Energy and Environment News Roundup – 9.19.14
A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.
COAL
China power plants exempts from low-quality coal ban: Sources (via Reuters)
With China coal ban, has Australia’s luck run out? (via Bloomberg BusinessWeek)
Battery storage to make reserve coal plants redundant (via Renewables International)
A month of disappointments for coal exporters (via Sightline Daily)
Scientists on a quest for knowledge about coal dust risks (via EarthFix)
Ohio Supreme Court approves coal strip mining in state wildlife area (via Columbus Dispatch)
RENEWABLES
Scotland “No” vote removes doubt for $23 billion in new renewables (via Bloomberg)
Wind adds 1.4GW to upcoming Brazil renewables auction (via Recharge News)
Jamaica aims to double renewable energy capacity (via Bloomberg BusinessWeek)
German PV equipment manufacturing up 39% in 2014 (via Renewables International)
Solar power making big competitive gains, new studies show (via Breaking Energy)
Technology advances wind energy development (via The Energy Collective)
Food versus fuel in U.S. renewable energy showdown (via Thompson Reuters)
Report: U.S. solar costs continue rapid decline (via PV Tech)
U.S. solar and wind start to outshine gas (via Financial Times)
Wind power could improve grid resiliency, says GE (via CleanTechnica)
Putting solar panels on school roofs could increase U.S. solar capacity (via Climate Progress)
U.S. DOE targets 50,000 new solar installers by 2020 (via PV Tech)
Vivint Solar, 2nd U.S. solar installer, sets IPO terms to raise $370 million (via Greentech Media)
CLIMATE
2014 on track to be warmest year on record (via Climate Central)
Summer 2014 was a sizzler: Earth’s hottest on record (via USA Today)
China cautious on fresh commitments ahead of climate change summit (via South China Morning Post)
Obama to tout U.S. climate plan at UN summit (via Reuters)
Report warns Superstorm Sandy was not “The Big One” (via Huffington Post)
White House officials acknowledge climate plan’s limits, but decry inaction (via ClimateWire)
HUD launches $1 billion national disaster resilience competition (via Inhabitat)
OIL
Oil prices at two-year low, OPEC may change that (via Christian Science Monitor)
Oxfam sues SEC over oil payment disclosure rule (via The Hill)
Oklahoma to pass California, Alaska in oil production (via The Oklahoman)
TRANSPORTATION
French group develops mass electric vehicle charging stations (via Reuters)
IRS won’t (or can’t) revel how many plug-in vehicle tax credits are left (via Autoblog Green)
NATURAL GAS
Obama urged to plug methane leaks to meet climate goal (via Bloomberg)
EMISSIONS
Hard truths about world power plant carbon emissions (via CleanTechnica)
California and Quebec announce first joint cap-and-trade auction (via Green Car Congress)
MISO study suggests regional approach is better when it comes to EPA carbon compliance (via EnergyWire)
UN hired PR firm that won’t rule out clients who oppose carbon regulations (via The Guardian)
KEYSTONE XL
TransCanada CEO “frustrated” by linkage of Keystone XL to climate change (via Bloomberg BNA)
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
Ruling against FERC order could cost U.S. demand response market $4.4 billion (via Greentech Media)
LEED-certified professionals in great demand (via Sustainable Business)
ENVIRONMENT
Why fewer acres have burned this year despite California drought (via San Francisco Chronicle)
Massive Northern California fire outrunning firefighters (via Los Angeles Times)
Despite some rain, drought still grips Texas towns (via StateImpact Texas)
POLITICS
White House cranks up heat ahead of UN climate summit (via The Hill)
Brazil’s Rousseff closes in on Silva ahead of October vote (via Reuters)
Al Gore: Climate skepticism will haunt GOP in 2016 (via National Journal)
With an eye on 2016, Christie resists climate change plan for New Jersey (via New York Times)
Frank Pallone builds support for top spot on Energy Committee (via Politico)
OPINION
Why higher education is a bright green market (via GreenBiz)
U.S. schools go solar (via EcoWatch)