Energy and Environment News Roundup – 6.19.13
A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.
COAL
US coal exports set monthly record (via US EIA)
Army Corps won’t consider global emissions from coal exports (via The Hill)
EMISSIONS
China carbon permits trade 22% below EU on market debut (via Bloomberg)
EU emission trading system set for second “backloading” vote (via RTCC)
Autism tied to air pollution, brain-wiring disconnection (via Bloomberg)
Cutting carbon could save US corporations $780 billion over 10 years (via BusinessGreen)
GRID
Smart grid market revenue will hit $73 billion annually by 2020 (via CleanTechnica)
Obama nourishes smart grid to feed his legacy (via Forbes)
RENEWABLES
European utilities switch off investment in fossil fuel plants (via New York Times)
Japan’s journey from nuclear to solar power (via EarthTechling)
Moniz sees bright future for solar (via Breaking Energy)
Cape Wind gets $200 million investment from Danish fund (via Phys.org)
California’s solar energy initiative is ending – what has it left behind? (via Energy Collective)
Getting it right in New England’s regional process for Canadian hydropower imports (via CLF Scoop)
CLIMATE
World Bank says world’s poorest will feel brunt of climate change (via The Guardian)
Small global warming rise would have “alarming” impact, says World Bank (via Reuters)
California and Shenzen, China sign agreement to cooperate on climate change (via Green Car Congress)
Ernest Moniz keeps cool as House GOP disputes climate change (via Politico)
Record-shattering heat bakes Alaska (via Washington Post)
Seattle adopts carbon neutral climate action plan for 2050 (via Climate Progress)
NATURAL GAS/FRACKING
EPA official says fracking study won’t be done until 2016 (via Houston Chronicle)
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
Bahrain launches green plan to tackle growing energy consumption (via Gulf Daily News)
Firing up Minnesota’s “energy efficiency power plant” (via Midwest Energy News)
Making energy efficiency attractive for owners of older Seattle buildings (via New York Times)
OIL
US considers exporting more oil for first time since 1970’s (via Bloomberg)
Canada raises liability for offshore oil spills to $1 billion (via Globe and Mail)
Why did officials slap Exxon with an oil spill lawsuit so quickly in Arkansas? (via InsideClimate News)
TRANSPORTATION
South Africa starts three-year study to see if it’s ready for EVs (via Autoblog Green)
Vermont and Quebec announce electric car corridor (via Fox News/AP)
Will you or the grid control your electric car? (via Scientific American)
ENVIRONMENT
This year’s Gulf of Mexico dead zone could be biggest on record (via Time)
“Extreme” Arizona wildfire burns 5,000 acres in just 7 hours (via NBC News)
LA approves ban on plastic grocery bags (via Los Angeles Times)
OPINION
Why you should care about Solar Impulse and renewable energy’s long journey (via Washington Post)
How reliance on trees can help forests (via New York Times)