Energy and Environment News Roundup – 12.24.13
A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.
ENERGY POLICY
Fitch Ratings: Net metering can destabilize entire utility industry (via CleanTechnica)
US pipeline safety agency says no to pipeline safety improvements (via Climate Progress)
OIL
Russian oil giant becomes first in world to pump oil Arctic (via Yale e360)
Landrieu could swing at export limits with energy gavel (via National Journal)
CLIMATE
Global warming will intensify drought, says new study (via The Guardian)
RENEWABLES
Global geothermal industry passes 12GW operational capacity (via Green Car Congress)
Vestas to supply Middle East with first utility-scale wind project (via CleanTechnica)
If the US solar business is booming, why are solar jobs declining? (via Quartz)
Siemens puts weight behind US offshore wind (via EarthTechling)
Wood-pellet bonds show US biomass market expanding worldwide (via Renewable Energy World)
Catching rays in California, and storing them (via New York Times)
New York Green Bank to launch with $210 million in funding (via BusinessGreen)
The solar net metering battle moves to Colorado (via Greentech Media)
Solar energy projects finally getting boost in New York State (via Houston Chronicle/AP)
Wind farms in Maine stir a power struggle (via Wall Street Journal)
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
New efficiency rules for cable boxes could save enough energy to power 700,000 homes per year (via Climate Progress)
NUCLEAR
Japanese nuclear angst weighs on neighbors concerned about emissions (via Forbes)
Cleanup at Fukushima Daiichi might take three years (via The Hill)
EMISSIONS
US carbon emissions set to miss Obama’s targets (via Environmental Leader)
OPINION
Americans are buying less electricity – that’s a big problem for utilities (via Washington Post)
Are utilities wilting from heat of solar competition? (via National Journal)
A biofuels holiday wish list (via The Energy Collective)
Have EVs already reached the tipping point? ABB says yes (via Green Car Reports)
Does merchant solar make any sense? (via Greentech Media)