Energy and Environment News Roundup – 1.30.14

A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.

EMISSIONS

Foundations representing $1.8 billion band together in fossil fuel divestment (via New York Times)

US consultancy ICF to help plan China carbon market (via Reuters)

COAL

EPA sets December deadline for coal ash rule (via Charleston Gazette)

Why Obama’s climate push means trouble ahead for coal (via Christian Science Monitor)

CLIMATE

As sea level rises, Fijian village begins to relocate citizens (via Climate Progress)

Snowden docs: US spied on negotiators at 2009 climate summit (via Huffington Post)

Industry coalition seeks to shape EPA’s climate rules (via National Journal)

RENEWABLES

UK should have 10 million homes with solar panels by 2020 (via The Guardian)

Merkel: German renewable energy no longer “niche” (via Recharge)

IHS pegs South Africa as top emerging solar market (via Solar Industry Magazine

Net metering in 2014: Where the first battles will be fought (via Renewable Energy World)

Renewable energy finance outlook for 2014: Where will the cash flow? (via Renewable Energy World)

Intel, Microsoft, Kohl’s lead EPA’s green power ranking (via GreenBiz)

How California can hit 50% renewable energy by 2030 (via EarthTechling)

OIL

Shell backs off Arctic drilling after legal blow (via National Journal)

Justice Department urges judge to maintain BP federal contracts suspension (via National Journal)

Oil shipments blocking Amtrak trains (via The Hill)

Texas oil boom could be nearing slowdown (via Houston Chronicle)

New York governor orders emergency response review for oil rail shipments (via Reuters)

TRANSPORTATION

JD Power asks EV buyers why they buy EVs (via Autoblog Green)

ENVIRONMENT

Monarch butterflies keep disappearing – here’s why (via Washington Post)

West Virginia officials dispute formaldehyde claim (via AP)

Arizona state legislators push bill to nullify EPA regulations (via The Hill)

NATURAL GAS/FRACKING

Industry in North Dakota to cut flared natural gas (via New York Times)

New York “extremely unlikely” to allow fracking before 2015 (via StateImpact Pennsylvania)

ENERGY MARKETS

California PUC president: Utility death spiral is “last year’s hype” (via Greentech Media)

Two states feel the market heat as their deregulated neighbors reap rewards (via EnergyWire)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY

LED market to grow 12-fold to $25 billion in 2023 (via CleanTechnica)

10 US cities plan coordinated attach on building energy waste (via Greentech Media)

White roofs are better than green roofs, and everything’s better than black (via Grist)

KEYSTONE XL

Canadian officials bullish on Keystone environmental review findings (via National Journal)

OPINION

Obama’s State of the Union climate mention fits pattern (via Climate Central)

Obama says fracking can be a “bridge” to a clean-energy future – it’s not that simple (via Washington Post)

What the new farm bill means for energy and the environment (via Climate Progress)

How to teach kids about climate change (via The Good Human)

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 1.27.14

A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.

NATURAL GAS/FRACKING 

Natural gas market heats up as temperatures fall (via New York Times)

Deep freeze exposes challenges for gas-dependent PJM Interconnection (via Greenwire)

Chevron, Shell seek new LEED-like certification for shale gas (via GreenBiz)

Ohio state EPA fast tracks fracking permits, raising concerns (via Columbus Dispatch)

EMISSIONS 

Emissions trading in China: First reports from the field (via World Resources Institute)

World Bank chief backs fossil fuel divestment drive (via RTCC)

China’s air pollution prompts creative, sometimes wacky solutions (via Washington Post)

China’s Guandong to cut oil, coal use to slow emissions growth (via Reuters)

California air pollution drops over the past decade (via Daily Democrat)

RENEWABLES 

China says U.S. should stop new dumping probe on solar products (via Chicago Tribune)

Global leaders agree to cut tariffs on clean energy goods (via The Hill)

The budding Latin America solar market: 5 key takeaways (via Greentech Media)

China installed more solar panels in 2013 than any country ever has (via Quartz)

UK won’t meet renewable energy target beyond 2020 (via Climate Central)

Scottish offshore wind spending fell 55% in 2013 (via Recharge)

UK’s biggest solar farm exceeds expectations (via Bloomberg)

Waste-to-energy market to reach $28.57 billion in 2016 (via Environmental Leader)

UK government launches £100,000 community energy competition (via BusinessGreen)

Forget intermittency: NREL says wind energy can boost grid reliability (via CleanTechnica)

Cost of solar 2 to 100 times lower than you think (via CleanTechnica)

New England’s governors ask for more clean energy capacity from ISO-NE (via Renew Grid)

Solar surges, wind wanes in 2013 U.S. installs (via EarthTechling)

In the Midwest, farmers leading the way on solar power (via Midwest Energy News)

OIL 

Lawmakers demand stricter oil train regulations (via The Hill)

92,000 oil train tankers are not puncture resistant (via Facts of the Day)

North Dakota recorded 300 oil spills in two years without notifying public (via The Guardian/AP)

TRANSPORTATION 

EV charging costs, and one way to control them (via EarthTechling)

California Governor Brown remains ready for one million EVs (via Autoblog Green)

New Jersey Honda dealer first in U.S. to use no net electricity (via Green Car Reports)

Rough patch for Uber’s challenge to taxis (via New York Times)

TAR SANDS/KEYSTONE XL 

Keystone XL pipeline decision on collision course with midterm elections (via Wall Street Journal)

Reading John Kerry’s mind on the Keystone XL pipeline (via InsideClimate News)

CLIMATE 

Climate change brings new risks to Greenland (via Climate Central)

Hundreds of homes face more flooding in south of England (via The Guardian)

COAL 

How the coal industry impoverishes West Virginia (via The Nation)

Report: Future dim for Connecticut’s last coal-fired power plant (via New Haven Register)

GRID 

Survey: Only 32% of utilities know what kind of data analytics they use (via Greentech Media)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

When will consumers realize the 60-cent light bulb wasn’t a bargain? (via ClimateWire)

Philadelphia to be national model for green infrastructure (via TriplePundit)

OPINION 

Cambridge University: Fracking firms “should pay £6 billion a year tax to compensate for climate change” (via The Guardian)

Getting carbon out of your portfolio is tricky (via AP)

Telling sugarcane ethanol’s sustainability story (via Energy Collective)

What’s the state of Obama’s energy and climate agenda? (via National Journal)

The good, the bad, and the ugly of natural gas (via National Journal)

The difference between organizing and policy analysis (via Slate)

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 11.22.13

A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.

COP 19 

Warsaw talks ignore IPCC “carbon budget” approach (via Climate Central)

COAL 

Ontario premier vows to ban coal-powered electricity (via Financial Post)

CLIMATE 

US and China find convergence on climate issue (via New York Times)

Is America no longer public enemy number one on climate change? (via ClimateWire)

Wildfire risk seen as high or extreme for 4.5 million US homes (via Bloomberg)

RENEWABLES 

Latin America report: Wind sweeps Brazil’s A-3 power auctions (via Renewable Energy World)

“Stealth business lobbyist” plans 2014 offensive against solar net metering (via Greentech Media)

Standard developed to predict solar plant capacity (via Energy Manager Today)

Wind produces 25% of Iowa’s power, may generate 50% by 2018 (via Facts of the Day)

South Carolina embraces wind energy with turbine research center (via Reuters)

Prince George’s County, Maryland requires buildings to install renewable energy (via Sustainable Business)

NATURAL GAS/FRACKING 

Americans uninformed about fracking, says new survey (via Climate Central)

House votes 252-165 to speed up natural gas pipeline approvals (via The Hill)

EMISSIONS 

EPA doesn’t rule out state carbon tax option for power plants (via The Hill)

Shell self-imposes carbon tax high enough to crash coal, natural gas (via Climate Progress)

Iowa wind energy cuts carbon pollution by 8.4 million metric tons (via Des Moines Register)

KEYSTONE XL/TAR SANDS 

Working around Keystone XL, Suncor Energy steps up oil production in Canada (via New York Times)

TRANSPORTATION 

Why cities hold the key to success on EVs (via GreenBiz)

Can California charge ahead to one million EVs within ten years? (via Energy Collective)

What’s behind NRG’s slow rollout of EV chargers in California? (via Greentech Media)

Tesla Model S tops Consumer Reports car owner satisfaction survey (via San Francisco Chronicle)

GRID 

Transmission line would take Kansas wind power east (via Hutchinson News)

PSE&G gains public support for grid resilience proposal in New Jersey (via Renew Grid)

FERC 

FERC Chairman Wellinghoff stepping down Sunday (via The Hill)

The greatest hits of FERC Chairman Jon Wellinghoff (via Greentech Media)

POLITICS 

A war over solar power is raging within the GOP (via New Republic)

Fracking campaign contributions fuel Congress (via Roll Call)

Controversial Ohio clean energy bill gets rewritten (via Energy Manager Today)

OPINION 

Why America’s major sports leagues are talking about climate change (via Think Progress)

How Ontario went coal free (via National Journal)

Experts present their views on ethanol and advanced biofuels (via Breaking Energy)

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 11.7.13

A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.

CLIMATE 

Climate talks will open in Poland amid flurry of new scientific warnings (via InsideClimate News)

UK and South Korea agree to collaborate on tackling climate change (via RTCC)

Resilient cities from Ahmedabad to Atlantic City prepare for climate change (via Energy Collective)

WRI lifts the veil on new climate analysis tool (via GreenBiz)

ENERGY POLICY 

Fossil fuel subsidies costing rich countries $112 per person (via BusinessGreen)

Western voters say no to fossil fuels (via Climate Progress)

GRID 

North America remains the leading region for microgrid deployments (via Navigant Research)

RENEWABLES 

Poland seeks 40% cut in renewable energy costs by 2014 (via Bloomberg)

UK offshore wind capacity grows 80% over past year (via BusinessGreen)

Report highlights values of geothermal in today’s renewable power market (via BusinessWire)

Solar, wind, and biofuels team up to push for funding in farm bill (via Midwest Energy News/E&E Daily)

Reaching beyond the roof: Three strategies for corporate investments in solar (via Renewable Energy World)

US DOE awards $12 million to cut solar soft costs (via Solar Industry Magazine)

Nuclear giant Exelon taps wind tax credit that it’s trying to kill (via Greenwire)

COAL 

Two Australian coal mines would create 3x Keystone emissions, 6x UK’s annual emissions (via The Guardian)

Bad news for Big Coal in Whatcom County (via Seattle Post-Intelligencer)

EMISSIONS 

“Unburnable” carbon fuels investment concerns (via The Guardian)

China cracks down on emissions to combat choking smog (via The Guardian)

Carbon tax advocate seeks to shake up EPA power plant debate (via The Hill)

Burning biomass pellets could lower China’s mercury emissions (via Phys.org)

Boston cuts emissions from city government operations 16% (via Environmental Leader)

OIL 

US oil industry may invoke trade law to challenge export ban (via Bloomberg)

Shell launches formal bid to resume Arctic drilling (via Houston Chronicle)

Exxon faces $2.7 million fine for Arkansas pipeline spill (via Reuters)

TRANSPORTATION 

Canada more than doubled number of EVs to pass 4,000 cars last year (via Green Car Congress)

US electric car sales have increased 361% so far in 2013 (via CleanTechnica)

West Coast’s I-5 corridor EV fast charge stations getting lots of use (via Autoblog Green)

For Tesla Motors, success is all about the batteries (via MIT Technology Review)

NATURAL GAS/FRACKING 

China’s first coal-to-gas plant soon to pump gas to Beijing (via Reuters)

Local bans set up a showdown over fracking in Colorado (via Time)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

Building toward “nearly zero energy” cities (via Phys.org)

Massachusetts ranked most energy-efficient state (via National Journal)

Opower planning IPO amidst billion-dollar behavioral efficiency opportunity (via Greentech Media)

NREL’s Energy Systems Integration Facility earns LEED Platinum (via Energy Manager Today)

KEYSTONE XL 

Keystone XL developer: Other pipeline companies will face similar hurdles (via The Hill)

ENVIRONMENT 

Texas passes $2 billion drought fund, putting faith in government to secure water future (via Climate Progress)

OPINION 

How do we secure a strong, international climate agreement by 2015? (via WRI Insights)

Big business wants renewable energy, but it ain’t easy (via RMI Outlet)

Will Warsaw talks fuel a pact? (via Politico)

Crowdfunding for renewables: A game changer? (via Energy Collective)

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 11.1.13

A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.

EMISSIONS 

China, emerging economies “account for 48% of carbon emissions” (via The Guardian/Reuters)

Smaller rise in global CO2 emissions may be sign of permanent slowing (via Yale e360)

Labor party to challenge Australian carbon tax repeal (via Financial Review)

Netherlands town becomes first in Europe to vow fossil fuel divestment (via Climate Progress)

ENVIRONMENT 

Russia, Ukraine halt giant Antarctic marine sanctuary plan (via Reuters)

Interior Secretary Jewell lays out US conservation strategy (via Washington Post)

Officials search for plan as California reservoirs drop below half capacity (via Climate Progress)

RENEWABLES 

Wind turbine placement study yields staggering results (via EarthTechling)

Two US senators propose national renewable electricity standard (via Renew Grid)

Ethanol, oil groups blitz White House as biofuel rule nears (via Reuters)

More than 160 House members ask EPA to relax renewable fuel mandate (via Houston Chronicle)

Solar goes big: Launching the California Valley Solar Ranch (via Energy.gov)

How a speedy ship could cut the cost of offshore wind power (via BusinessGreen)

NATURAL GAS/FRACKING 

Mexico unlikely to tap its Eagle Ford Shale, expert says (via Houston Chronicle)

Marcellus Shale fracking wells use 5 million gallons of water apiece (via Grist)

Kentucky, where fracking is a curse (via National Journal)

Fracking faces judgment day Tuesday in four Colorado ballot initiatives (via Greenwire)

CLIMATE 

Climate change impacts to poor countries go far beyond money – report (via ClimateWire)

Pacific Ocean now warming 15x faster than in past 10,000 years (via Washington Post)

White House will focus on climate shifts while trying to cut emissions (via New York Times)

COAL 

Poland, wedded to coal, spurns Europe on clean energy targets (via New York Times)

Coal country’s decline has a long history (via National Journal)

NUCLEAR 

DOE Secretary Moniz offers Japan aid with Fukushima cleanup (via ABC News/AP)

OIL 

German spy agency says US shale will depress oil prices for decades (via Reuters)

North Dakota lawmakers want to make all oil spills public (via Climate Progress)

Montana, US to seek damages from 2011 Exxon Mobil spill (via Houston Chronicle)

TRANSPORTATION 

Tesla wins victory in Virginia, gets go-ahead to open store (via CleanTechnica)

Brookings: Cash for Clunkers was a lemon (via Politico)

TAR SANDS 

Shell joins energy rush, green lights new Alberta oil sands project (via Globe and Mail)

POLITICS 

Climate activists outspending big coal in crucial Washington State election (via Climate Progress)

Australia’s Labor Party signals carbon standoff by demanding emissions trading (via The Guardian)

OPINION 

Carbon emissions tied to stock valuations? (via BusinessGreen)

Almost anything would have been better stimulus than “Cash for Clunkers” (via Washington Post)

How much did the feds really help with fracking? (via Forbes)

What’s been going on with the US smart grid investment grant program (via Renew Grid)

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 10.31.13

A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.

TAR SANDS/KEYSTONE XL 

Looking for a way around Keystone XL, Canadian oil hits the rails (via New York Times)

Canadian emissions report undermines pipeline pitch to Washington (via InsideClimate News)

TransCanada CEO: Keystone process has been “circus” (via Politico)

CLIMATE 

Pacific Ocean may be “hiding” global warming (via RTCC)

In Sandy’s wake, flood zones and insurance rates re-examined (via NPR)

Climate change risks hiding in investment portfolios, says Gore (via Bloomberg)

RENEWABLES 

In Brazil, wind blowing in a new era of renewable energy (via Washington Post)

Renewables support here to stay, says UK government (via BusinessGreen)

2013 to be a record year for offshore wind (via Grist/Earth Policy Institute)

Renewable energy for mining industry will reach $4 billion in annual market value by 2022 (via Navigant Research)

Ethanol, oil groups blitz White House as biofuel rule nears (via Reuters)

Solar rebound beating Dot.Com recovery as demand surges (via Bloomberg)

New wind energy research focuses on turbine arrangement, wind seasonality (via Phys.org)

Study: 30% renewables in PJM would cut costs, emissions (via Midwest Energy News/EnergyWire)

Solar advocates and Xcel spar over future of rooftop solar (via Denver Post)

COAL 

The war on the “War on Coal” (via Marketplace)

Peak coal: Will the US run out of coal in 20 years or 200 years? (via Greentech Media)

GRID 

States receive grades on net metering and interconnection policies (via Renew Grid)

8 charts that illustrate progress on DOE’s smart grid investment grants (via Greentech Media)

Want to opt out of a smart meter in Texas? It will cost you (via StateImpact Texas)

OIL 

Poll: Oil to fall to $80 in real terms by 2020 (via Reuters)

Shell announces return to Arctic in 2014 despite mishaps (via Houston Chronicle)

North Dakota oil spill spotlights Obama delay on pipeline rules (via Bloomberg)

TRANSPORTATION 

US Department of Defense will acquire 92,000 EVs by 2020 (via Navigant Research)

How “smart parking” could save a million barrels of oil every day (via Christian Science Monitor)

Panasonic to supply more battery cells to Tesla (via San Jose Mercury News)

EMISSIONS 

GE says Australia headed for cap-and-trade (via Environmental Leader)

Germany’s Merkel faces internal opposition to EU carbon backloading fix (via Reuters)

74% of voters back EPA power plant emissions regulation (via CleanTechnica)

NATURAL GAS/FRACKING 

Russian government passes law to open up LNG exports (via Reuters)

UK government review says shale gas fracking a low risk to public health (via Reuters)

New natural gas pipeline should help reduce flaring in North Dakota (via Dickinson Press)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

PACE projects on a roll: $43 million and counting (via Greentech Media)

Dallas rolls out US green building code (via Sustainable Business)

OPINION 

How climate change threatens the ability of global populations to rise out of poverty (via Climate Progress)

Should we use geoengineering to cool the planet? (via Washington Post)

Why the new biofuel feedstocks deserve investment, incentives (via National Geographic)

Top 9 things you didn’t know about concentrating solar power (via Energy.gov)

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 10.21.13

A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.

TRANSPORTATION 

Shell predicts oil-powered cars will be “nearly” gone by 2070 (via Autoblog Green)

EMISSIONS 

UK universities urged to cut fossil fuel funding (via RTCC)

In first vote, Columbia College students back fossil fuel divestment (via Huffington Post)

OIL 

No oil from North Dakota spill seen in water sources (via Houston Chronicle/AP)

Oil found on Louisiana shore surges three years after BP spill (via Reuters)

RENEWABLES 

Grid parity, low LCOE driving 34% global renewables capacity by 2030 (via CleanTechnica)

FERC report says solar leads all new US capacity except natural gas (via Solar Industry Magazine)

Clean tech VA investments crater, drop to pre-2006 levels (via GigaOm)

Study says most Americans would consider residential solar (via Solar Industry Magazine)

NRG buying 1.7GW of US wind (via Recharge)

Xcel get approval to add 750MW of wind power to Midwest grid (via Renew Grid)

New York State plugs solar farms (via Albany Times-Union)

Wind power gains favor in Ohio (via Springfield News-Sun)

Michigan PACE program growing rapidly, may soon add state’s largest county (via Midwest Energy News)

Arizona experiments with storing solar power (via National Journal)

NATURAL GAS/FRACKING 

Which countries win and lose from US shale gas boom? (via Breaking Energy)

Britain looks to fracking as North Sea oil dwindles (via New York Times)

Study projects no long-term climate benefit from shale gas revolution (via Climate Progress)

California finds more instances of offshore fracking (via Phys.org/AP)

OPINION 

Shell director: US has “overfracked and overdrilled” (via National Journal)

Reading renewable energy tea leaves in latest FERC report (via CleanTechnica)

How 9 major papers deal with climate denying letters (via Mother Jones)

Will fracking suck California dry? (via National Journal)

California’s energy and climate agenda: Visionary leader or cautionary tale? (via National Journal)

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 10.15.13

A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.

EMISSIONS 

Germany blocks EU car emissions law (via The Guardian)

Tony Abbott insists Australia’s carbon tax will end on July 1 even if Senate blocks repeal (via The Guardian)

NATURAL GAS/FRACKING 

Fracking comes to Saudi Arabia despite limited water resources (via Raw Story/AFP)

China will raise on-grid prices for gas-fired power generation (via Reuters)

Shell CEO says shale gas will take longer to develop than expected (via Reuters)

Combining distributed gas and solar in the US heartland (via Greentech Media)

Drilling water wells to foil fracking (via Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

RENEWABLES 

IEA projects renewable energy to surpass natural gas in 2015 (via Sustainable Business)

Global hydropower investment to top $75 billion through 2020 (via BusinessGreen)

World Bank support for China solar and wind power may have cost US jobs (via Washington Post)

Chile doubles renewable energy goal to 20% to spark new projects (via Bloomberg)

German green power surcharge to rise 18% in 2014 (via Reuters)

Solar and wind produced up to 60% of Germany’s electricity on October 3rd (via CleanTechnica)

1.8GW of new solar for Japan in Q2 (via CleanTechnica)

Solar vs. wind in Brazil’s power tender (via Recharge)

Putting robots to work in solar energy (via New York Times)

TAR SANDS 

Mercury levels rising near Alberta oil sands, study finds (via Globe and Mail)

CLIMATE 

Climate change making North American forests more vulnerable (via Washington Post)

Foliage season under fire from climate change (via Climate Central)

LA Times refuses to publish climate denial, will other newspapers? (via CleanTechnica)

Another dry year could be bad news for California (via Los Angeles Times)

TRANSPORTATION 

For EV makers, selling cars is just the start (via Navigant Research)

From RINs to supply to demand to seasonality, why gasoline is heading lower (via Houston Chronicle)

OIL 

Report: US oil growth having limited effect on energy security (via Houston Chronicle)

GRID 

Smart city market to hit $6.1 billion by 2020 (via Energy Manager Today)

10 reasons microgrids matter to corporate sustainability (via GreenBiz)

OPINION 

Clean energy not to blame for rising California energy costs (via EarthTechling)

Four key reasons why coal’s 2013 rebound will end and its decline resume (via Facts of the Day)

Renewable Fuel Standard: Are we nearing a compromise on ethanol? (via Christian Science Monitor)

Why residents of disaster-prone areas don’t move (via The Atlantic)

Renewable fuel standard needs to be modified, not repealed (via Phys.org)

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 10.10.13

A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.

CLIMATE 

By 2047, coldest years may be warmer than hottest in past, say scientists (via New York Times)

Melting permafrost is creating “drunken forests” around Arctic (via Climate Progress)

Saudi efforts to weaken IPCC report in Stockholm exposed (via RTCC)

Can cities solve climate change? (via Scientific American)

Mining, fossil fuel firms talk about embracing climate change adaptation (via SNL Energy)

Florida considers creating alternative to federal flood insurance (via Miami Herald)

FEDERAL SHUTDOWN 

90% of America’s nuclear regulators will be furloughed today (via Gizmodo)

Energy industry beginning to feel federal shutdown’s bite (via Anchorage Daily News)

RENEWABLES 

World’s largest wealth fund may become green energy investor (via Renew Economy)

Q3 portfolio review: A bottom for clean energy developers? (via Renewable Energy World)

GE boosts wind turbine output up to 5% with industrial Internet technology (via CleanTechnica)

EPA drafts scaled-back renewable fuels goal (via National Journal)

Pennsylvania discourages renewable energy as climate solution (via Philadelphia Business Journal)

New York’s SUNY Cortland College using 100% renewable energy (via EarthTechling)

Will Oregon test project bring offshore wind to the West Coast? (via ClimateWire)

EMISSIONS 

Carbon markets cut emissions 17x cheaper than subsidies (via CleanTechnica)

Study finds setbacks in carbon capture projects worldwide (via New York Times)

EU already close to meeting 2020 emissions goal (via Reuters)

Early repeal of carbon price system could cost Australia $2 billion (via Australian Financial Review)

Shell exec says oil companies might become carbon capture ones (via MIT Technology Review)

Fossil fuel divestment campaign growing, says study (via Grist)

NATURAL GAS/FRACKING 

Europe votes to tighten rules on drilling method (via New York Times)

GRID 

UK, Denmark advance grid link-study (via Recharge)

Canada unveils energy storage research program (via Renew Grid)

Less than 1% of residential electricity customers will adopt dynamic pricing by 2020 unless utilities act aggressively (via Navigant Research)

AB327 signed into law with net metering warning from Gov. Brown (via Greentech Media)

ENERGY POLICY 

Citibank: Utilities are dinosaurs waiting to die (via GreenBiz)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

Study: Efficiency leads to “amazingly good energy news” (via Midwest Energy News)

San Francisco publishes open data on energy use in city buildings (via Sustainable Industries)

KEYSTONE XL 

Alberta’s current carbon strategy no match for Keystone’s emissions (via InsideClimate News)

Influence in America: TransCanada’s Keystone XL lobbying activities (via DeSmog Blog)

TRANSPORTATION 

New vehicle fuel economy continues to increase (via US EIA)

ENVIRONMENT 

Chicago’s investment in cleaner, greener water (via Huffington Post)

POLITICS 

Germany’s Greens turn frosty toward any alliance with Merkel (via Reuters)

OPINION 

Are there any major world financial institutions that don’t want to act on climate? (via Climate Progress)

Could weather forecasting be the secret to energy management? (via Greentech Media)

Are biofuels contributing to the dead zone? (via Treehugger)

Battle over Binz: An anomaly, or first shot in a drawn-out war? (via E&E Daily)

How to divest from fossil fuels, no matter the size of your piggy bank (via Grist)

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 9.6.13

A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.

EMISSIONS 

Europe offers US a deal, hoping for global rules on airline emissions (via New York Times)

Carbon prices rise to 5-month high as EU crimps free-permit handout (via Bloomberg)

Coalition’s plans to remove Australian carbon price will cost more than $6 billion (via The Guardian)

A new divestment focus: Fossil fuels (via New York Times)

COAL 

China may get over its addition to coal sooner than anyone thought (via Quartz)

Coal, hit hard by natural gas, could see further US market erosion from regulations (via ClimateWire)

RENEWABLES 

Geothermal power will hit 12GW worldwide by end of 2013 (via Houston Chronicle)

Deutsche Bank says solar is approaching grid parity (via Breaking Energy)

Chile adopts 20% renewables by 2025 target (via Recharge)

Biggest geothermal plant of its kind kicks into gear in New Zealand (via EarthTechling)

Renewables account for nearly 50% of US added capacity in 2012 (via Transmission & Distribution World)

White House reviewing 2014 biofuel targets (via Reuters)

Wildlife groups, wind industry meet on eagle permit rule (via The Hill)

A $1.6 million win in America’s second offshore wind lease auction (via CleanTechnica)

Studies suggest combining renewables can fully cover energy needs by 2030 (via Energy Collective)

Is solar about to get squeezed or saved in California? (via Greentech Solar)

In unlikely alliance, Wisconsin Libertarians back solar plan (via Midwest Energy News)

OIL 

US oil production reaches highest level in 24 years (via Houston Chronicle)

Is there another big US shale oil play? (via Breaking Energy)

Analyst says rail will be a lasting competitor against oil pipelines (via Houston Chronicle)

Drilling permit applications soar in Texas (via Houston Chronicle)

EPA fines Shell $1.1 million for Arctic air pollution during drilling (via The Hill)

TRANSPORTATION 

India will announce plans to cut fuel consumption (via Reuters)

Who’s all excited about quick EV charging? That’d be the US military (via Green Car Reports)

San Francisco, Los Angeles account for 35% of US EV sales (via Huffington Post)

Like Tesla, Nissan making money selling ZEC credits (via Autoblog Green)

NATURAL GAS 

Exxon: Natural gas will soon overtake coal in global energy use (via Houston Chronicle)

US natgas via Panama frightens LNG exporters worldwide (via Reuters)

Study says new shale gas development boom unlikely in Michigan (via Houston Chronicle/AP)

CLIMATE 

EU says clock ticking on 2015 climate talks deal (via Phys.org)

Acidifying oceans add to list of CO2 dangers (via Reuters)

Caribbean faces water shortages from climate change (via Time)

Study links global warming to 2012 wild weather (via AP)

Risk of Sandy-level flood in New York City has doubled since 1950 (via Climate Central)

TAR SANDS 

Canada spent $120 million on research for Enbridge pipeline (via CBC News)

Enbridge moves ahead with Michigan river cleanup (via Houston Chronicle/AP)

First Keystone pipeline pumped little money into local economy (via Lincoln Journal-Start)

GRID 

German energy storage plan could trigger new market boom (via Renew Economy)

Is the smart meter market slowing down or just relocating? (via Renew Grid)

Why energy storage is cost-effective and in need of a clear market signal (via TriplePundit)

NUCLEAR

Nuclear trash men gain from record US reactor shutdowns (via Bloomberg)

Vermont Yankee nuclear plant closure in 2014 will challenge New England energy markets (via US EIA)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY

Expect to see deep energy retrofits for federal buildings (via GreenBiz)

Survey: Building automation and data analytics are top efficiency priorities (via Greentech Media)

GREEN BUSINESS 

Significant gap exists between firms’ sustainability talk, actions (via Environmental Leader)

POLITICS 

How climate change became the “killing fields” of Australian politics (via Mother Jones)

Obama trying to escape political fallout from natural gas fracking proposals (via Forbes)