Energy and Environment News Roundup – 1.9.15
A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.
KEYSTONE XL
Nebraska Supreme Court approves Keystone XL route through Nebraska (via The Hill)
Keystone foes cite foreign oil users to undercut Republican push (via Bloomberg)
CLIMATE
Prepare for rising migration driven by climate change, warn scientists (via The Guardian)
U.S. hot streak now old enough to vote (via Climate Central)
RENEWABLES
Solar took half of all global renewables investment in 2014, says BNEF (via PV Tech)
Rebound in clean energy investment beats expectations in 2014 (via Bloomberg)
Global solar investment surged an incredible 175% in 2014 (via CleanTechnica)
Key solar PV market trends in 2015: IHS (via PV Tech)
Deutsche Bank lowers PV market demand forecast for 2014-2015 (via PV Tech)
FiT and net-metering charges confirmed for Italian solar PV installations (via PV Tech)
Japan funding $779 in million energy-saving battery storage installations (via Bloomberg)
China clarifies plans for cuts to onshore wind FiT (via Recharge)
Brazil minister sees no changes to auction system for wind and solar (via Recharge)
Korean researchers deliver record 18.4% efficient perovskite solar cell (via Greentech Media)
Renewable energy rising across all spheres of U.S. society (via TriplePundit)
Industry says wind saved consumers $1 billion during 2014 Polar Vortex (via Breaking Energy)
Sunrun Investec deal completes bumper week for U.S. residential PV investment (via PV Tech)
Colorado utility leads the way for community solar (via Renewable Energy World)
OIL
How OPEC weaponized the price of oil against U.S. drillers (via Bloomberg)
Oil industry group to score lawmakers’ energy votes (via Houston Chronicle)
Oil price slump taking a toll on U.S. alternative fuels (via Reuters)
Mexico proposes historic crude oil swap with U.S. (via Reuters)
TRANSPORTATION
China plug-in EV sales target 336,000 units by end of 2015 (via Inside EVs)
European Leaf owners drive 50% more per year on average than gas-powered owners (via Green Car Congress)
House Speaker Boehner signals he’s opposed to gas tax hike (via The Hill)
Boston Power aims to rival Tesla with gigawatt battery factories (via Greentech Media)
West Coast electric highway serves thousands of EV drivers (via Green Car Reports)
EMISSIONS
DOE project captures and stores one million metric tons of carbon (via Green Car Congress)
Xcel Energy plans 40% carbon emissions cut (via Environmental Leader)
NATURAL GAS
Fracking data sought by environmental groups in EPA lawsuit (via Bloomberg)
GRID
California issues roadmap for grid-connected energy storage technology (via Green Car Congress)
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
On energy efficiency, easy money not always an easy sell (via Midwest Energy News)
Chicago’s first benchmarking report showcases energy savings opportunities (via NRDC Switchboard)
POLITICS
The anti-science climate denier caucus: 114th Congress edition (via Climate Progress)
Boxer retirement a big loss for environmentalists (via The Hill)
Steyer ally says California Senate run a possibility (via The Hill)
OPINION
How falling oil prices will impact the economy and the Keystone XL debate (via Forbes)
In Keystone fight and beyond, infrastructure is energy policy (via InsideClimate News)
Why California needs to think differently about how it supports energy efficiency (via Greentech Media)
The point of the Keystone XL fight (via Grist)