Energy and Environment News Roundup – 10.31.13
A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.
TAR SANDS/KEYSTONE XL
Looking for a way around Keystone XL, Canadian oil hits the rails (via New York Times)
Canadian emissions report undermines pipeline pitch to Washington (via InsideClimate News)
TransCanada CEO: Keystone process has been “circus” (via Politico)
CLIMATE
Pacific Ocean may be “hiding” global warming (via RTCC)
In Sandy’s wake, flood zones and insurance rates re-examined (via NPR)
Climate change risks hiding in investment portfolios, says Gore (via Bloomberg)
RENEWABLES
In Brazil, wind blowing in a new era of renewable energy (via Washington Post)
Renewables support here to stay, says UK government (via BusinessGreen)
2013 to be a record year for offshore wind (via Grist/Earth Policy Institute)
Renewable energy for mining industry will reach $4 billion in annual market value by 2022 (via Navigant Research)
Ethanol, oil groups blitz White House as biofuel rule nears (via Reuters)
Solar rebound beating Dot.Com recovery as demand surges (via Bloomberg)
New wind energy research focuses on turbine arrangement, wind seasonality (via Phys.org)
Study: 30% renewables in PJM would cut costs, emissions (via Midwest Energy News/EnergyWire)
Solar advocates and Xcel spar over future of rooftop solar (via Denver Post)
COAL
The war on the “War on Coal” (via Marketplace)
Peak coal: Will the US run out of coal in 20 years or 200 years? (via Greentech Media)
GRID
States receive grades on net metering and interconnection policies (via Renew Grid)
8 charts that illustrate progress on DOE’s smart grid investment grants (via Greentech Media)
Want to opt out of a smart meter in Texas? It will cost you (via StateImpact Texas)
OIL
Poll: Oil to fall to $80 in real terms by 2020 (via Reuters)
Shell announces return to Arctic in 2014 despite mishaps (via Houston Chronicle)
North Dakota oil spill spotlights Obama delay on pipeline rules (via Bloomberg)
TRANSPORTATION
US Department of Defense will acquire 92,000 EVs by 2020 (via Navigant Research)
How “smart parking” could save a million barrels of oil every day (via Christian Science Monitor)
Panasonic to supply more battery cells to Tesla (via San Jose Mercury News)
EMISSIONS
GE says Australia headed for cap-and-trade (via Environmental Leader)
Germany’s Merkel faces internal opposition to EU carbon backloading fix (via Reuters)
74% of voters back EPA power plant emissions regulation (via CleanTechnica)
NATURAL GAS/FRACKING
Russian government passes law to open up LNG exports (via Reuters)
UK government review says shale gas fracking a low risk to public health (via Reuters)
New natural gas pipeline should help reduce flaring in North Dakota (via Dickinson Press)
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
PACE projects on a roll: $43 million and counting (via Greentech Media)
Dallas rolls out US green building code (via Sustainable Business)
OPINION
How climate change threatens the ability of global populations to rise out of poverty (via Climate Progress)
Should we use geoengineering to cool the planet? (via Washington Post)
Why the new biofuel feedstocks deserve investment, incentives (via National Geographic)
Top 9 things you didn’t know about concentrating solar power (via Energy.gov)