Energy and Environment News Roundup – 8.21.14
A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.
EMISSIONS
China to let foreign investors trade in Shenzen carbon market (via Bloomberg)
Architects from 124 countries make “zero-carbon cities” pledge (via RTCC)
EPA report shows progress reducing urban air toxics across U.S.; 50% reduction from mobile sources since 1990 (via Green Car Congress)
Reducing NYC’s carbon emissions one building at a time (via GreenBiz)
COAL
Coal gas boom in China holds climate change risks (via Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
Canada’s largest port approves $15 million coal transfer project (via Reuters)
Oregon coal terminal decision highlights exports’ emissions (via Climate Central)
North Carolina lawmakers pass coal ash restrictions (via New York Times)
RENEWABLES
Africa to add more renewables in 2014 than in past 14 years (via Bloomberg)
South Africa, Ethiopia, Kenya lead renewables spurt in Africa (via Bloomberg)
Solar power poses lower risk to birds than cats or cars (via Bloomberg)
Renewable energy could hit 36% of global energy, but there’s a biomass catch (via The Energy Collective)
Solar PV helps eliminate kerosene lamps in Africa (via Navigant Research)
“World’s biggest” tidal array gets go ahead in Scotland (via BusinessGreen)
Japan to support PV on landfill sites (via Recharge)
Renewable energy accounts for 100% of all new U.S. power in July (via Renew Grid)
As small hydropower swells, so does caution over its impacts (via GreenBiz)
Are reverse auctions key to reforming solar energy subsidies? (via The Energy Collective)
How one wonky court decision could unlock our renewable energy future (via CleanTechnica)
ABB unveils cable innovation to increase offshore wind efficiency (via Reuters)
Vestas heads for 1st dividend in decade after turnaround (via Bloomberg)
NUCLEAR
Tepco concedes failure of Fukushima ice wall (via CleanTechnica)
CLIMATE
Antarctica and Greenland losing ice at fastest rate ever recorded (via Yale e360)
Study says answer to global warming slowdown lies in depths of Atlantic Ocean (via The Guardian)
Food and drink companies respond to consumer pressure on climate change (via The Guardian)
NATURAL GAS
China’s natural gas production falls short in China (via New York Times)
Study to explore economic potential of Mexican shale (via Houston Chronicle)
Energy industry looks to develop better methane monitors (via Houston Chronicle)
At least 10 percent of fracking fluid is toxic, says LBNL analysis (via Climate Progress)
GRID
Smart grid technology revenue will be $70.2 billion by 2023 (via Energy Manager Today)
A comeback for community energy storage (via Navigant Research)
Where is distributed energy storage being deployed in the U.S.? (via Greentech Media)
OIL
Russia said to be near oil tax plan that may cost state $6.6 billion (via Bloomberg)
Western Gulf of Mexico offshore drilling lease sale results in $110 million in bids on 400,000 acres (via Green Car Congress)
ENVIRONMENT
Epic drought in U.S. West is literally moving mountains (via Climate Central)
63 trillion gallons of groundwater lost in Western U.S. drought (via Los Angeles Times)
California has given out rights to five times more water than it actually has (via Climate Progress)
Drought weighing you down? It’s lifting America up. (via Mother Jones)
TAR SANDS/KEYSTONE XL
Tar sands bitumen set to eclipse pipelines like Keystone XL (via DeSmog Blog)
Canada’s $24 million Keystone XL ad campaign falls flat (via The Hill)
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
Apple produces 134 out of 135 entries in EPEAT’s new green tablet registry (via Treehugger)
OPINION
Could shale revive China’s flagging oil fields? (via Reuters)
Brace yourself for Solargeddon, Australia (via The Energy Collective)
Why EVs will make solar viable without subsidies (via Renew Economy)
Here’s why Solar City will move into Mexico (via Greentech Media)
Toyota could be wrong about the high cost of hydrogen (via CleanTechnica)
If you can’t take the heat, get off the island (via Bloomberg)
POLITICS
McConnell promises spending standoff over Obama green agenda (via National Journal)
Meet the scientists who sat Rick Scott down and explained climate change to him (via Salon)