Energy and Environment News Roundup – 3.22.13
A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.
CLIMATE
2010 Iceland eruption yields bad news for geoengineering schemes (via Mongabay)
Ancient extinction has ominous CO2 lessons for today: study (via Climate Central)
New blog series will answer questions on climate finance (via WRI Insights)
TRANSPORTATION
China imposes tough new auto fuel standards as renewables boom speeds up (via BusinessGreen)
EU puts airline carbon tax on hold for a year (via Phys.org)
It’s official: traffic pollution can cause asthma in children (via Los Angeles Times)
RENEWABLES
UK’s green investment bank provides first offshore wind backing (via BusinessGreen)
Integrating variable renewables as Germany expands its grid (via Renewable Energy World)
Solar glut survives Suntech as customers seek alternative (via Bloomberg)
Vestas signals worst is over as turnaround work continues (via Bloomberg)
US wind industry hangs on IRS defining “construction” (via Bloomberg)
Renewed production tax credit buoys wind power projects (via New York Times)
Apple makes green energy push with solar, fuel cells (via Reuters)
Proposed changes to Connecticut’s RPS: great for hydro, bad for wind and solar? (via Renew Grid)
New Jersey becomes third state to pass 1GW solar power milestone (via CleanTechnica)
DC government’s agencies switching to 100% wind energy (via CleanTechnica)
NATURAL GAS/FRACKING
Natural gas blazes a path to higher prices (via Wall Street Journal)
Methane baseline testing zeros in on fracking’s true impact (via EarthTechling)
New shale development standards draw industry and enviro buy-in (via EnergyWire)
Bill to regulate fracking in Illinois postponed (via Chicago Tribune)
Texas legislation would send fracking fluid recipes to nearby landowners (via StateImpact Texas)
GRID
Russia expected to invest big in smart grid (via Renew Grid)
Energy storage study predicts boom through 2020 (via Energy Collective)
Is 2013 the year agricultural demand response takes off? (via Greentech Media)
Energy imbalance market from PacifiCorp streamlines wind and solar (via Greentech Media)
ComEd’s smart grid bill passes Illinois legislature, heads to governor (via Chicago Tribune)
Pecan Street takes on electric rate research (via Renew Grid)
COAL
Indian tribe: Nevada coal plant falsified pollution data (via Houston Chronicle)
ENVIRONMENT
Nations urged to combine environmental and development goals (via BusinessGreen)
As pollution worsens in China, solutions succumb to infighting (via New York Times)
Yes, conservatives can be environmentalists – here’s how (via Washington Post)
Obama to declare five national monuments Monday (via Washington Post)
OIL
US oil production to surpass imports in 2013 (via Houston Chronicle)
California bills could delay fracking (via Houston Chronicle)
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
Red states are less energy efficient than blue ones: another partisan divide? (via Greentech Media)
New online game allows kids to design their own energy-efficient city (via Treehugger)
App puts a price tag on the energy you squander (via Good)
KEYSTONE XL
State Department hid contractor’s ties to Keystone XL pipeline company (via Grist)
ENERGY POLICY
US economy and electricity demand growth are linked, but relationship is changing (via US EIA)
Electricity and gas markets are out of synch: sooner or later, this will hurt (via Forbes)
POLITICS
Energy nominee’s MIT gas study faulted over industry ties (via Houston Chronicle)
Jewell nomination clears first Senate hurdle (via Washington Post)
Obama taps NRC chief Macfarlane for new term (via The Hill)
Organizing for America signals more emphasis on climate, green policies (via The Hill)
OPINON
Where the money is in cleantech: oil and gas (via GigaOm)
The increasing risks of fossil fuel investment (via Greentech Media)
How EPA could help cut carbon emissions 17% by 2020 (via Climate Progress)