Energy and Environment News Roundup – 5.15.13
A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.
CLIMATE
Sea levels may rise 27 inches through 2100 on ice melt (via Bloomberg)
UN says natural disasters cost $2.5 trillion since 2000 (via Phys.org)
Visiting Sweden, Kerry offers “regret” US hasn’t done more on climate (via The Hill)
Rockefeller Foundation launches $100 million resilient cities initiative (via BusinessGreen)
Sea levels rising so fast London faces significant flooding risk this century (via The Independent)
For insurers, no doubts on climate change (via New York Times)
GRID
More than 1,300 demand response programs underway worldwide (via Navigant Research)
Smart grid efforts to thrive in Asia-Pacific (via Renew Grid)
RENEWABLES
China gives environmental approval to country’s biggest hydro dam (via Reuters)
Greece announces drastic solar FIT cuts (via PV Magazine)
Fighting blackouts: Japan residential PV and energy storage market flourishing (via Renewable Energy World)
Morocco begins construction of world’s largest concentrating solar plant (via Sustainable Business)
China wants dialogue with EU in solar trade war (via Solar Industry Magazine)
Acting DOE chief: US not backing down on India solar trade war (via The Hill)
Clean tech incubators join forces across the Atlantic (via Sustainable Business)
Proposed bill would add natural gas-based ethanol to US biofuels mandate (via Houston Chronicle)
Study: Arizona solar energy provides millions in ratepayer benefits (via Solar Industry Magazine)
OIL
Oil majors under EU investigation over alleged oil and biofuel price fixing (via BusinessGreen)
Report: most nations lack safeguards in oil, mining oversight (via The Hill)
TRANSPORTATION
Will your next car join the “revolution” in information technology? (via ClimateWire)
Proposed law would stop Tesla electric car sales in North Carolina (via News & Observer)
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
Senate energy chairman seeks May floor action for efficiency bill (via The Hill)
California plans to force cuts in power use by computers, electronics, and appliances (via ClimateWire)
ENVIRONMENT
Industrialized fishing has forced seabirds to change what they eat (via Mongabay)
China granted observer seat on Arctic Council (via Reuters)
Amazon flood/drought cycle becoming more extreme, less predictable (via Mongabay)
POLITICS
Merkel’s green challenger seeks CO2 price rise to ditch coal (via Bloomberg)
OPINION
Clean energy learns to compete in Europe (via New York Times)
Christie’s broken climate promise (via Washington Post)