICY 

American penitentiaries emphasize the need for sustainability (via TreeHugger)

BOEM announces plan to auction 21 million Gulf acres (via Houston Chronicle)

Investors urge Duke Energy to vote out directors (via News Observer)

ENVIRONMENT 

China poised to beef up national Environmental Protection Law (via BusinessGreen)

Congo deforestation could cause region to warm 3C by 2050 (via RTCC)

Pollution is substantially worse in minority neighborhoods across the US (via Washington Post)

GAO audit finds lack of data on environmental reviews (via The Hill)

A brutal allergy season is ahead – blame the polar vortex (via Mother Jones)

OIL 

Radioactive waste booms with shale oil as new rules mulled by US (via Bloomberg)

BP, Coast Guard end spill cleanup on Gulf shoreline (via Houston Chronicle)

TRANSPORTATION 

US to stay global first in vehicle miles drive, says futurist (via Green Car Reports)

BMW lifts i3 electric car production 43% on higher demand (via Bloomberg)

Where do US electric cars save money the quickest? (via Green Car Reports)

DOE announces $10 million to upgrade technology for renewable drop-in fuels production (via Green Car Congress) 

GRID 

How a small California county went grid positive (via RMI Outlet)

Home energy management grows in some mind-bending ways (via EnergyWire)

NATURAL GAS/FRACKING 

EIA: Natural gas will slash diesel’s dominance as rail fuel (via Houston Chronicle)

Pennsylvania DEP “monitoring” Ohio earthquake situation (via StateImpact Pennsylvania)

Is Pennsylvania wasting its fracking wealth? (via National Journal)

New York City hotel commissions combined heat and power plant (via Energy Manager Today)

OPINION 

A backup plan for climate change (via Washington Post)

Felipe Calderon: Economic arguments needed to fight climate change (via Forbes)

The eight factors driving global industrial efficiency (via Greentech Media)

It’s okay to support nuclear power and still enjoy a movie now and then (via Bloomberg)

Why it’s a big deal that half of the Great Lakes are still covered in ice (via The Atlantic)

Energy companies need to remake their boards before activists force them to (via Forbes)

Why the great Washington University sit-in against Peabody Coal matters (via Huffington Post)

Posted:   |   Categories: Air pollution, Allergies, australia, biofuels, BMW, BOEM, BP, california, Carbon bubble, climate, Climate Change, coal, Combined heat and power, Congo, Defense Department, deforestation, diesel, Divestment, DOE, drought, duke energy, earthquakes, eia, Electric Vehicle, emissions, Energy Efficiency, environment, EPA, ethanol, European Investment Bank, European Union, ev, Felipe Calderon, Fossil fuel divestment, fracking, GAO, Great Lakes, grid, Gulf of Mexico, Home energy management, IFC, india, Jimmy Carter, Keystone XL, methane, natural gas, New York City, News, nuclear power, offshore drilling, Ohio, oil, oil spill, pakistan, Peabody, pennsylvania, Pitzer College, Polar vortex, Renewable Fuels Standard, renewables, Shale oil, small wind, solar, Transportation, US Coast Guard, Washington University, wind
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14
Apr

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 4.14.14

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

CLIMATE 

Act fast to curb global warming or extract CO2 from air, says UN (via Reuters)

IPCC report: World must urgently switch to clean energy sources (via The Guardian)

World Bank president says fighting climate change and poverty are linked (via ClimateWire)

Shippers and seabirds clash over Arctic territory (via Alaska Dispatch)

GRID 

Weather-related blackouts doubled since 2003 (via Climate Central)

FERC says steps underway to protect grid (via AP)

DOE Inspector General: Power grid threats should have remained classified (via The Hill)

KEYSTONE XL/TAR SANDS 

Northern Gateway pipeline rejected by British Columbia First Nation (via Huffington Post)

Canadians turn up the heat against Northern Gateway tar sands pipeline (via Climate Progress)

Opponents carve massive anti-Keystone XL message into field that could hold future pipeline (via Huffington Post)

RENEWABLES 

Are we halfway to market dominance for solar? (via Greentech Media)

A rising tension: Value of solar tariff versus net metering (via Greentech Media)

How much are solar Facebook fans worth? About $403 each (via Renewable Energy World)

EMISSIONS 

UN says world’s greenhouse gas emissions growing rapidly (via The Hill)

IPCC says major greenhouse gas reductions needed by 2050 (via Climate Central)

IMF, World Bank push for price on carbon (via Business Standard/AFP)

Greenland ice sheet samples show impact of US Clean Air Act on climate (via Austrian Tribune)

Desmond Tutu calls for anti-apartheid style boycott of fossil fuel industry (via The Guardian)

EPA held over 100 meetings, met with over 200 groups to design carbon rules (via Climate Progress)

Harvard faculty members urge university to divest from fossil fuels (via The Guardian)

NATURAL GAS/FRACKING 

Gas carousel making Spain Europe’s biggest LNG exporter (via Bloomberg)

How many jobs does fracking really create? (via National Journal)

Geologists say fracking likely cause of Ohio earthquakes (via Time) 

Early speculators let drilling leases lapse as North Carolina fracking prospects remain uncertain (via Winston-Salem Journal)

ENVIRONMENT 

Entire marine food chain at risk from rising CO2 levels in water (via The Guardian)

El Nino could raise meteorological hell this year (via Grist)

US drought retreats 15% in one year (via Climate Central)

OIL 

IMF says North American boom to keep oil prices low (via Christian Science Monitor)

Crude oil leak in China taints water for millions (via New York Times)

Rail transport of crude oil increases as pipelines fall short (via New York Times)

Big Oil comes up short in shale (via Houston Chronicle)

Houston fills with crude oil that can’t be shipped out (via Bloomberg)

TRANSPORTATION 

Sales of electric and alternative fuel vehicles will reach 12.4 million annually by 2022 (via Navigant Research)

Washington State’s governor signs pro-Tesla bill (via Autoblog Green)

COAL 

China cuts in coal use may mean world emissions peak before 2020 (via Bloomberg)

Clean coal might work in China, but we won’t see much of it here (via Washington Post)

Chicago 30-hour ties up for Buffet’s trains slows coal (via Bloomberg)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

Energy efficiency bill gaining momentum in US Senate (via Bloomberg BNA)

Cities collaborate and compete to improve energy efficiency (via Midwest Energy News)

NUCLEAR 

Japan supports nuclear power in national energy plan (via Bloomberg)

POLITICS 

Unions or greens – which Keystone XL player is doing more to keep the Senate blue? (via E&E Daily)

NRDC, LCV create environmental political alliance (via Washington Post)

OPINION 

Is protecting the grid a matter of national security? (via National Journal)

Three most sobering graphics from UN’s new climate report (via Climate Progress)

400ppm: The milestone that puts Earth in the “danger zone” (via RTCC)

Posted:   |   Categories: 400ppm, arctic, Blackout, british columbia, canada, China, clean air act, clean coal, climate, Climate Change, coal, Desmond Tutu, Divestment, DOE, drought, earthquakes, El Nino, Electric Vehicle, emissions, Energy Efficiency, EPA, europe, ev, Extreme weather, facebook, FERC, First Nations, Fossil fuel divestment, fracking, greenland, grid, Harvard, Houston, IMF, japan, jay inslee, Keystone XL, LCV, LNG exports, natural gas, Nebraska, Net metering, News, North Carolina, Northern Gateway, nrdc, nuclear, Ocean acidification, Ohio, oil, Oil exports, oil spill, Oil train, Pipeline, renewables, Shaheen-Portman, Shale oil, solar, Spain, tar sands, Tesla, Transportation, UN, UN IPCC, Value of solar tariff, Washington State, World Bank
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10
Apr

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 4.10.14

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

ENERGY POLICY 

EU seeks cheaper power, curbs renewable subsidies (via ABC News/AP)

UK risks brownouts without power from Scotland (via Bloomberg)

New England power generators oppose Massachusetts proposed clean energy mandates (via ClimateWire)

Arizona utility’s long-term plan calls for more renewables, less coal (via Renew Grid)

EMISSIONS 

Atmospheric carbon dioxide levels just hit their highest point in 800,000 years (via Climate Progress)

Carbon trading in China: Short-term experience, long-term wisdom (via C2ES)

California issues first forestry offsets for carbon market (via Reuters)

RENEWABLES 

GWEC: Global installed wind power capacity will almost double in five years (via Renewable Energy World)

Chinese solar module prices may increase up to 20% in the US in 2014 (via Greentech Media)

Offshore wind advances in Rhode Island, Texas, Georgia (via CleanTechnica)

Majority of Americans support renewable fuel standard, poll shows (via The Hill)

Net metering update: What do recent decisions tell us? (via Greentech Media)

A breakthrough for utility-scale solar on contaminated lands? (via Greentech Media)

Stanford researchers develop less resource-intensive way to make ethanol (via MIT Technology Review)

COAL 

China plans ban on imports of coal with high ash, sulfur (via Bloomberg)

CLIMATE 

Climate changes to result in bird, reptile shifts (via ABC News/AP)

Obama targets climate change in wildfire strategy (via The Hill)

TRANSPORTATION 

Cars become biggest driver of greenhouse gas increases (via Bloomberg)

The US Navy has found a way to turn seawater into fuel (via Huffington Post)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

Walmart and GE team up for global LED rollout (via BusinessGreen)

How Japan replaced half its nuclear capacity with efficiency (via Energy Collective)

LA, DC top cities for Energy Star buildings (via Energy Manager Today)

Big manufacturers urging Ohio lawmakers to keep energy-efficiency benchmarks (via Columbus Business First)

FRACKING 

Researcher: 2014 slated to be most active year for global shale drilling (via Houston Chronicle)

ENVIRONMENT 

P&G pledges zero deforestation by 2020 (via GreenBiz)

Wildlife in Gulf of Mexico still suffering four years after BP oil spill: report (via The Guardian)

GRID 

Wind, solar energy driving electricity storage technology (via Climate Central)

Grid operator endorses $590 million power project for Houston area (via Houston Chronicle)

OPINION 

Shale gas blooms in China? Not so fast (via Breaking Energy)

Obama Administration’s enthusiasm for coal sales undermines its climate program (via Center for American Progress)

Cowboys and Indians against Keystone XL (via Politico)

Why California’s drought isn’t going anywhere (via Climate Central)

Making climate adaptation finance work (via World Resources Institute)

Can a fair price for solar energy win over utilities? (via Grist)

Posted:   |   Categories: arizona, BP, california, Carbon market, carbon trading, China, climate, Climate Change, coal, deforestation, drought, emissions, Energy Efficiency, energy star, energy storage, environment, ERCOT, ethanol, EU, European Union, fracking, GE, Georgia, Global Wind Energy Council. Renewables, grid, Gulf of Mexico, GWEC, japan, Keystone XL, LED, los angeles, massachusetts, Net metering, New England, News, nuclear, Offsets, offshore wind, Ohio, oil spill, P&G, Renewable fuel standard, renewables, rhode island, Scotland, shale, solar, Stanford, Subsidies, texas, Transportation, uk, united kingdom, US Navy, Walmart, Washington DC, Wildfire, wind
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31
Mar

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 3.31.14

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

CLIMATE 

Climate change a threat to security, food, and humankind – UN IPCC report (via The Guardian)

UN panel’s warning on climate risk: Worst is yet to come (via New York Times)

UN report: Effects of climate change seen everywhere (via USA Today)

Pacific Ocean is acidifying faster than expected, shows study (via Climate Progress)

NATURAL GAS 

Record natural gas demand keeps bulls betting on rising prices (via Bloomberg)

RENEWABLES 

UK Green Investment Bank launches £461 million wave of offshore wind funding (via BusinessGreen)

Japan’s ruling parties seek clean energy 2030 target (via Bloomberg)

German regional politicians resist green energy reforms (via Reuters)

Mexico tapping its wind potential (via Houston Chronicle)

US DOE to offer new loan aid program to renewable energy companies (via Reuters)

Wind power sets new 10GW record in Texas (via Houston Chronicle)

Cool Planet closes $100 million capital round for biofuels (via Forbes)

MIT Energy Initiative announces $1.6 million in energy innovation funding (via Green Car Congress)

The pros’ clean energy picks: Solar dominates, emerging markets drag (via Renewable Energy World)

EMISSIONS 

China’s war on smog will be won or lost in polluted Hebei (via Reuters)

Obama considers new climate regulations for oil, gas sectors (via Reuters)

California climate-change fight results in utility bill credits for consumers (via San Francisco Chronicle)

Heartland, rejecting climate change harm, says more CO2 is good for the planet (via ClimateWire)

OIL 

US government: Industry hampering oil train safety (via Houston Chronicle)

5 states and Gulf of Mexico produce more than 80% of US crude oil (via US EIA)

BP raises Lake Michigan oil spill estimate (via Chicago Tribune)

TRANSPORTATION 

GM recall total in 2014 reaches 4.8 million (via New York Times)

Tesla’s $5 billion Giga-Factory factory and deep politics in AZ, TX, NV, and NM (via Greentech Media)

Massachusetts to offer rebates on plug-in EV purchases (via Green Car Reports)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

Energy efficiency progress by America’s utilities: An update (via Energy Collective)

9 ways to get stakeholders to care about energy efficiency (via Greentech Media)

ENVIRONMENT 

Desalination is now a billion-dollar industry, shows report (via Triple Pundit)

Long California drought could harm utility ratings, says Fitch (via Reuters)

Mini gold rush spurred by historic California drought (via Christian Science Monitor)

OPINION 

How climate change will affect where you live (via New Scientist)

When Obama’s “All of the Above” and global warming collide (via National Journal)

4 takeaways from IPCC report show worsening climate change impacts (via WRI Insights)

California regulators hitting climate policies out of the park (via Bloomberg BNA)

Climate change report: Five key points (via The Guardian)

Is a Value of Solar tariff really better than net metering? (via CleanTechnica)

Posted:   |   Categories: arizona, biofuel, BP, california, cap and trade, China, climate, Climate Change, Cool Planet, desalination, DOE, emissions, Energy Efficiency, environment, Fitch Ratings, germany, global warming, GM, Gulf of Mexico, Heartland Institute, Hebei, japan, Lake Michigan, massachusetts, Methane emissions, mexico, MIT, natural gas, Net metering, Nevada, New Mexico, News, Ocean acidification, offshore drilling, offshore wind, oil, oil spill, Oil train, renewables, solar, Tesla, Tesla Gigafactory, texas, Transportation, uk, UN IPCC, united kingdom, Value of solar tariff, wind
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28
Mar

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 3.28.14

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

CLIMATE 

IPCC report: Climate change felt “on all continents and across the oceans” (via The Guardian)

Sinking island nations battle tides of climate change (via Deutche Welle)

Facing rising seas, Bangladesh confronts climate change consequences (via New York Times)

NATURAL GAS 

Environmentalists debate impacts of LNG exports on global warming (via Greenwire)

Fracking the USA: New map shows 1 million oil, gas wells (via Climate Central)

Report says each Marcellus gas well costs thousands in road damage (via StateImpact Pennsylvania)

RENEWABLES 

2013: Renewable energy’s best of times, worst of times (via CleanTechnica)

Future of Chile’s energy sector lies with renewables, shows new report (via Renewable Energy World)

Wind power “could yield €8.3 billion” for Ireland (via Recharge)

As solar prices fall, wind still finds a role in microgrids (via Navigant Research)

New US wind power projects fall 93% in 2013 (via The Hill)

As net metering battles move to small markets, solar advocates claim early victories (via Energy Collective)

Solar “net metering” extended by California regulators (via San Francisco Chronicle)

California utility PG&E exceeds 20% renewable energy standard (via Greentech Media)

BOEM to hold competitive Maryland offshore wind energy lease auction this summer (via Recharge)

Waste-to-energy could help Wisconsin expand sustainable energy (via Journal-Sentinel)

Kansas flirts with repeal of renewable energy standard (via EnergyWire)

Virginia awards $860,000 in offshore wind research (via Virginian-Pilot)

EMISSIONS 

RGGI announces 2015 CO2 allocation (via Environmental Leader)

OIL 

One year after Exxon’s Arkansas spill, basic questions still unanswered (via InsideClimate News)

TRANSPORTATION 

EVs, plug-ins already saving 45 million gallons of gasoline per year in US (via Autoblog Green)

COAL 

North Carolina inspectors failed to notice crack before coal ash spill (via The Guardian)

ENVIRONMENT 

Water, wildlife surge back into once-parched Colorado River delta (via Los Angeles Times)

US lists lesser prairie chicken as threatened, energy groups wary (via Reuters)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

Ohio GOP drafts plan to freeze state’s renewable, energy efficiency rules (via Columbus Dispatch)

Indiana governor lets energy efficiency program expire (via Indianapolis Star)

OPINION 

Can evolution outrace climate change? (via FiveThirtyEight)

Spring training, and Spring, starting way earlier than usual (via Bloomberg)

Three utilities most likely to fall in death spiral, via Morningstar (via Forbes)

How distributed energy resources affect US capacity markets (via Solar Industry)

Posted:   |   Categories: Arkansas, Bangladesh, BOEM, california, Capacity market, Chile, climate, Climate Change, coal, coal ash, Coal ash spill, colorado river, distributed generation, electric vehicles, emissions, Energy Efficiency, environment, EVs, Exxon, fracking, indiana, IPCC, Ireland, kansas, Lesser Prairie Chicken, LNG, marcellus shale, maryland, Microgrids, natural gas, Natural gas exports, Net metering, News, North Carolina, offshore wind, Ohio, oil, oil spill, PGE, Plug-in hybrids, Renewable energy standard, renewables, rggi, Sea level rise, solar, Transportation, virginia, wind, Wisconsin
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26
Mar

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 3.26.14

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

EMISSIONS 

Atmospheric CO2 concentrations hit 400ppm 2 months early this year (via ClimateWire)

Visualizing the global carbon budget (via WRI Insights)

Christie administration improperly pulled NJ out of RGGI (via Bergen Record)

ENVIRONMENT 

EPA proposes greater protections for streams, wetlands under Clean Water Act (via Washington Post)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

US energy efficiency programs cost 2 cents per kilowatt-hour saved (via CleanTechnica)

RENEWABLES 

Japan cuts subsidy for solar power, boosts offshore wind (via Bloomberg)

India could cut wind farm subsidies by up to 78% (via Bloomberg)

UK’s offshore wind vital amid Russian tensions, says energy secretary (via The Guardian)

Greece proposes more cuts to renewable energy feed-in tariff (Renewable Energy World)

China loses rare earth export trade dispute, says US (via Reuters)

Siemens to invest $264 million in UK wind turbine manufacturing project (via New York Times)

Top 50 PV module manufacturers to add 10GW in module capacity in 2014 (via Greentech Media)

Solar extends net metering win streak with Vermont decision (via PR Newswire)

California will enable residential PACE through property tax bill (via Solar Industry)

Solar rivals Sungevity, Sunrun form alliance (via San Francisco Chronicle)

NATURAL GAS 

US expands gas exports in bid to punish Putin for Crimea (via The Guardian)

CLIMATE 

UN climate science report will highlight “limits to adaptation” (via RTCC)

Asia’s great cities face rising flooding risks in warming world (via RTCC)

UK Met Office: Deadly heat wave summers to become the norm by 2040 (via The Independent)

OIL 

Kremlin oil partnership places BP at risk in Russia crisis (via Bloomberg)

Crimea crisis pushes Russian energy to China from Europe (via Bloomberg)

Transport limits causing “serious logistical challenge” for shale boom (via Houston Chronicle)

Exxon, PHMSA withholding key documents on Pegasus pipeline as restart nears (via InsideClimate News)

BP confirms oil spill into Lake Michigan from refinery (via Chicago Tribune)

Ohio pipeline spill twice as large as original estimate (via Climate Progress)

TRANSPORTATION 

Volvo testing flywheel energy capture with 25% fuel savings (via Green Car Reports)

COAL 

House votes to stop Obama’s new coal mining rules (via The Hill)

Duke Energy: Cleaning up coal ash “is going to take time” (via The State)

GRID 

Where will the next $400 billion in grid investment come from? (via Greentech Media)

Energy storage hits the rails in California and Nevada (via ClimateWire)

OPINION 

Why climate change will make mudslides more common (via Salon)

Grid parity: Why electric utilities should struggle to sleep at night (via Washington Post)

PACE financing for California’s clean energy future: Expanding the residential market (via Breaking Energy)

Hot air about American natural gas won’t scare Putin (via Council on Foreign Relations)

Posted:   |   Categories: 400ppm, BP, california, Carbon budget, China, Chris Christie, Clean Water Act, coal, coal ash, duke energy, emissions, Energy Efficiency, energy storage, environment, EPA, Exxon, feed-in tariff, FIT, Flywheel, Greece, grid, Grid Parity, india, japan, Lake Michigan, natural gas, Natural gas exports, Net metering, Nevada, new jersey, News, offshore wind, Ohio, oil, oil spill, Oil train, PACE, PHMSA, Pipeline, Rare earths, renewables, rggi, Russia, Shale oil, Siemens, solar, solar pv, south carolina, Sungevity, Sunrun, Transportation, uk, united kingdom, vermont, Vladimir Putin, Volvo, wind
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25
Mar

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 3.25.14

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

COAL 

Netherlands to stop funding overseas coal power plants (via RTCC)

EPA’s coal ash rule still not done (via Politico)

Supreme Court declines to hear Arch Coal mining permit case against EPA (via Reuters)

Coal ash pods: How power companies get a “bypass” on pollution regulations (via National Geographic)

EPA joins North Carolina in probe of coal ash spill (via The Hill)

RENEWABLES 

Japan approves 2014-2015 renewable energy FiT rates (via Recharge)

Italy, Spain, Germany hit commercial solar grid parity in 2013 (via CleanTechnica)

India may see slow growth in new solar capacity additions (via Panchabuta)

Developers register 12GW potential Brazil wind projects for June auction (via Recharge)

Kenya’s 300MW Lake Turkana wind farm to break ground in June (via Renewables Biz)

Solar PV industry targets 100GW annual deployment in 2018 (via Solar Industry)

Mercom Capital forecasts 46GW new solar in 2014 (via Solar Industry)

Greenwood Biosar completes Panama’s first utility-scale solar power plant (via CleanTechnica)

Morgan Stanley: Going off grid nears tipping point (via Renew Economy)

FERC issues license for tidal energy pilot project in Pacific Northwest (via Renew Grid)

Feds clearing path for Pacific wave energy test (via Houston Chronicle)

Cape Wind update: A big legal victory and another legal challenge (via Greentech Media)

Maryland seeks global offshore wind role (via Recharge)

Koch-funded groups fuel assault on Kansas clean energy law (via Climate Progress)

New Jersey’s offshore wind goals up in the air after project rejection (Renewable Energy World)

KEYSTONE XL 

Southern leg of Keystone XL pipeline reaches capacity ahead of schedule (via The Oklahoman)

Not building Keystone XL will leave a billion barrels of bitumen in the ground (via Energy Collective)

EMISSIONS 

New study reveals workings of China’s pilot emissions cap-and-trade systems (via Triple Pundit)

China’s Hubei province to launch carbon market on April 2 (via Reuters)

China’s Shenzen says carbon market had 10% surplus in first year (via Reuters)

As listener and saleswoman, EPA chief takes to the road for climate rules (via New York Times)

States aren’t shying away from regulating carbon emissions from power plants (via Bloomberg BNA)

NATURAL GAS 

DOE approves natural gas export terminal (via The Hill)

North Dakota gas flaring doubles, pumping CO2 into air (via Climate Central)

CLIMATE 

UN official: Countries on track to reach 2015 global climate treaty (via The Hill)

EU delays 2030 climate package decision until October (via RTCC)

WMO: Global warming not stopped, will go on for centuries (via Reuters)

Climate change could leave another 50 million people facing hunger by 2050 (via The Guardian)

UN says 13 of 14 hottest years on record occurred since 2000 (via BusinessGreen)

Weather extremes “consistent” with manmade climate change, says UN (via Agence France-Presse)

OIL 

Houston Channel closed as 24 vessels skim 4,000-barrel oil spill (via Bloomberg)

Galveston Bay oil spill will take economic, ecological toll (via Texas Tribune)

TRANSPORTATION 

VW chairman says component cost decreases keep him confident of EV success (via Autoblog Green)

How four states are trying to woo Tesla Motors’ gigafactory (via Autoblog Green)

Ford: Baby boomers leading trend to compact utility vehicles (via Green Car Congress)

GRID 

FERC Order 1000 has its day in court (via Renewable Energy World)

Southwest Power Pool launches wholesale energy marketplace (via Energy Manager Today)

Car companies take expertise in battery power beyond the garage (via New York Times)

ENVIRONMENT 

WHO links 7 million premature deaths annually to air pollution; 12.5% total global deaths (via Green Car Congress)

China says polluting industry still growing too fast (via Reuters)

China aims to launch national pollution permit market within three years (via Reuters)

Brazil desperately seeking solutions to worst drought in decades (via The Guardian)

Water scarcity drives US communities toward smarter use, recycling (via Bloomberg)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

By 2020, LEDs may rival incandescent bulbs in cost without rebates (via Greentech Media)

LBNL calculates “cost of saved energy” from efficiency programs (via Energy Manager Today)

Opower sets IPO price range at $17-19, could raise $110 million (via GigaOm)

POLITICS 

Green groups spend $5 million to defend three Democrats (via Wall Street Journal)

Mary Landrieu is paying – and getting paid big – for her global warming stance (via National Journal)

OPINION 

“War on coal” isn’t the real reason your utility rates will rise (via Triple Pundit)

Why you shouldn’t applaud Exxon’s decision to disclose climate risks (via Climate Progress)

Galveston oil spill: Does US oil boom mean more spills? (via Christian Science Monitor)

Steven Chu solves utility companies’ death spiral (via Forbes)

Maybe transit isn’t surging after all (via Atlantic Cities)

Watts the mystery? The energy units that power our lives. (via Smart Planet)

Posted:   |   Categories: Air pollution, battery, Brazil, cap and trade, cape wind, Carbon market, China, climate, Climate Change, coal, coal ash, Coal ash spill, drought, electric vehicles, emissions, Energy Efficiency, environment, EPA, EU, European Union, ev, Extreme weather, Exxon, FERC, FERC Order 1000, FIT, germany, Gina McCarthy, global warming, grid, Grid Parity, Hubei, india, italy, japan, kansas, Kenya, LED, Mary Landrieu, maryland, methane, natural gas, Natural gas exports, Netherlands, new jersey, News, North Carolina, north dakota, offshore wind, oil, oil spill, Opower, oregon, Panama, renewables, Shenzen, Southwest Power Pool, Spain, SPP, steven chu, Tesla Motors, tidal energy, transit, Volkswagen, War on Coal, wind, WMO
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20
Mar

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 3.20.14

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

EMISSIONS 

Australia’s Senate rejects carbon tax repeal bill (via Reuters)

EU lawmakers reject deal to exempt foreign flights from emission charges (via Reuters)

COAL 

Planned coal-fired power plant retirements continue to increase (via US EIA)

Duke Energy eyes closing more coal plants in response to Dan River spill (via Charlotte Business Journal)

RENEWABLES 

Japan added 7GW of clean energy capacity since July 2012 (via Bloomberg)

Concentrated solar to top 1GW capacity by 2020 (via BusinessGreen)

Scotland approves two major offshore wind farm projects (via Reuters)

Solar usage shattering records in California as new capacity comes online (via Greentech Media)

New Jersey rejects offshore wind project’s subsidy plan (via Recharge)

Net metering in the air: Solar energy progress in Massachusetts and other states (via Energy Collective)

Native American tribe could soon build a billion-dollar wind farm with Interior Department funding (via Climate Progress)

Clearing up cloudy understanding on solar output (via Phys.org)

CLIMATE 

Climate change fuelled storms, rising seas cost China $2.6 billion in 2013 (via Reuters)

EU leaders to set October deadline to agree on 2030 climate goals (via Reuters)

A cold US winter, but 8th warmest globally (via Climate Central)

White House brings together big data and climate change (via Climate Central)

NATURAL GAS 

Shell pulled out of shale gas talks in Ukraine in January (via Reuters)

Crimea crisis won’t cut Russia gas flow to Europe, says IHS (via Houston Chronicle)

Simple fixes could plug methane leaks from energy industry, finds study (via National Geographic)

White House to unveil new methane strategy this month (via Washington Post)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

Up to 40% energy savings “achievable” from home energy management (via Energy Manager Today)

Detroit airport’s switch to LED lights will save $1.2 million yearly (via Detroit Free Press)

OIL 

BP set to expand Gulf of Mexico drilling (via National Journal)

Oil pipeline leaks thousands of gallons in Ohio nature preserve (via Reuters)

TRANSPORTATION 

Chairman says BMW will make 100,000 EVs a year by 2020 (via Autoblog Green)

Electric cars have a dirty little secret (via InsideClimate News)

California may cut gasoline demand 9% by 2020 (via Bloomberg)

ENVIRONMENT 

Energy industry overestimated cost of pollution controls, says study (via Huffington Post)

California officials prepare for worst as historic drought deepens wildfire risk (via The Guardian)

ENERGY STORAGE 

Spurred by Japan, steady growth predicted for energy storage market (via Renewable Energy World)

Incentives for energy storage spread worldwide (via EnergyWire)

POLITICS 

John Podesta knocks greens on natural gas (via Politico)

Obama’s Keystone XL choice pits donors against at-risk Senate (via Bloomberg)

OPINION 

Why a melting Arctic could sink the global economy (via Center for American Progress)

The end of spring in a warming world (via Time)

A remarkably accurate global warming prediction, made in 1972 (via The Guardian)

Posted:   |   Categories: australia, barack obama, BMW, BP, california, carbon tax, China, climate, Climate Change, coal, Coal ash spill, concentrated solar power, Crimea, Detroit, drought, duke energy, Electric Vehicle, emissions, Energy Efficiency, energy storage, environment, EU, ev, Gasoline, global warming, Gulf of Mexico, Home energy management, interior department, japan, John Podesta, Keystone XL, LED, massachusetts, methane, Methane leakage, natural gas, Net metering, new jersey, News, North Carolina, offshore wind, Ohio, oil, oil spill, politics, renewables, Russia, Scotland, Sea level rise, Shell, solar, Transportation, Ukraine, Wildfire, wind
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18
Mar

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 3.18.14

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

CLIMATE 

Climate change is putting world at risk of irreversible changes, warns AAAS (via The Guardian)

Global warming may double Japan’s heat-related deaths, says study (via Bloomberg)

42% of Americans think global warming exaggerated, suggests poll (via The Hill)

Study: Rockies’ wildflower season 35 days longer from climate change (via Los Angeles Times)

White House to host climate change resilience event (via The Hill)

EMISSIONS 

China mandates firms must start reporting carbon emissions (via Reuters)

RENEWABLES 

37GW of new solar capacity installed worldwide in 2013 (via CleanTechnica)

African Renewable Energy Fund secures $100 million for Sub-Saharan renewables (via Renewable Energy World)

UK invests $6.6 million to cut offshore wind costs (via Recharge)

India cuts renewable funds, impeding solar rooftop growth (via Bloomberg)

Biofuels production drives growth in overall US biomass energy use since 2002 (via US EIA)

US ethanol profits in 2013 second highest on record (via Des Moines Register)

Oceans stand to deliver abundant carbon-free energy (via Climate Central)

States look to green banks to leverage private clean tech investment (via Energy Collective)

Kansas co-op plans state’s largest solar array (via Midwest Energy News)

First Solar seeking growth to replace giant desert plants (via Bloomberg)

COAL 

Tweak to North Carolina law protected Duke’s coal ash pits (via ABC News/AP)

William Koch, pessimistic about coal’s future in US, gets out of the business (via ClimateWire)

GRID 

Japan launches battery storage subsidy for homes, businesses (via Renew Economy)

Ontario grid operator issues RFP for up to 35MW energy storage (via Renew Grid)

Midwest wind power transmission line plan irks farmers (via Huffington Post/AP)

NATURAL GAS/FRACKING 

New Jersey eyes ban on fracking waste from any state (via Sacramento Bee/AP)

Ohio’s earthquake average has risen since 2010 (via Houston Chronicle/AP)

Not into fracking? How about some nuclear waste? (via Bloomberg)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

Who will emerge as the Opower of commercial building efficiency? (via Greentech Media)

OIL 

US Department of Energy releases results from Strategic Petroleum Reserve sale (via Reuters)

Alaska sues Obama administration for rejecting Arctic drilling plan (via The Hill)

Oil spill reaches Missouri River in North Dakota (via Bismarck Tribune/AP)

TRANSPORTATION 

How more EV sales in America hurts China’s environment (via Autoblog)

GM executive chief EV engineer says reducing cost of plug-in vehicles “huge priority” (via Autoblog Green)

KEYSTONE XL 

60% of pro-Keystone XL comments tied to industry, says group (via InsideClimate News)

ENVIRONMENT 

Warmest winter on record worsens California drought (via Yahoo! News/Reuters)

1,500-year-old Antarctic moss brought back to life (via Scientific American)

OPINION 

China’s “solar bubble” may be a coal bubble in disguise (via Navigant Research)

Is Canada the next energy superpower? (via Christian Science Monitor)

The US can’t really undermine Russia by exporting gas (via MIT Technology Review)

Shielding the transmission grid means protecting the economy (via Forbes)

Transparent utility pricing will make the smart grid smarter (via Greentech Media)

Could Minnesota’s “value of solar” make everyone a winner? (via Grist)

What is PACE financing? (via Energy Collective)

POLITICS 

Democrats’ anti-Koch strategy is risky (via Washington Post)

Solar industry worries Wyden’s ties to SolarWorld may affect China trade case, ITC (via SNL Energy)

Posted:   |   Categories: africa, alaska, Antarctic, arctic, battery, biofuels, biomass, california, canada, China, Clean Line, climate, Climate Change, DOE, drought, earthquake, electric vehicles, emissions, Energy Efficiency, energy storage, environment, ethanol, ev, First Solar, fracking, global warming, GM, Green bank, grid, india, japan, kansas, Keystone XL, minnesota, Missouri River, natural gas, Natural gas exports, new jersey, News, north dakota, nuclear, offshore wind, Ohio, oil, oil spill, ontario, Opower, PACE, renewables, Ron Wyden, Russia, smart grid, solar, Solar trade war, Solarworld, strategic petroleum reserve, tidal energy, transmission, Transportation, uk, united kingdom
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