Energy and Environment News Roundup – 2.24.14
A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.
GREEN BUSINESS
Blue-green opportunities: Energy efficiency and jobs impacts in US manufacturing (via WRI Insights)
Illinois jumps to top of US green building LEED-certified ranks (via CleanTechnica)
NATURAL GAS/FRACKING
Shopping around for natural gas: The good, the bad, and the confusing (via Midwest Energy News)
New England natural gas prices set record (via Energy Manager Today)
Colorado first state to regulate methane emissions (via The Hill)
Exxon CEO joins anti-fracking lawsuit after drilling threatens his property value (via Slate)
RENEWABLES
UK claims world leadership in offshore wind (via Energy Manager Today)
Five million German households faced with higher power bills (via Reuters)
Interior Department approves 550MW of solar projects on public land (via Solar Industry)
DOE awards $2 million to support geothermal systems with rare earth extraction capability (via CleanTechnica)
Air Force scores biggest-ever military solar plant (via CleanTechnica)
Top 10 women of solar energy (via Energy Collective)
New Year off to hot start for US solar industry (via Renewable Energy World)
OIL
Arctic oil still seen decades off as producers balk at costs (via Bloomberg)
Oil industry head cautions against creating new rail risks (via Houston Chronicle)
Federal regulators move to hike cap on oil spill liabilities (via Houston Chronicle)
To make shipping oil safer, railroads agree to eight measures (via New York Times)
Funding the future with fracking in North Dakota (via National Journal)
Oil spill closes 65-mile stretch of lower Mississippi River (via Reuters)
GE to funnel billions into oil field technology (via Houston Chronicle)
TRANSPORTATION
Megacity driving woes signal dawn of “peak car” era (via Bloomberg)
Study finds 20-25% of EV range lost as psychological safety buffer; driver assistance systems could shrink loss (via Green Car Congress)
Elon Musk and Tesla plan world’s biggest battery factory (via Greentech Media)
Tesla’s Musk accelerating vehicle output through 2014 (via Bloomberg)
KEYSTONE XL
Keystone backers find Nebraska judge not only hurdle remaining (via Bloomberg)
Keystone’s future in hands of Nebraska’s new pipeline regulator (via Houston Chronicle)
CLIMATE
January 2014: Earth’s 4th warmest January on record (via Weather Underground)
Arctic temperatures could increase 13C by 2100 (via RTCC)
Climate change to add to winter extremes, limiting warming benefit (via Sydney Morning Herald)
Small volcanic eruptions add to larger impact on climate (via Climate Central)
Obama climate change agenda faces first Supreme Court test (via Reuters)
This year’s crazy weather is freezing the economy (via Washington Post)
Coffee shortage possible due to drought, climate change, rising demand (via Washington Post)
In Rhode Island flood zones, houses raised to lower premiums (via Providence Journal)
ENVIRONMENT
Obama to propose changes to wildfire funding in budget (via Weather Channel/AP)
Environmental groups resort to suing industries directly (via New York Times)
California farmers brace for little or no water amid extreme drought (via The Guardian)
Coal ash spill could push North Carolina to move more aggressively on environmental threats (via News Observer)
EMISSIONS
“Imagination” required to save UN carbon market, says new chair (via RTCC)
GRID
Bid to connect US grids needs buy-in from independent Texas (via EnergyWire)
POLITICS
Environmental advocates target climate change as Democratic election issue (via Washington Post)
OPINION
Has China’s coal boom hit the buffers? (via BusinessGreen)
Why is the Obama administration using taxpayer money to back a nuclear plant that’s already being built? (via Washington Post)
The short era of cheap natural gas ended in January: Is it gone forever? (via Facts of the Day)
Will methane burn down the natural gas “bridge” to the future? (via Christian Science Monitor)
Play it again: January continues globe’s warm trend (via Climate Central)
Communicating the health and climate connection (via EcoAffect)
Waiting on Ivanpah (via CleanTechnica)