Energy and Environment News Roundup – 3.20.14
A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.
EMISSIONS
Australia’s Senate rejects carbon tax repeal bill (via Reuters)
EU lawmakers reject deal to exempt foreign flights from emission charges (via Reuters)
COAL
Planned coal-fired power plant retirements continue to increase (via US EIA)
Duke Energy eyes closing more coal plants in response to Dan River spill (via Charlotte Business Journal)
RENEWABLES
Japan added 7GW of clean energy capacity since July 2012 (via Bloomberg)
Concentrated solar to top 1GW capacity by 2020 (via BusinessGreen)
Scotland approves two major offshore wind farm projects (via Reuters)
Solar usage shattering records in California as new capacity comes online (via Greentech Media)
New Jersey rejects offshore wind project’s subsidy plan (via Recharge)
Net metering in the air: Solar energy progress in Massachusetts and other states (via Energy Collective)
Native American tribe could soon build a billion-dollar wind farm with Interior Department funding (via Climate Progress)
Clearing up cloudy understanding on solar output (via Phys.org)
CLIMATE
Climate change fuelled storms, rising seas cost China $2.6 billion in 2013 (via Reuters)
EU leaders to set October deadline to agree on 2030 climate goals (via Reuters)
A cold US winter, but 8th warmest globally (via Climate Central)
White House brings together big data and climate change (via Climate Central)
NATURAL GAS
Shell pulled out of shale gas talks in Ukraine in January (via Reuters)
Crimea crisis won’t cut Russia gas flow to Europe, says IHS (via Houston Chronicle)
Simple fixes could plug methane leaks from energy industry, finds study (via National Geographic)
White House to unveil new methane strategy this month (via Washington Post)
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
Up to 40% energy savings “achievable” from home energy management (via Energy Manager Today)
Detroit airport’s switch to LED lights will save $1.2 million yearly (via Detroit Free Press)
OIL
BP set to expand Gulf of Mexico drilling (via National Journal)
Oil pipeline leaks thousands of gallons in Ohio nature preserve (via Reuters)
TRANSPORTATION
Chairman says BMW will make 100,000 EVs a year by 2020 (via Autoblog Green)
Electric cars have a dirty little secret (via InsideClimate News)
California may cut gasoline demand 9% by 2020 (via Bloomberg)
ENVIRONMENT
Energy industry overestimated cost of pollution controls, says study (via Huffington Post)
California officials prepare for worst as historic drought deepens wildfire risk (via The Guardian)
ENERGY STORAGE
Spurred by Japan, steady growth predicted for energy storage market (via Renewable Energy World)
Incentives for energy storage spread worldwide (via EnergyWire)
POLITICS
John Podesta knocks greens on natural gas (via Politico)
Obama’s Keystone XL choice pits donors against at-risk Senate (via Bloomberg)
OPINION
Why a melting Arctic could sink the global economy (via Center for American Progress)
The end of spring in a warming world (via Time)
A remarkably accurate global warming prediction, made in 1972 (via The Guardian)