Energy and Environment News Roundup – 2.27.13
A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.
NATURAL GAS
IEA recommends natural gas trading hub in Asia (via Houston Chronicle)
Drilling leases now cover more land than California and Florida combined (via StateImpact Texas)
Natural gas share of electricity generation expected to keep expanding (via Kansas City Star)
GRID
China’s grid woes set to worsen (via Recharge)
White House official: power grid upgrades needed to mitigate extreme weather (via The Hill)
Silver Spring Networks sets terms for $63 million IPO (via San Jose Mercury News)
GREEN BUSINESS
New Dow Jones sustainability index targets emerging markets (via GreenBiz)
Ford targets 41% per-vehicle cut in waste to landfills (via Bloomberg)
RENEWABLES
Japan solar shipments double on FIT (via Recharge)
Analyst alert: solar PV pricing on the rise (via Greentech Media)
New modeling suggests wind farm power generation capacity has been significantly overestimated (via Green Car Congress)
Nature, re-engineered to meet energy needs (via New York Times)
Utilities showing increased interest in wind power (via Renew Grid)
A coming boom in the US geothermal industry (via Greentech Media)
EIA: cellulosic biofuel production will likely remain well below targets (via Green Car Congress)
Solar forecasts could help electric utilities and climate (via Climate Central)
Salazar sees 2013 Cape Wind build start (via Recharge)
A long list of ARPA-E’s money winning projects (via Greentech Media)
Bills target renewable energy standards in three states (via Midwest Energy News)
California’s Imperial County betting its future on renewable energy (via Los Angeles Times)
OIL
Oil spill trial: BP executive to resume testimony (via Boston.com/AP)
BP executive testifies that rig explosion was a known risk (via New York Times)
US lawmaker attacks oil company “free” drilling in Gulf of Mexico (via Washington Post)
BP, Transocean accused of “reckless” actions in spill (via Bloomberg)
EMISSIONS
New research takes global look at methane emissions from oil and gas (via EnergyWire)
Will Australia’s carbon price last? (via Renew Economy)
Power plant emissions of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides continue to decline in 2012 (via US EIA)
US manufacturers say carbon tax could cut factory output (via Reuters)
Another day, another set of dueling papers on the carbon tax (via Greenwire)
KEYSTONE XL
Why Canada is so confident the tar sands pipeline will be approved (via Sustainable Business)
20 US senators call for speedy Keystone XL decision (via Houston Chronicle)
CLIMATE
Extreme weather linked to giant waves in atmosphere (via Live Science)
NASA: climate change thins forests in eastern US (via USA Today)
Advocates for climate action urge insurers to join up (via Stateline)
Local warming: US cities in front line as sea levels rise (via Reuters)
Infographic: warming US winters (via OnEarth)
Suppressed South Carolina climate change report warns of big impacts (via Climate Progress)
NUCLEAR
Post-Fukushima, arguments for nuclear safety bog down (via New York Times)
TRANSPORTATION
The ultimate guide to electric car charging networks (via Plugin Cars)
Uncle Sam’s wild ideas for greener cars (via Forbes)
Tesla CEO Elon Musk says company will repay DOE loan in half the time (via GigaOm)
Scientists develop new model to measure vehicle emissions (via Phys.org)
POLITICS
Salazar: on energy, expect four more years of the same policy (via Mother Jones)
Gina McCarthy: strong climate credentials plus a sense of humor (via InsideClimate News)
Connecticut’s energy strategy causes controversy (via Energy Manager Today)
OPINION
America’s coming R&D crash (via Washington Post)
Sequestration is bad business (via GreenBiz)
Pro sports: the Earth’s best spokesperson? (via Good)
Keystone scolds should let activists be activists (via Grist)
Why should New England subsidize large-scale Canadian hydropower? (via CLF Scoop)
Seattle “green” consultants sell out for coal money, whine (via Grist)