Energy and Environment News Roundup – 4.2.14

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

EMISSIONS 

Hubei province starts China’s second-biggest carbon exchange (via Bloomberg)

India mulls low-carbon fuel standard to cut vehicle exhaust by 2021 (via Bloomberg)

US EPA carbon rule for existing power plants sent to White House (via Reuters)

Promotion of cap-and-trade money for residents downplays looming higher electricity rates (via ClimateWire)

Companies try to catch CO2 before it touches the sky (via Bloomberg)

NATURAL GAS 

Russia tightens pressure on Ukraine with rise in natural gas prices (via New York Times)

UK could produce shale gas within four years in emergency (via Reuters)

RENEWABLES 

India to award 1 gigawatt of solar permits by 2015 (via Bloomberg)

Brazil planning its first solar-specific national auction (via Renewable Energy World)

Iceland’s clean energy lures metal companies from abroad (via SmartPlanet)

Senators leave Production Tax Credit out of renewable fuel proposal (via Houston Chronicle)

Crowdfunding for solar, wind reaching fevered pitch (via Sustainable Business)

Advancements in wind turbine technology improve efficiency; reduce cost (via Renewable Energy World)

BOEM publishes environmental assessment of potential Georgia offshore wind area (via Recharge)

BOEM readies Massachusetts offshore wind auction (via Recharge)

Vermont raises net metering cap to 15% (via Solar Industry)

Mystery property tycoon makes $533 million bet on solar (via Bloomberg)

ENERGY POLICY 

German states water down energy reform but Merkel pleased (via Reuters)

Net US energy imports in 2013 lowest in more than 20 years (via US EIA)

Hearings begin today in latest push against Ohio energy laws (via Midwest Energy News)

OIL 

Canadian safety board urges faster phase out of oil rail tankers (via Reuters)

Crunch year ahead for Norway’s Arctic oil adventure (via Reuters)

TRANSPORTATION 

Number of electric vehicles doubling every year (via Autoblog Green)

Nissan Leaf has 2nd-best sales month ever, Chevy Volt does a 2013 repeat (via Autoblog Green)

Volkswagen could bring wireless EV charging to market by 2017 (via Autoblog)

California forms waiting list for electric car rebates (via Plugin Cars)

Tesla to use North American materials amid pollution worry (via Bloomberg)

Koch Brothers quietly seek to ban new mass transit in Tennessee (via Climate Progress)

TAR SANDS 

Oil sands link to health concerns, says Canadian report (via Globe and Mail)

CLIMATE 

Climate change responses to shape Asia’s future (via Washington Post)

China and EU pledge joint climate action (via BusinessGreen)

Biofuels might hold back progress combating climate change (via Scientific American)

NUCLEAR 

Japan may only be able to restart one-third of its nuclear reactors (via Reuters)

Utility Exelon wants to kill wind and solar subsidies while keeping nukes (via Greentech Media)

GRID 

Utility spending on smart grid IT systems will total nearly $140 billion from 2014 through 2022 (via Navigant Research)

Unique state models offer a glimpse of New England’s microgrid future (via Greentech Media)

Maine Public Utilities Commission: Smart meters are safe (via Renew Grid)

RES Americas launch 8MW energy storage system in PJM (via Energy Manager Today)

Grid Edge 20: Companies transforming the US power sector (via Greentech Media)

COAL 

Chinese coal firms creak under heavy debt, tumbling prices (via Reuters)

ENVIRONMENT 

Meager snowpack bad news for drought-parched California (via USA Today)

Rains won’t quell California wildfire season (via Climate Central)

OPINION 

Climate change: Is anybody listening? (via Newsweek)

Global warming and the developing world (via New York Times)

Will Oregon cook up a carbon tax? (via Sightline Daily)

Rumsfeldian climate risks (via Energy Collective)

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 3.27.14

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

OIL 

Spain’s oil deposits and fracking trigger energy gold rush (via The Guardian)

US now producing 10% of world’s crude oil (via The Hill)

New York State seeks more data on crude oil rail operations (via New York Times)

Battle begins over plan to send oil trains through California cities (via Climate Progress)

UTILITIES 

UK’s big six utilities face competition probe (via Bloomberg)

FERC orders gas and electricity suppliers to work together (via Reuters)

RENEWABLES 

Citigroup says “Age of Renewables” has begun (via Renew Economy)

Global solar deployment edged out wind in 2013 (via Solar Industry)

New wind power blows UK green electricity to record levels (via BusinessGreen)

Renewable energy starts 2014 off strong in US (via Renew Grid)

Study finds wind power cost competitive with natural gas in US (via Phys.org)

New US wind power installations plummet 93% in 2013 (via Houston Chronicle)

US solar market grappling with impact of federal tax credit expiration (via Greentech Media)

Kansas Senate approves bill ending renewable energy standards (via Kansas City Star)

Solar turf wars: NRG Energy buys roof diagnostics, Sunrun allies with Sungevity (via Greentech Media)

Watch how fast wind farms spread across the US (via Climate Central)

CLIMATE 

New UN IPCC report is cautious on making climate predictions (via Yale e360)

No pause in global sea level rise (via Scientific American)

Disasters led to $45 billion in global insurance losses in 2013 (via ABC News/AP)

Report says climate change is world’s “gravest security threat” (via RTCC)

Top scientists say global warming caused record Australian heatwave (via The Telegraph)

2013: Extreme weather, extreme damage in US (via Center for American Progress)

Obama talks climate change in new Showtime documentary (via Huffington Post)

NATURAL GAS 

Trade deal would ease US natural gas exports to Europe (via Reuters)

Fracking’s earthquake risks push states to collaborate (via Bloomberg)

Keystone XL battle plan may not fit enviros’ fight against LNG exports (via E&E Daily)

ENVIRONMENT 

China’s rivers at the brink of collapse (via Huffington Post)

Big challenges for reclamation of ravaged tar sands lands (via Yale e360)

House GOP wants to make it nearly impossible for Obama to create new national monuments (via National Journal)

USGBC wants all students educated on sustainability by 2040 (via GreenBiz)

Poll: Californians cutting water use amid drought (via San Francisco Chronicle)

COAL 

Poll finds support for more coal ash regulation in North Carolina (via News Observer)

TRANSPORTATION 

Modern diesels pollute over 20% less than those from 10 years ago (via Autoblog)

100% drop-in aviation biofuels “closer” to reality (via Renewable Energy World)

US high-speed rail gets a boost with 32-train order for Siemens (via CleanTechnica)

GRID 

Germany’s $2.8 billion transmission link with Norway threatened (via Bloomberg)

OPINION 

New Zealand’s “Kyoto forests” sow the seeds for a massive emissions surge (via The Guardian)

Have we reached the clean energy tipping point? (via GreenBiz)

Is a super El Nino coming to shatter extreme weather and global temperature records? (via Climate Progress)

Here’s why British Columbia’s carbon tax is so popular and effective (via Grist)

How the US natural gas boom just caused more US coal exports (via Climate Progress)

Why Nest’s valuation is higher than Opower’s: Hardware, consumers, homes (via GigaOm)

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 3.21.14

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

EMISSIONS 

EU warns biofuel carbon emissions “higher than expected” (via RTCC)

Shuttered coal plants seen cutting cost of carbon rules (via Bloomberg)

NATURAL GAS 

EU readies natural gas plan to cut reliance on Russia (via Bloomberg)

Cheap gas will fuel US manufacturing job surge through 2020 (via Houston Chronicle)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

Efficiency, not just Recession, drove US energy savings since 2007 (via Greentech Media)

LED costs to halve as efficiency doubles by 2020, says US DOE (via RTCC)

California establishing new efficiency standards for consumer appliances (via Energy Manager Today)

RENEWABLES 

Over 25% total global solar capacity added in 2013, more to come (via Forbes)

Global solar PV market set to reach 500GW by 2018 (via Renew Economy)

Study finds wind farms can provide surplus of reliable clean energy (via Phys.org)

As net metering battles move to small markets, solar advocates claim early victories (via Greentech Media)

Wind grows as power source in Kansas (via Hutchinson News)

Ethanol industry taking challenge to California LCFS to US Supreme Court (via Green Car Congress)

Compromise may help preserve net metering in Kansas (via Midwest Energy News)

Carnegie unveils 1MW wave energy machine (via Renew Economy)

CLIMATE 

Spring is arriving earlier and earlier in the US (via Climate Central)

Exxon Mobil agrees to report on climate change’s effect on business model (via The Guardian)

Chris Christie’s state agencies are worried about climate change, even if he isn’t (via Huffington Post)

OIL 

Oil lobby optimistic on repealing renewable fuel standard (via The Hill)

BP’s Gulf redemption may take decades to bestow barrels (via Bloomberg)

TRANSPORTATION 

AAA finds electric cars can only go half as far in freezing weather (via Los Angeles Time)

EV project to save Seattle airport $2.8 million in fuel costs (via Environmental Leader)

KEYSTONE XL/TAR SANDS 

While America spars over Keystone XL, a vast network of pipelines is quietly being approved (via Think Progress)

Koch Brothers are the biggest leaseholder in Canada’s oil sands (via Washington Post)

ENVIRONMENT 

$500 million over budget: How should we pay for fighting wildfires? (via Weather Channel)

Asia is home to most rivers under stress from people (via Bloomberg)

OPINION 

The thin green line (via Sightline Daily)

A few numbers for Nate Silver and Roger Pielke Jr on climate change (via Huffington Post)

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 3.12.14

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

CLIMATE 

NASA warns global warming could be 20% higher than previous estimates (via RTCC)

Climate change not a top US worry, finds poll (via The Hill)

Keeling Curve in danger of budget cuts (via Weather Underground)

COAL 

Italian judge blames coal plant for hundreds of deaths, forces it to close (via Huffington Post)

Duke CEO: Customers should pay to empty coal ash ponds (via Environmental Leader)

RENEWABLES 

100GW solar PV market in 2018, forecasts NPD Solarbuzz (via Recharge)

IEA: High renewable energy market penetration is feasible in any country (via CleanTechnica)

Latin America is emerging as a force in solar: Here’s what early developers have learned (via Greentech Media)

4.58GW of solar PV added in Japan (via CleanTechnica)

GE to supply 213MW of turbines for European wind farms (via Bloomberg)

Wind Production Tax Credit “dead” in Congress this year (via Bloomberg)

US homeowners, especially Republicans, want to be able to choose clean energy (via Climate Progress)

Minnesota regulators set to decide on solar tariff formula (via EnergyWire)

Automatic self-optimization of wind turbines (via Phys.org)

Cincinnati City Council debates buying green energy (via Cincinnati Business Courier)

KEYSTONE XL 

Keystone XL southern leg having major effect on US oil hub (via Houston Chronicle)

Experts: Keystone XL may create fewer jobs than most expect (via US News & World Report)

Unions: Keystone review “reeks of politics” (via The Hill)

EMISSIONS 

Nine Chinese cities suffered more severe smog days than Beijing (via The Guardian)

Poor nations need financing to cut carbon emissions, says China (via Bloomberg)

For EPA’s global warming rules, will “next year” mean “never”? (via National Journal)

OIL 

US oil boom fuels rail industry resurgence (via Christian Science Monitor)

US refiners form lobby against easing crude export limits (via Reuters)

Moody’s: Many US oil companies on investors’ hit list (via Houston Chronicle)

North Dakota oil boom puts pressure on Great Plains farmers (via Huffington Post/Stateline)

GRID 

California drought dries up hydro but power stays on (via National Geographic)

NY regulator, ConEd embrace plan to climate-proof power grid (via InsideClimate News)

After failing in EVs, Coda Energy pursues no-money-down energy storage (via Greentech Media)

NUCLEAR 

16 countries’ regulatory bodies have changed policy in response to Fukushima (via US GAO)

Three years after Fukushima, Japan makes U-turn on nuclear (via Christian Science Monitor)

US nuclear agency hid concerns, hailed safety record as Fukushima melted (via NBC News)

FRACKING 

Ohio looks at whether fracking led to two quakes (via New York Times)

POLITICS

How talking about climate change might actually help Democrats win elections (via Washington Post)

Clinton Keystone dodge prompts donors to rethink support (via Bloomberg)

OPINION 

Four reasons why the fight against climate change is likely to fail (via Washington Post)

Japan’s energy dilemma, in one chart (via Washington Post)

All you need to know about BC’s carbon tax shift in five charts (via Sightline)

China builds bridges to US EV market (via Navigant Research)

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 3.11.14

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

EMISSIONS 

Germany’s carbon targets in doubt as emissions rise in 2013 (via RTCC)

Bank of England warned over carbon bubble – should you be worried? (via TreeHugger)

China pledges harsher punishment in fight against smog (via Bloomberg)

OIL 

Does a 1,000-mile international pipeline need a permit? (via Houston Chronicle)

Major gaps in plan to slow down oil trains (via National Journal)

State official says Canadian oil won’t hurt North Dakota’s output (via Houston Chronicle)

TRANSPORTATION 

Americans took a record 10.7 billion public transit trips in 2013 (via CleanTechnica)

RENEWABLES 

From mines to megawatts: The promise of “conflict-free Big Solar” (via GreenBiz)

ALEC launches new effort to influence local government policy (via Climate Progress)

Lux: Biofuels face sharp slowdown to 3.2% annual growth as next-generation fuels emerge (via Green Car Congress)

California electric grid sets solar generation record (via Reuters)

Cheapest solar ever? Austin Energy buys PV from SunEdison at 5 cents per kilowatt-hour (via Greentech Media)

Small biomass power plants could help rural economies, stabilize national power grid, says study (via Phys.org)

COAL 

Coal to the rescue, but maybe not next winter (via New York Times)

CLIMATE 

India’s view on climate change shifts toward adaptation, clean energy (via ClimateWire)

GAO: Climate change threatens infrastructure (via Climate Central)

CEOs face record shareholder interest in managing corporate climate risks (via ClimateWire)

Conserving water, cutting greenhouse gases may conflict in drought-parched Southwest (via ClimateWire)

Democrats: Round-the-clock climate speeches not just hot air (via Politico)

Democrats clock all-nighter with climate talk (via ABC News/AP)

NATURAL GAS 

Central Europeans want US gas to cut dependence on Russia (via Reuters)

EU leaders to urge greater effort to cut gas imports (via Reuters)

GRID 

California’s solar demands reshape grid’s energy load (via EarthTechling)

Hotbed for microgrids grows in “energy cul-de-sac” (via EnergyWire)

Predicting PV plant power fluctuations and optimizing energy storage (via Renewable Energy World)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

Maryland government reduces energy 11% since 2008 (via Energy Manager Today)

OPINION 

Why the Keystone XL pipeline matters for climate (via Huffington Post)

Here’s one way to rally support for oil and coal exports: Tax them (via Washington Post)

Solar poll: What do US homeowners think about clean energy? (via CleanTechnica)

How climate change drove the rise of Ghengis Khan (via Time)

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 3.10.14

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

EMISSIONS 

Four new ozone-destroying chemicals found in atmosphere (via The Guardian)

Swiss seek precision as nations shape carbon markets (via Bloomberg)

RGGI carbon prices jump in first event with fewer permits (via Bloomberg)

New study shows how fossil fuel pollution damages the heart (via Climate Progress)

GRID 

America’s largest grid system could reach 30% renewable energy by 2026 (via CleanTechnica)

Distributed defectors: When customers leave the grid (via GreenBiz)

RENEWABLES 

Europe a dark spot for global solar PV market (via Recharge)

China lagging on 2020 hydro goals as premier urges new dam building (via Reuters)

Renewables in MENA to double next year, says Desertec (via Renewable Energy World)

750MW of FiT-approved solar PV projects in pipeline for Kenya (via CleanTechnica)

Google reaps tax breaks in $1.4 billion clean energy bet (via Bloomberg)

US DOE studies what motivates solar adoption to sustain growth (via Solar Industry Magazine)

Plan offered to move Oklahoma to all-renewable energy by 2050 (via The Oklahoman)

Illinois cut pollution equivalent of a million cars through renewable energy buys (via Huffington Post/AP)

Maryland bills would allow wind, solar projects on preserved farmland (via Baltimore Sun)

In Central Texas, drought threatens hydropower (via Texas Tribune)

KEYSTONE XL/TAR SANDS 

While US waits on Keystone XL decision, Canada approves a different tar sands pipeline (via Climate Progress)

Anti-Keystone comments outnumber supporting one 2 to 1 (via Washington Post)

CLIMATE 

Potential clash anticipated between US, EU at UN climate meeting (via Bloomberg BNA)

GAO: Climate change poses serious risk to US energy systems (via DeSmogBlog)

US government creates incentives to rebuild flood-hit coastal homes, over and over (via InsideClimate News)

Democrat Senators plan all-night climate change “talkathon” (via USA Today)

OIL 

Major gaps in plan to slow down oil trains (via National Journal)

TRANSPORTATION 

US public transit use reaches highest level since 1956 (via New York Times)

US car-sharing programs have taken 500,000 cars off roads (via Yale e360)

Gas prices may jump from California emissions law (via ABC News/AP)

Report: Tesla turned down California sites for Gigafactory (via San Francisco Chronicle)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

First energy-efficiency bonds sold to investors (via Reuters)

NREL tool measures building energy performance (via Environmental Leader)

ENVIRONMENT 

Bitter cold knocks invasive insects down but not out (via AccuWeather)

Housing developments near drying forests a deadly combination in US West (via Washington Post)

OPINION 

Don’t send America’s natural gas to Ukraine (via Politico)

Did concentrated solar power miss its chance? (via Christian Science Monitor)

The green movement has a Millennial problem (via Washington Post)

The Northeast’s cap-and-trade system is back on track to cut emissions (via Climate Progress)

Solar and crowdfunding getting cozier every day (via GigaOm)

How solar breaks traditional planning on the distribution grid (via Greentech Media)

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 3.7.14

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

EMISSIONS 

Carbon-taxed companies cut emissions by 7% in the past year (via The Guardian)

EPA chief won’t commit to refinery carbon emissions rule (via National Journal)

EPA chief: Power plant rules won’t “put the brakes on business” (via Houston Chronicle)

NATURAL GAS/FRACKING 

Drilling for certainty: The latest in fracking health studies (via ProPublica)

Report to US government concludes FracFocus shields too much information from public (via Houston Chronicle)

Decisions on LNG exports up to Energy Department, says White House (via Reuters)

RENEWABLES 

Japan may set higher offshore wind subsidy, reduce solar tariff (via Bloomberg)

Ghana to add 600MW of solar plants, 300MW solar panel factory (via TreeHugger)

Wind power continues to grow as source of American electricity (via United Press International)

Largest US grid operator could switch to 30% renewables with no ill effects, says study (via EnergyWire)

How the military is (indirectly) fueling the solar industry (via Renewable Energy World)

Solar venture capital is down but still on the make (via Solar Industry Magazine)

US states boosting wind energy output, pipeline filling up (via Renewable Energy World)

TAR SANDS/KEYSTONE XL 

New poll: Keystone Xl project overwhelmingly favored by Americans (via Washington Post)

Pro-Keystone XL ad airs in White House video feed (via Politico)

CLIMATE 

China calls on rich nations to give $490 billion in climate funding to poorer nations (via Bloomberg)

China’s “war on pollution” may end up accelerating global warming (via Quartz)

US infrastructure threatened by climate change poses “a national crisis” (via ClimateWire)

OIL 

BP refinery seen skirting US oil export ban (via Bloomberg)

E85 fueling station availability increasing, now 2% of all US locations (via US EIA)

ENVIRONMENT 

NOAA issues El Nino watch for summer and fall 2014 (via Weather Underground)

Rains ease California drought, make wildfire outlook grimmer (via Climate Central)

Judge rules Duke must immediately stop polluting North Carolina groundwater (via Climate Progress)

GRID 

Your utility bill is going up – and there’s nothing you can do about it (via National Journal)

Batteries may vie with US oil boom as energy changer (via Bloomberg)

OPINION 

Why Putin is bad news for fracking (via Salon)

Experts: Solar will live, even when subsidies die (via Houston Chronicle)

Why Russia needs to sell natural gas more than EU needs to buy it (via Christian Science Monitor)

Harry Reid: “Climate change is worst problem facing the world today” (via Huffington Post)

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 3.5.14

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

EMISSIONS 

EU agrees to watered-down deal on aviation carbon emissions (via The Guardian)

Minnesota power supplier calls for regional carbon pricing (via ClimateWire)

NATURAL GAS 

Ukraine seen building support for US natural gas export (via Bloomberg)

Don’t expect international shale boom quite yet, say experts (via Houston Chronicle)

Maryland court rules in favor of natural gas export proposal (via StateImpact Pennsylvania)

Flow reversal provides major “de-bottlenecking” for Marcellus Shale gas (via EnergyWire)

RENEWABLES 

PV capacity in the Americas to rise tenfold by 2030 (via Solar Industry)

$200 million coal tax revenue to fund 1GW solar park in India (via CleanTechnica)

Mexico to add 500MW of new wind projects (via Bloomberg)

China promoting recovery in solar industry, says official (via Bloomberg)

Japan to “mobilize all necessary” renewables measures (via Bloomberg)

Trina Solar expects up to 3.8GW module shipments in 2014 (via Recharge)

US solar jumps 41% in 2013, driven by residential demand (via Bloomberg)

Morgan Stanley says US could have 129GW commercial solar by 2018 (via Renew Economy)

Wind brings carbon-free economic boom to northwest Iowa (via EarthTechling)

Oregon wave energy plan collapses (via EarthTechling)

OIL 

DOE prepares for deeper look at US crude oil exports (via National Journal)

Enbridge to spend $7 billion to double capacity of cross-border pipeline (via Financial Post)

Governor Cuomo urges DHS, DOT to strengthen oil train safety (via The Hill)

TRANSPORTATION 

Tesla to open 30 new service centers and stores in Europe, expand Supercharger network (via Green Car Congress)

Average US new vehicle fuel economy hit 25.2 mpg in February (via Green Car Congress)

CLIMATE 

Global warming may threaten World Heritage sites (via Agence France-Presse)

Obama stands by energy strategy while pushing climate change fund (via The Hill)

House passes flood insurance bill (via USA Today)

Chipotle warns it might stop serving guacamole if climate change worsens (via Climate Progress)

GRID 

Transformers could be weak link in US power grid (via United Press International)

ENVIRONMENT 

California drought linked to polluted winter air (via Los Angeles Times)

POLITICS 

Harry Reid continues showdown with Kochs (via Politico)

John Podesta: The man behind Obama’s new environment push (via Washington Post)

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 3.5.14

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

EMISSIONS 

EU agrees to watered-down deal on aviation carbon emissions (via The Guardian)

Minnesota power supplier calls for regional carbon pricing (via ClimateWire)

NATURAL GAS 

Ukraine seen building support for US natural gas export (via Bloomberg)

Don’t expect international shale boom quite yet, say experts (via Houston Chronicle)

Maryland court rules in favor of natural gas export proposal (via StateImpact Pennsylvania)

Flow reversal provides major “de-bottlenecking” for Marcellus Shale gas (via EnergyWire)

RENEWABLES 

PV capacity in the Americas to rise tenfold by 2030 (via Solar Industry)

$200 million coal tax revenue to fund 1GW solar park in India (via CleanTechnica)

Mexico to add 500MW of new wind projects (via Bloomberg)

China promoting recovery in solar industry, says official (via Bloomberg)

Japan to “mobilize all necessary” renewables measures (via Bloomberg)

Trina Solar expects up to 3.8GW module shipments in 2014 (via Recharge)

US solar jumps 41% in 2013, driven by residential demand (via Bloomberg)

Morgan Stanley says US could have 129GW commercial solar by 2018 (via Renew Economy)

Wind brings carbon-free economic boom to northwest Iowa (via EarthTechling)

Oregon wave energy plan collapses (via EarthTechling)

OIL 

DOE prepares for deeper look at US crude oil exports (via National Journal)

Enbridge to spend $7 billion to double capacity of cross-border pipeline (via Financial Post)

Governor Cuomo urges DHS, DOT to strengthen oil train safety (via The Hill)

TRANSPORTATION 

Tesla to open 30 new service centers and stores in Europe, expand Supercharger network (via Green Car Congress)

Average US new vehicle fuel economy hit 25.2 mpg in February (via Green Car Congress)

CLIMATE 

Global warming may threaten World Heritage sites (via Agence France-Presse)

Obama stands by energy strategy while pushing climate change fund (via The Hill)

House passes flood insurance bill (via USA Today)

Chipotle warns it might stop serving guacamole if climate change worsens (via Climate Progress)

GRID 

Transformers could be weak link in US power grid (via United Press International)

ENVIRONMENT 

California drought linked to polluted winter air (via Los Angeles Times)

POLITICS 

Harry Reid continues showdown with Kochs (via Politico)

John Podesta: The man behind Obama’s new environment push (via Washington Post)

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 3.4.14

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

EMISSIONS 

EU ETS auction cuts to breathe new life into carbon markets (via Bloomberg New Energy Finance)

EPA strikes back at sulfur emissions (via National Journal)

ENERGY POLICY 

Proposed Congressional bill would revive US rare earths industry (via Navigant Research)

Green groups take aim at US energy exports as Keystone XL attack broadens (via Reuters)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

Energy efficiency creates 387% return on investment in US Southeast (via CleanTechnica)

Opower files for $100 million US IPO (via Bloomberg New Energy Finance)

RENEWABLES 

Africa takes first steps toward renewables revolution (via Renewable Energy World)

Five lessons US offshore wind must learn from Europe (via Renewable Energy World)

Top 10 metro US areas winning the solar race (via Smart Planet)

Wind power’s big empty space down south (via EarthTechling)

In Virginia politics, renewable energy dwarfed by big utility (via Virginian-Pilot)

KEYSTONE XL/TAR SANDS 

Study says Keystone XL would have much larger impact than State Department suggests  (via Huffington Post)

Great Lakes oil pipeline raise spills fear amid debate over Keystone XL (via The Guardian)

CLIMATE 

EU releases proposals for UN 2015 climate deal (via RTCC)

European support for climate change action “not dented by financial crash” (via The Guardian)

Australia’s climate forecast: Hot days, higher fire risk, more severe droughts (via The Guardian)

Netherlands to upgrade flood defenses to cope with climate change (via RTCC)

OIL 

China’s national oil company licensed to seek Arctic oil (via China Daily)

Domestic crude oil drives a cautious US refining revival (via New York Times)

Crude oil export battle flares with dueling reports (via National Journal)

US court rejects BP appeal over Gulf spill losses (via Reuters)

TRANSPORTATION 

New US fuel standards aim to cut asthma, heart attacks (via Reuters)

Nissan Leaf sales up again in February, Chevy Volt dips deeper (via Autoblog Green)

Tesla’s battery factory threatens the auto, utility, and building controls market (via Greentech Media)

ENVIRONMENT 

Government shutdown cost national parks 8 million lost visitors in 2013 (via Climate Progress)

Harsh winter causing large die-off of invasive insects (via Yale e360)

Study says Americans use twice as much water as they think (via Los Angeles Times)

North Carolina cites five more power plants in massive coal ash spill (via The Guardian)

NATURAL GAS 

Russia-Ukraine conflict spills beyond borders into natural gas markets (via Forbes)

Investment report: Marcellus growth not peaking any time soon (via Houston Chronicle)

GRID 

Are utility concerns about aging infrastructure overblown? (via Midwest Energy News)

Install a building battery, save the grid? (via GreenBiz)

How will Tesla’s “gigafactory” affect the grid? (via EnergyWire)

OPINION 

Vladimir Putin won’t threaten Europe’s gas – for now (via Politico)

Can Congress pass energy efficiency legislation? (via National Journal)

What Opower’s IPO filing tells us about the company (via Greentech Media)

Just another solar deal, or the future? (via EarthTechling)