Energy and Environment News Roundup – 4.25.13
A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.
ENERGY POLICY
By 2023, a changed world in energy (via New York Times)
EU faces energy policy vacuum after 2020 (via Reuters)
Europe struggles in shale gas race (via New York Times)
Biggest energy private equity deal is on verge of collapse, and it’s a big deal (via Energy Trends Insider)
EMISSIONS
China to phase out production of super greenhouse gas (Mongabay)
Keeling Curve website wants you to know when CO2 levels hit 400 PPM (via Climate Progress)
Scientist says China’s pollution is killing Japan’s trees (via New York Times)
COAL
Exploring prospects for US coal exports to China (via WRI Insights)
Federal study says many coal sludge ponds have weak walls (via Washington Post)
RENEWABLES
Anonymous donors fund solar projects across the US (via Renewable Energy World)
Renewable energy parks: a blueprint for locally produced clean energy (via Energy Manager Today)
North Carolina rejects cuts to renewable energy mandates (via Bloomberg)
Last gasp for controversial Minnesota wind farm? (via Midwest Energy News)
TRANSPORTATION
Chinese airline to start biofuel-powered commercial flights (via BusinessGreen)
How to charge millions of electric cars? Not all at once (via New York Times)
Honda boss says Chinese drivers don’t want green cars (via Autoblog)
Swerving around barriers and moving electric cars (via Forbes)
Chevy Spark EV rated at 82 miles, 119 MPGe combined (via Autoblog Gren)
Fisker hearing kicks off as unhappy customers emerge (via GigaOm)
OIL
Rosneft plans more Arctic exploration to boost share value (via Bloomberg)
Gulf oil spill trial judge poses questions on gross negligence issue (via Houston Chronicle)
CLIMATE
US should do more on climate change to aid economy: UN official (via Scientific American/Reuters)
Pakistan’s farmers grapple with climate change (via Al-Jazeera)
US East Coast cities confront global warming-induced sea level rise (via Union of Concerned Scientists)
Fires burn more fiercely as northern forests warm (via Yale e360)
GRID
Demand response cuts the need for new generation in PJM (via Greentech Media)
New York State approves $2.2 billion power line from Quebec (via AOL Energy)
POLITICS
Energy boom strengthens US clout in world, Obama advisor says (via Reuters)
LNG, Keystone XL emerge as central issues in British Columbia election (via Vancouver Sun)
Bipartisan group of lawmakers float renewable energy finance bill (via The Hill)
Billionaire climate activist backing old-line and new-school tactics in Mass. Senate primary (via E&E Daily)
Baucus to lean heavily into land conservation before retiring (via E&E Daily)
OPINION
Finding a new direction in climate change policy (via The Innovation Files)
Utilities have far to go in smart grid maturity (via Greentech Media)
What Fisker’s failure tells us about Obama’s clean energy programs (via Washington Post)
If Keystone XL gets blocked, can trains save Canada’s tar sands? (via Washington Post)
Why we don’t need Fisker (via MIT Technology Review)