Energy and Environment News Roundup – 8.13.14

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

GREEN BUSINESS 

Report: U.S. green employment surge takes clean job opportunities past 2.6 million (via BusinessGreen)

America’s Top 10 “coolest schools” in sustainability (via EcoWatch)

COAL 

U.S. anti-coal dominoes hit BRICS wall, other skeptics (via Reuters)

Coal generation down as Germany breaks yet another renewables record (via BusinessGreen)

Coal makes a comeback, for now (via National Journal)

RENEWABLES 

Europe’s green energy rules cost UK $156 billion (via Bloomberg)

China and India’s GW-scale solar plans (via Renew Economy)

Chinese offshore wind market stagnating, disappointing investors (via Renewable Energy World)

Central America poised for clean tech investment boom (via BusinessGreen)

Citigroup: Global solar outlook is getting brighter (via Renew Economy)

Poor installation, grid constraints, defective panels plague China’s huge solar program (via Greenwire)

Over 26GW wind, solar power capacity offered for Brazil’s upcoming auction (via CleanTechnica)

IRS clarifies beginning of construction rules for renewable energy projects (via Renewable Energy World)

Despite uptick in activity, wind industry faces uncertainty in Congress (via Greenwire)

U.S. solar carport market poised for record year, continued growth (via Greentech Media)

U.S. wind farm construction is surging in 2014 (via Transmission & Distribution World)

OSU campus derives more than 70% of energy from wind (via Energy Manager Today)

New energy-rich sorghum offers ethanol without the corn (via The Guardian)

ENERGY POLICY 

Saudi Arabia, China sign nuclear and renewable energy agreement (via Al-Awsat)

CLIMATE 

Rising economies “ahead on climate” (via BBC)

Call for finance to top agenda at 2015 UN climate summit (via RTCC)

Climate change and health – joining the dots (via Deutche Welle)

That sinking feeling: The Coastal cities doomed to disappear beneath the waves (via Sustainable Cities Collective)

What climate change in the Rockies means for its water (via Climate Central)

California has hottest start to year while Midwest chills (via Climate Central)

“Unprecedented” Detroit flooding event fits global warming pattern (via Mashable)

OIL 

World awash in oil shields markets from 2008 price shock (via Bloomberg)

Oil companies fracking into drinking water sources, shows new research (via Los Angeles Times)

TRANSPORTATION 

Green signal for “Britain’s first” battery-powered train (via BusinessGreen)

U.S. public in favor of higher truck fuel efficiency standards (via Autoblog Green)

Gas prices to drop through end of 2014 (via The Hill)

California could give lower-income EV buyers a financial boost (via Autoblog Green)

Next-gen power electronics could cut $6,000 from Tesla Model S (via GigaOm)

Tesla Gigafactory: California could waive environmental rules to get it (via Green Car Reports)

Toyota: East Coast hydrogen cars on the horizon (via Autoblog Green)

GRID 

Germany added a lot of wind and solar power, and its grid became more reliable (via Climate Progress)

Key Brazil wind grid link set for completion by November (via Recharge)

U.S. DOE clears Quebec-to-NYC transmission line (via Albany Times Union)

Vermont breaks ground on “perfect” solar + storage microgrid that can provide resilient power (via Renewable Energy World)

Suntech invests $25 million in U.S. energy storage developer (via Solar Industry)

NATURAL GAS 

China’s shale gas bust (via MIT Technology Review)

ENVIRONMENT 

Declining Lake Mead water levels raise concerns for future of parched region (via Huffington Post/AP)

Lightning sparks new wildfires in Oregon, Washington (via The Columbian)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

An energy cure for hospitals (via Navigant Research)

POLITICS 

Senators want more comment time on EPA climate rule (via The Hill)

Democrats increasingly backing oil and gas industry (via Wall Street Journal)

How to eliminate almost every federal agency (via National Journal)

OPINION 

Ebola and climate change: Are humans responsible for severity of current outbreak? (via Newsweek)

The African case for U.S. climate leadership (via WRI Insights)

How far away is grid parity for residential battery storage? (via Renew Economy)

The frustrating climate change memes that just won’t die (via New Republic)

Toyota executive: We’re on the cusp of the automotive hydrogen age (via Green Car Congress)

Journalists to EPA: Stop muzzling scientists (via The Hill)

How I went off-grid with solar in Hawaii (via Greentech Media)

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 4.4.13

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

EMISSIONS 

British Columbia set to announce five-year carbon tax freeze (via Vancouver Sun)

Two major air pollutants increase in Beijing (via New York Times)

Who’s really in charge on EPA rules? A chat with legal scholar Lisa Heinzerling (via Grist)

ENERGY POLICY 

EU re-launches CCS and renewable energy fund (via BusinessGreen)

What would a manufacturing renaissance do to US energy intensity? (via Greentech Media)

COAL 

Overseas demand breathes new life into US coal industry (via Climate Central)

RENEWABLES 

India’s demand for clean energy credits almost triples in March (via Panchabuta)

Australia competing with Germany on low solar PV prices (via CleanTechnica)

Japan to become largest solar market after China (via Bloomberg)

Suntech unit bankruptcy had roots in deadbeat customers (via Bloomberg)

Renewable energy stations that double as wildlife reserves (via EarthTechling)

BP wind sale highlights renewable energy struggles (via Houston Chronicle)

Top ten wind states all have electric rates below national average (via Facts of the Day)

Online solar marketplace is like an eBay for solar (via TreeHugger)

Exelon falls from green favor as chief fights wind aid (via Bloomberg)

NATURAL GAS/FRACKING 

Canada seen beating US in $150 billion Asia LNG race (via Bloomberg)

Natural gas revolution and its implications: LNG exports 101 (via Energy Collective)

Natural gas pipeline market failure looms (via AOL Energy)

Senate panel to scrutinize natural gas exports – again (via Houston Chronicle)

Ohio not part of nonbinding Northeast fracking pact (via Columbus Dispatch)

TRANSPORTATION 

China issues new EU-ETS aviation emissions warning (via Xinhua)

Tesla increases lease calculator costs; supercharging, “mystery” announcement soon (via Autoblog Green)

Gentlemen, start your calculators: checking the math of Tesla’s lend-lease program (via New York Times)

OIL 

China to surpass US as world’s top crude importer, OPEC says (via Bloomberg)

Norway’s oil future seen with ice-free Arctic’s barrels (via Bloomberg)

Feds: all companies should heed Shell’s Arctic drilling lessons (via Houston Chronicle)

Gulf oil spill settlement dispute becomes more contentious (via Houston Chronicle)

Geologist’s Alaska gamble could turn into America’s next big shale play (via EnergyWire)

Inland US oil refiners stung by renewable energy credits (via Reuters)

No-fly zone in place over Arkansas pipeline spill site (via Nasdaq)

CLIMATE 

Has the rate of sea level rise tripled since 2011? (via Climate Progress)

World Bank president says global warming threatens planet and poorest (via Washington Post)

Environmental policies matter for growing megacities, study finds (via Phys.org)

GRID 

Over 400 microgrid projects underway en route to $40 billion market (via CleanTechnica)

How diverse is your state’s electricity generation portfolio? (via Climate Progress)

Smart meters still under fire in DC, Maine (via Renew Grid)

Big data dives clarify California power markets (via AOL Energy)

KEYSTONE XL 

The Keystone XL pipeline and its politics, explained (via Washington Post)

Former White House spokesman: polls won’t drive Obama on Keystone (via The Hill)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

Utility customers will spend $1.4 billion on building energy management systems by 2020 (via Navigant Research)

LED streetlights move from pilot projects to widespread use (via Midwest Energy News)

POLITICS 

Obama on climate change: “the politics of this are tough” (via The Hill) 

Poll: majority of Republicans believe global warming is a hoax (via The Hill)

Anti-Keystone billionaire rattles Democrats (via Politico)

Salazar to leave Interior Department with no regrets (via Washington Post)

OPINION 

Why Africa is missing the solar power boat (via Renewable Energy World)

Slow and steady wins the solar race (via GigaOm)

“Social bankability” needed to expand off-grid clean energy (via Greentech Media)

Has Tesla made electric cars affordable? Not exactly (via Washington Post)

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 3.22.13

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

CLIMATE 

2010 Iceland eruption yields bad news for geoengineering schemes (via Mongabay)

Ancient extinction has ominous CO2 lessons for today: study (via Climate Central)

New blog series will answer questions on climate finance (via WRI Insights)

TRANSPORTATION 

China imposes tough new auto fuel standards as renewables boom speeds up (via BusinessGreen)

EU puts airline carbon tax on hold for a year (via Phys.org)

It’s official: traffic pollution can cause asthma in children (via Los Angeles Times)

RENEWABLES 

UK’s green investment bank provides first offshore wind backing (via BusinessGreen)

Integrating variable renewables as Germany expands its grid (via Renewable Energy World)

Solar glut survives Suntech as customers seek alternative (via Bloomberg)

(more…)

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 3.20.13

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

ENERGY POLICY 

China expects energy talks breakthrough in official visit to Russia (via Bloomberg)

Fossil fuel generation increases 21% in Japan in 2012 (via Greentech Media)

US manufacturing sector energy use and intensity down since 2002 (via Green Car Congress)

EMISSIONS 

China postpones launch of national carbon market to post-2015 (via RTCC)

Green groups press EPA for climate rule opposed by industry (via Bloomberg)

RGGI nets $106 million for clean energy, may hit $2 billion by 2020 (via CleanTechnica)

Los Angeles halts using electricity from coal plants (via Bloomberg)

RENEWABLES 

Chinese installed wind capacity reached 75GW in 2012 (via CleanTechnica)

China’s Suntech declares bankruptcy (via Reuters)

Japanese bank signs on to support first US offshore wind farm (via AOL Energy)

With turbines on the watery horizon, hopes for a more streamlined permitting process (via ClimateWire)

Xcel hits Upper Midwest wind power record (via Star-Tribune)

Cape Wind expects construction start off Cape Cod by year-end (via Reuters)

Solar power installations top 1GW in New Jersey (via Reuters)

New Jersey solar market prices rise (via AOL Energy)

Arizona wins back its renewable energy standard (via Greentech Media)

Effort to repeal Kansas renewable energy standard fails in state legislature (via Wichita Eagle)

Feed-in tariff breakthrough in Iowa? (via Renewable Energy World)

Connecticut’s new plan for renewables turns to hydropower, away from biomass (via Hartford Courant)

NUCLEAR 

UK approves first new nuclear plant in decades (via BusinessGreen)

NRC votes for upgrades to some nuclear reactor vents (via New York Times)

Michigan nuclear plant’s fate depends on Indiana regulators (via Midwest Energy News)

NATURAL GAS/FRACKING 

US reports huge potential for “fire in the ice” as Japan hurries to production (via EnergyWire)

Natural gas exports concern chemical executive (via Houston Chronicle)

Shale gas boom alone won’t propel US industry (via Wall Street Journal)

TRANSPORTATION 

Pressure builds in EU for tighter fuel emission rules (via BusinessGreen)

No silver bullet for reaching fuel and emissions goals, says study (via New York Times)

Washington State proposes $124 fine for parking gas car in EV spot (via Plugin Cars)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

Policy changes could free $1 trillion in energy savings (via Houston Chronicle)

The EE Eight: energy-efficient campuses in the NCAA basketball tournament (via Alliance to Save Energy)

ENVIRONMENT 

From heat wave to snowstorms March weather goes to extremes (via Climate Central)

Warmer springs mean less snow cover, disruptions for plants and animals, and more allergies (via Union of Concerned Scientists)

Drought plunges Texas and US cattle herd to lowest level since 1952 (via Facts of the Day)

OIL 

US oil production is booming, but here’s the catch (via Washington Post)

Administration won’t trade ANWR drilling for clean energy fund (via Washington Post)

POLITICS 

Energy Security Trust faces partisan roadblock in Congress (via Politico)

Poll: President Obama’s voters don’t want Keystone approval (via Politico)

Billionaire targets Democrat on Keystone XL in Massachusetts Senate race (via The Hill)

OPINION 

Two reasons climate change is not like other environmental problems (via Grist)

It’s time to consider the long-term costs of fracking (via Houston Chronicle)

A short history of greenwashing the tar sands, part one (via Desmog Canada)

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 3.13.13

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

ENERGY POLICY

Brussels looks to reignite 2030 EU carbon target debate (via BusinessGreen)

Merkel may create new energy ministry in nuclear to renewables switch (via Bloomberg)

COAL

Report: coal killed 100,000 in India in 2012 (via Huffington Post)

Coal to gas moves are generating economic waves (via Forbes)

CLIMATE

China plans first commercial trip through Arctic shortcut in 2013 (via Reuters)

Obama: climate change threatens US shipping routes (via The Hill)

As CO2 emissions rise, so will pollen counts and asthma attacks (via Climate Progress)

Bloomberg announces mayor’s summit to fight climate change (via CBS News)

RENEWABLES

China to outpace Germany as leading solar PV consumer in 2013 (via San Jose Mercury News)

Chinese solar panel maker Suntech on financial brink (via New York Times)

Cellulosic ethanol “to be cost-competitive by 2016” (via Environmental Leader)

California’s Mount Diablo school district leads the world on solar (via Sustainable Business)

Cape Wind going overseas, snubs Massachusetts steel company (via Boston Globe)

OIL

Brazil says subsalt oil finds could triple total reserves (via Reuters)

The Gulf of Mexico oil leak we’re not supposed to know about (via Triple Pundit)

Halliburton official “surprised” by unauthorized tests before Gulf oil spill (via Bloomberg)

TRANSPORTATION

Tesla Motors to expand European operations (via Plugin Cars)

New EPA gasoline rule could raise prices, fuel political fires (via National Journal)

US public charging stations increase by 180 a month, on track for 7,400 by end of year (via Autoblog Green)

Chevy Volt outsold Nissan Leaf for first time in 2012, says BNEF (via Bloomberg)

ChargePoint installs first of 80 new EV charging stations in NY State (via Renew Grid)

NATURAL GAS/FRACKING

Japan hopes methane hydrates are the next big energy source (via Washington Post)

Fracking fluid suppliers defend trade secrets on West Coast (via EnergyWire)

Fracking groundwater rules in Texas reflect legal ambiguities (via Texas Tribune)

How much water does it take to frack a well? (via StateImpact Pennsylvania)

New York health commissioner says fracking recommendation may come soon (via Huffington Post/AP)

Ohio’s resurgent natural gas industry spends millions to set up shop (via New York Times)

ENVIRONMENT

Rains or not, India is falling short of drinkable water (via New York Times)

Bat-killing fungus reaches South Carolina; now found in 21 states and 5 provinces (via Scientific American)

Senate bill would boost funding for weather satellites (via Climate Central)

KEYSTONE XL/TAR SANDS

Canadian opposition leader: government playing US “for fools” on Keystone (via The Hill)

Keystone XL pipeline jobs vs. 100,000 green jobs (via CleanTechnica)

Michigan officials say water supplies along Kalamazoo River unharmed from tar sands oil spill (via Michigan Live/Kalamazoo Gazette)

29 Vermont communities say no to tar sands shipments, New England opposition grows (via DeSmogBlog)

GRID

Power grids in US, EU, third world face huge and varied challenges (via Greentech Media)

Nearly 56GW of long-duration energy storage to be installed from 2012 to 2022 (via Pike Research)

Hackers may breach US grid within two years (via Bloomberg)

Silver Spring raises $81 million in IPO (via Greentech Media)

NUCLEAR

Developing nations put nuclear on fast-forward (via MIT Technology Review)

Lawsuits filed against Tepco in Fukushima nuclear disaster (via United Press International)

NRC upholds ruling on Calvert Cliffs nuclear plant (via Baltimore Sun)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY

Computers and appliances: today’s home-based energy hogs (via National Geographic)

NREL unveils world’s most efficient data center, could cut operation costs by $1 million (via Inhabitat)

POLITICS

Draft bill released by Waxman and Whitehouse would price carbon and reduce emissions (via Climate Progress)

Ryan, Murray unveil dueling energy deficit plans (via Politico)

Dems launch series of climate change speeches to fight GOP “climate deniers” (via The Hill)

OPINION

What is the underlying value of EU carbon? (via Reuters)

Could Waxman’s new bill offer new hope for a carbon tax? (via Mother Jones)

Where innovation advocates go wrong (via Grist)