Energy and Environment News Roundup – 7.1.14
A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.
CLIMATE
India plans to overhaul approach to UN climate talks (via RTCC)
Besieged by rising tides of climate change, Kiribati buys land in Fiji (via The Guardian)
Pentagon to escalate global warming preparations for bases (via U.S. News & World Report)
Wall Street’s climate war intensifies with new weapons (via National Journal)
The fine line between sugarcoating and panic on climate change (via Washington Post)
KEYSTONE XL
Tar sands expansion cools down without Keystone XL (via NRDC Switchboard)
RENEWABLES
EU states avoid green energy overhaul after court backs Swedish scheme (via Reuters)
Renewables to get most of $7.7 trillion new power plant investments by 2030 (via Bloomberg)
China becomes world’s largest solar PV market (via Renewable Energy World)
Renewable energy saves Fortune 500 companies over $1 billion (via CleanTechnica)
Bangladesh to receive $78.4 million from World Bank for solar home systems (via Shanghai Daily)
The rise of Big Solar in Chile (via Forbes)
Solar companies sue to stop property taxes on leased rooftop panels (via Arizona Republic)
Six trailblazers banking on clean energy finance (via GreenBiz)
NRG Yield adds new solar assets (via Recharge)
Two-bladed wind turbines make a comeback (via MIT Technology Review)
Illinois putting $30 million into solar investments (via Southern Illinoisan)
Receding Lake Mead poses challenges to Hoover Dam’s power output (via EnergyWire)
NATURAL GAS/FRACKING
China fuels new boom in natural gas (via ClimateWire)
New York’s top court says towns can ban fracking (via Financial Post/Reuters)
Fracking study finds new natural gas wells leak more than older ones (via Houston Chronicle/AP)
FERC approves second LNG export project (via Breaking Energy)
Shale’s junk debt at risk if Fed raises rates (via Houston Chronicle)
EMISSIONS
Carbon has best quarter in six years amid EU permit-supply curbs (via Bloomberg)
Court blocks Arch Coal mine expansion for not counting costs of carbon pollution (via Climate Progress)
Basis for EPA Clean Power Plan cuts a “mystery” (via Climate Central)
GRID
Here’s where solar, storage, and microgrids are taking hold in the U.S. (via Greentech Media)
Symantec warns of hacker threat against energy companies (via Bloomberg)
OIL
Capacity of U.S. petroleum refineries increases by 101,000 barrels per day (via Environmental Leader)
North Dakota and Texas now provide nearly half U.S. crude oil production (via U.S. EIA)
TRANSPORTATION
Supreme Court won’t hear dispute over California fuel standard (via Greenwire)
2015 Toyota Prius launch pushed back six months: Report (via Green Car Reports)
ENVIRONMENT
Plastic debris widespread on ocean surface, finds study (via Huffington Post)
Indonesia now has the highest rate of deforestation in the world (via Time)
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
EU leaders divided on 2030 energy efficiency target (via RTCC)
Energy efficiency investments create 17 jobs per one million dollars in U.S. Southeast (via Energy Manager Today)
POLITICS
Report: Voters more likely to back climate-friendly candidate (via The Hill)
All policy is local: 2014 Congressional races defined by energy issues (via Politico)
Coal fires up West Virginia House of Representatives race (via Politico)
Sen. Beigich talks climate change (via KCAW)
FERC Commissioner Norris expects not to seek another term (via SNL Energy)
OPINION
U.S. steps toward more China solar tariffs – for the wrong reasons? (via Breaking Energy)
Happy birthday carbon tax….been god to know you (via Renew Economy)
Is climate change destabilizing Iraq? (via Mother Jones)
Closing the renewable energy investment gap (via WRI Insights)
What’s next for U.S. oil exports? (via National Journal)
Australia Institute director says Gore-Palmer ploy reset climate debate (via The Guardian)