Energy and Environment News Roundup – 9.11.14
A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.
EMISSIONS
Ozone layer to recover by mid-century, say scientists (via RTCC)
China sees big drop in carbon emissions (via China Daily)
COAL
China’s coal imports drop for first time since country became net coal importer (via Huffington Post)
Wyoming appeals Oregon’s coal port denial (via Union Bulletin/AP)
RENEWABLES
World’s poorest regions get a boost in renewable energy financing (via Renewable Energy World)
Report: EVs are missing link in making solar power competitive with fossil fuels (via Autoblog Green)
Brazil expands tax credit to ethanol, sugar exporters (via Bloomberg)
Japan’s METI says 1,820MW of solar projects cancelled (via Bloomberg)
Brazilian rooftop solar PV market stagnating (via Recharge News)
Australian-owned solar technology makes storage breakthrough (via Renew Economy)
New solar capacity beats natural gas in first have of 2014 (via Greentech Media)
Four cellulosic ethanol breakthroughs (via Breaking Energy)
NATURAL GAS
New Russian, Ukraine, EU gas talks set for September 20 (via Reuters)
DOE clears natural gas exports at two sites (via The Hill)
Shale boom boosts diverse group of refining, LNG, petrochemical interests (via Houston Chronicle)
Statoil, partners expand effort to put flared natural gas to use (via Houston Chronicle)
McAuliffe: No fracking in George Washington National Forest (via Times Dispatch/AP)
CLIMATE
How climate change may disrupt the tranquil U.S.-Canada border (via ClimateWire)
Climate change accelerating death of Western forests (via USA Today)
California plans nation’s most detailed sea level rise database (via Climate Central)
TAR SANDS
Blocked on all other sides, tar sands could cross the Arctic (via Climate Progress)
Oil sands companies to adopt voluntary environmental commitments in Canada (via Wall Street Journal)
GRID
U.S. grid safe from large-scale attack, say experts (via Politico)
USDA invests $518 billion more in rural grid improvements (via Renew Grid)
Indoor marijuana growers create big demand for energy in Northwest (via Oregon Public Broadcasting)
Energy storage: Progress and promise (via Renewable Energy World)
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
Europe dominates zero-energy buildings market (via Energy Manager Today)
Opower’s five principles of how to design for energy customers (via Greentech Media)
OIL
Despite decline in some regions, world oil consumption still rising (via U.S. EIA)
Putin’s oil deals with Exxon, Shell imperiled by sanctions (via Bloomberg)
U.S., EU ready new sanctions to stop oil exploration in Russia (via Reuters)
Treasury Department to step up efforts against ISIS oil sales (via The Hill)
Canada vs. U.S on oil train standards (via Sightline Daily)
45-year high U.S. oil output may cut pump price, imports (via Bloomberg)
TRANSPORTATION
Tesla in Nevada: Auto dealers give OK to direct sales (via Los Angeles Times)
Nevada bets $1.3 billion on Tesla to push beyond gambling (via Bloomberg)
Tesla Gigafactory could produce 20% more electricity than it needs (via CleanTechnica)
GREEN BUSINESS
Siemens, Unilever, SwissRe named world’s most sustainable companies (via BusinessGreen)
ENVIRONMENT
Scientists say the ozone layer is recovering (via AP)
The oceans are acidifying faster than in 300 million years – how bad could it get? (via Vox)
California’s water-starved farmers stymied by fish protections (via Bloomberg)
POLITICS
GOP says regulators’ oil-train safety push could be climate-change policy in disguise (via National Journal)
Here’s the GOP’s best shot at derailing Obama’s new climate plan (via The New Republic)
Democrats, Republicans spar over “climate denier” label at House hearing on EPA carbon rule (via ClimateWire)
OPINION
Pursuing a global climate treaty: Next stop, New York (via Resources for the Future)
How Hillary Clinton’s State Department sold fracking to the world (via Grist)
How two guys, a lobster boat, and a district attorney just made climate history (via Climate Progress)