Energy and Environment News Roundup – 8.6.13
A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.
NUCLEAR
Fukushima emergency declared as radioactive water spills into sea (via The Guardian)
EMISSIONS
Interpol warns of criminal focus on $176 billion carbon market (via RTCC)
Carbon tax takes center stage as Australian election campaign starts (via RTCC)
Social cost of carbon draws coal, oil industry lobbying (via The Hill)
Virgin Australia blames carbon tax for some of its woes (via Environmental Leader)
COAL
Coal at risk as global lenders drop financing on climate (via Bloomberg)
RENEWABLES
German utilities attack green policies that hurt their profits, hint at leaving (via Reuters)
Aging grid often leaves newly available wind power no place to go (via McClatchy)
K Street powerhouse lobbies for green energy tax bill (via The Hill)
Solar PV capacity expands quickly when states provides the right incentives (via Renewable Energy World)
Wind energy research facility launched to boost wind farm output (via CleanTechnica)
Texas breezes along as US wind power leader (via Houston Chronicle)
How rollover solar credits make a difference in California (via EarthTechling)
Solar net-metering fight flares in Colorado (via EarthTechling)
GRID
Europe’s biggest energy storage project – yet (via Sustainable Business)
India’s blackout remedy tops $1.6 billion (via Bloomberg)
Climate change adaptations will force extensive changes to US power grid (via Smart Grid Library)
DOE spending $200 million on grid measurement units to avoid blackouts (via Energy Manager Today)
University of California to test energy storage grid services (via Renewable Energy World)
NATURAL GAS/FRACKING
Censored EPA Pennsylvania fracking water contamination presentation published for first time (via DeSmog Blog)
FERC threatens BP with $29 million fine for natural gas market manipulation (via The Hill)
BP says will “vigorously defend” itself in gas manipulation case (via Reuters)
Workers begin relief well at site of Gulf of Mexico natural gas blowout (via Houston Chronicle)
Pennsylvania regulators nix gas drilling wastewater plant (via Houston Chronicle)
CLIMATE
China leading the US on climate-change action (via The Nation/McClatchy)
US-China cooperation turns page in climate diplomacy (via Reuters)
Montreal Protocol may have prevented accelerated climate change (via RTCC)
Marine life reacts faster to warming than land species (via Bloomberg)
Arctic ice grows darker and less reflective (via New Scientist)
Munich Re profits fall sharply on flood claims (via Reuters)
Only 3% of youth are climate deniers, poll says (via EcoAffect)
ENVIRONMENT
Drought in China leaves nearly 6 million lacking water (via United Press International)
Drought-stricken New Mexico farmers drain aquifer to sell water for fracking (via Climate Progress)
OIL
Lightning leads to spills and fires in western North Dakota oil patch (via Bismarck Tribune/AP)
TRANSPORTATION
Exploring the adoption of EVs in US, Europe, China: changing scenarios and infrastructure (via Green Car Congress)
Electric car sales accelerating through 2013 (via BusinessGreen)
SoCal Edison white paper shares data about PEV usage and charging (via Green Car Reports)
Chevy Volt plug-in EVs now have battery cells made in US (via Green Car Reports)
Tesla could take a financial hit from likely loss of ZEV credits (via Plugin Cars)
GM cuts the 2014 Chevy Volt price tag by $5,000 (via GigaOm)
TAR SANDS
TransCanada to face hurdles in quest for eastern pipeline (via Houston Chronicle)
Arkansas residents home to keep oil spill suit alive (via Houston Chronicle)
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
Near real-time energy use tracked in Washington DC (via Energy Manager Today)
One demand response platform to rule them all in Austin (via Greentech Media)
Zero home is most energy efficient house in America (via EarthTechling)
OPINION
Will Ukraine be the next energy hub? (via Christian Science Monitor)
Will global warming lead to more war? It’s not that simple. (via Washington Post)
The case for exporting US natural gas (via Breaking Energy)
Beware energy efficiency overpromises (via Energy Collective)
The future of energy: Why power density matters (via Energy Collective)
Duke Energy nuke rip-off costs three times Solyndra but media and Congress yawn (via Green Car Congress)
Will Harvard divest after hiring a new VP of sustainable investing? (via TriplePundit)