Energy and Environment News Roundup – 12.13.13

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

EMISSIONS 

Guandong may withhold free permits in China’s 4^th emissions scheme (via Reuters)

Japan utilities use record coal, LNG following nuclear shutdowns (via Bloomberg BusinessWeek)

COAL 

European coal use declines 8% in first half 2013 (via Energy Collective)

US Federal Export Bank limits coal plant financing (via National Journal)

Chicago quits coal, cuts electricity bills (via CleanTechnica)

RENEWABLES 

Ethanol under fire on both sides of the Atlantic (via National Journal)

Ireland, UK, Germany set new wind generation records (via Renew Economy)

In South Africa, renewables vie with political power of coal (via Yale e360)

EPA: Ethanol limit “has been reached” (via The Hill)

Abundant 2013 corn harvest boosts ethanol production (via US EIA)

Net metering faces cutback, elimination in future, warn industry experts (via ClimateWire)

The answer, for GOP on tax incentive, isn’t always blowing in the wind (via National Journal)

Solar power hitting new records in California (via EarthTechling)

USDA, DOE award $8.1 million to biomass genomics research (via Green Car Congress)

OIL 

Global oil demand to rise in 2014 (via The Hill)

Mexico passes oil reform bill, seen luring $20 billion a year (via Bloomberg)

Canadian oil producers may have more riding on Keystone XL than Transcanada (via Climate Progress)

How oil made North Dakota rich, in one map (via National Journal)

TRANSPORTATION 

US vehicle fuel economy hits record high (via The Hill)

CLIMATE 

With staff changes, EPA sharpens climate focus (via National Journal)

Climate change worsening wildfires in the West (via NBC News/LiveScience)

Sea level, flood risk rising rapidly in Mid-Atlantic (via Climate Central)

November was cold but the climate keeps warming (via Time)

Check the climate forecast in your county (via Grist)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

West Point eager to power toward net zero (via EarthTechling)

City-utility partnerships seek better building energy data (via Midwest Energy News)

NUCLEAR 

DOE announces new investment in small modular reactors (via National Journal)

ENERGY POLICY 

Despite Enron and California, retail electricity reform hasn’t been zapped (via Forbes)

Exxon predicts fossil fuels will reign supreme through 2040 (via Houston Chronicle)

Experts eye oil and gas industry as quakes shake Oklahoma (via New York Times)

GREEN BUSINESS 

Survey reveals surge in corporate sustainability reporting (via GreenBiz)

Transmission projects overcome regulatory and financial hurdles (via Navigant Research)

ENVIRONMENT 

NASA: Ozone layer won’t fully recover until 2070 (via The Hill)

OPINION 

The dark side of the West’s oil and gas boom (via Washington Post)

HUD is a hub of Obama’s climate agenda (via National Journal)

US invests $150 million in clean energy manufacturing tax credits – is it the last time? (via Climate Progress)

Poll: Americans support more pipelines, including Keystone XL (via Houston Chronicle)