Energy and Environment News Roundup – 12.23.13

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

CLIMATE 

Fossil fuel investments face major risks due to climate (via Climate Central)

Conservative groups spend up to $1 billion a year to fight climate change action (via The Guardian)

Temperature records broken across Mid-Atlantic during December heat wave (via Huffington Post/AP)

Tom Steyer may be the liberal answer to the Koch Brothers (via Los Angeles Times)

COAL 

How this Chinese coal company’s $5 billion bankruptcy could trigger financial panic (via Quartz)

Germany’s biggest electricity producer to drop two coal-fired power contracts (via Bloomberg)

RENEWABLES 

Asia-Pacific region to account for half 2014 global solar PV demand (via CleanTechnica)

Are utilities wilting from heat of solar competition? (via National Journal)

Study finds Texas will increase renewable energy 150% by 2032 but add no coal capacity (via Facts of the Day)

Most new residential solar PV projects in California program aren’t owned by homeowners (via US EIA)

California takes aim at “ducks” to smooth move to renewables (via Reuters)

Ballot fight over Oregon renewable energy law could be sparked by small rural utility (via The Oregonian)

North Carolina has morphed into a solar power leader this year (via GigaOm)

Hawaii’s solar boom is so successful, it’s been halted (via ClimateWire)

TAR SANDS/KEYSTONE XL 

Enbridge Gateway win shows stopping Keystone won’t halt oil (via Bloomberg)

Hundreds of conditions attached to Northern Gateway route’s approval (via EnergyWire)

TransCanada CEO: Obama will approve Keystone XL (via The Hill)

Enbridge’s Michigan dilbit spill still not cleaned up as 2013 closes (via InsideClimate News)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

US electricity sales continue downward trend (via Energy Manager Today)

California utility energy efficiency efforts save customer $850 million over two years (via Energy Manager Today)

The new Philadelphia Story is about green infrastructure (via Sustainable Cities Collective)

EMISSIONS 

$290 billion investment needed for China to treat air pollution (via Shanghai Daily)

Why a carbon tax is necessary (via CleanTechnica)

OIL 

US oil industry takes aim at export ban (via Houston Chronicle)

GRID 

US transmission investment gets largest boost since 2000 (via Greentech Media)

EVs integrating with the smart grid (via Navigant Research)