Energy and Environment News Roundup – 6.3.13
A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.
EMISSIONS
World Bank finds 60 carbon pricing systems in place or in development (via CleanTechnica)
Beijing adding pollution tax to gas prices by next year (via Autoblog Green)
Higher CO2 levels cause “greening” from plant fertilization effect (via Mongabay)
TAR SANDS/KEYSTONE XL
British Columbia says no to Northern Gateway pipeline on oil spill concerns (via The Globe and Mail)
Another major tar sands pipeline seeking US permit (via InsideClimate News)
Keystone builder “extremely confident” Obama will approve it (via The Hill)
All sides pressing John Kerry on Keystone XL (via Boston Globe)
RENEWABLES
US now most attractive market for renewables, says Ernst & Young (via Renewable Energy World)
Japanese domestic solar shipments soar (via Recharge)
Ontario replacing large-scale FIT with competitive procurements process (via Renew Grid)
Utility Xcel proposes total of 30% wind across its generation system (via Denver Post)
New Jersey utility PSE&G spending half a billion on solar (via Renew Grid)
ENVIRONMENT
In Alaska, planned mine pits salmon against gold (via Politico)
NOAA ends weather forecast furloughs as tornadoes strike Oklahoma (via The Hill)
Fracking tests ties between California oil and agriculture interests (via New York Times)
82% of California native fish species risk extinction from climate change (via Sacramento Bee)
OIL
Oil executives tune out the call of the wild Arctic (via Reuters)
OPEC to study US shale boom on member concerns (via Houston Chronicle)
Oil fields under olive groves offer Italy an economic boost (via Bloomberg)
Canadian refineries importing US crude at 4 times historic levels (via Houston Chronicle)
China’s plastic bag ban saves 6 million tons of oil in 5 years (via China Daily)
Kinder Morgan shelves plans for Texas-to-California oil pipeline (via Houston Chronicle)
TRANSPORTATION
EPA exploring negative environmental effects of li-ion EV batteries (via Autoblog Green)
Nissan Leaf hits 10,000-unit sales mark in Europe (via Green Car Congress)
Bosch sees 180-mile EVs as minimum by 2020 (via Autoblog Green)
Musk says fourth Tesla vehicle to be small electric SUV (via Bloomberg)
Combining EVs with smart grid technology can halve charging costs (via Climate Progress)
Range anxiety frustrating EVs with charger disconnect (via Bloomberg)
Florida repeals state renewable fuel standard (via Green Car Congress)
Car2Go comes to Denver with 300 Smart Fortwo vehicles (via Autoblog Green)
CLIMATE
Climate envoys urged to draft plan B on failure of global temperature target (via Bloomberg)
Rainforests will survive extreme global warming, says study (via Mongabay)
Rate of ocean warming greater than previous estimates (via RTCC)
Colorado getting a climate change czar (via CBS/AP)
GRID
Vehicle-to-grid emerges in new deployments (via Navigant Research)
Energy storage gets a boost in California (via Navigant Research)
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
3 big energy efficiency stories you should know about (via Greentech Media)
Infographic: LEED buildings in the world (via USGBC)
OPINION
Global game-changers in energy and climate (via National Journal)
America isn’t a clean-energy leader (via National Journal)
Tesla’s a success – so what? (via Greenwire)
The climate change guilt trip (via Los Angeles Times)
Is rail-bound crude oil a disaster waiting to happen? (via EnergyWire)
Silicon Valley is now paying even less attention to climate change and that sucks (via GigaOm)