Energy and Environment News Roundup – 4.18.13
A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.
ENERGY POLICY
EIA projects US per capita energy use will fall to 1963 levels (via Facts of the Day)
GRID
Germany on the verge of an energy storage subsidy (via Greentech Media)
Report: US electrical grid could be reliable with much higher level of renewables (via Reuters)
US smart grid cybersecurity spending to reach $7.25B by 2020 (via Greentech Media)
COAL
Coal ranks as “most environmentally costly” business (via Environmental Leader)
RENEWABLES
China trounces US in green energy investments (via CNN Money)
Solar trade war opens new front as India questions US subsidies (via BusinessGreen)
World to get fewer new wind turbines in 2013 (via Reuters)
Global wind power capacity increased 19% in 2012 (via Renewable Energy World)
PV solar dominates new renewable installations in Japan (via Recharge)
Vestas and GE neck and neck at top of wind industry (via BusinessGreen)
UK’s National Trust launches 50% renewable energy target by 2020 (via RTCC)
India to double renewable energy capacity to 55GW by 2017 (via EnergyNext)
SEPA names top 10 US electric utilities for solar power usage (via Solar Industry)
Environmentalists sue officials over Duke Energy wind project (via Charlotte Business Journal)
EMISSIONS
IEA: carbon intensity of global energy supply has barely change in last 20 years (via Green Car Congress)
EU climate chief vows to fight on to save emissions trading scheme (via The Guardian)
Europe’s rollercoaster carbon prices set to hit Australia (via Phys.org)
China climate chief says EU CO2 crisis will not hurt domestic plans (via Reuters)
EPA faces lawsuit threats over blown climate rule deadline (via The Hill)
TRANSPORTATION
US hybrids save a half billion gallons of gas a year (via Sustainable Business)
A look under the hood: why EV startup Fisker crashed and burned (via GigaOm)
NATURAL GAS
Asian nations eagerly eye cheap US natural gas (via Houston Chronicle)
Natural gas industry to develop fast in China, says expert (via Xinhua)
Natural gas prices rise from historic lows (via Houston Chronicle/AP)
How Cheniere Energy got first in line to export America’s natural gas (via Forbes)
CLIMATE
Scientists raise questions on drought and climate (via Climate Central)
Amid Keystone fight, Canadian official defends climate comments (via The Hill)
Gov. Brown says changes to California’s environmental law unlikely this year (via Sacramento Bee)
POLITICS
A polarized Energy & Commerce Committee reflects a gridlocked Congress (via National Journal)
Sens. Shaheen, Portman have high hopes for energy efficiency bill (via Politico)
What the House GOP doesn’t want you to know about wind vs. oil tax credits (via Climate Progress)
GOP Representative: ExxonMobil deserves pat on the back for Arkansas spill response (via Grist)
OPINION
Lighting a spark on the High Plains (via New York Times)
None of the world’s top industries would be profitable if they paid for the natural capital they use (via Grist)
Why more US oil may not mean cheaper US gasoline (via Council on Foreign Relations)
Activism is half the battle: the need for clean energy policymakers (via Energy Collective)