Energy and Environment News Roundup – 5.28.13

A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.

EMISSIONS 

Britain calls for EU target to halve emissions by 2030 (via The Independent)

California’s third cap and trade auction sells out at record price (via CleanTechnica)

OIL 

Rail picks up steam as a way to move crude (via Houston Chronicle)

TRANSPORTATION 

Better Place announces bankruptcy, board “stands by original vision” (via Autoblog Green)

What Better Place’s bankruptcy tells us about the future of electric cars (via Washington Post)

RENEWABLES 

Europe-China solar trade talks end bitterly (via New York Times)

Russia approves 6GW renewables plan (via Recharge)

Brazil prepares for 2014 World Cup with 7 solar stadiums (via Renewable Energy World)

Wind power blows into Africa (via Phys.org)

EU trade chief says he won’t yield to pressure from China on solar panels (via Reuters)

Interior Secretary signs deal to expedite energy projects in Oregon and Washington State (via The Oregonian)

Virginia offshore wind test project could move forward in July (via Richmond Times Dispatch)

Turbine plans unnerve fans of Condors in California (via New York Times)

Los Angeles expands solar with finalized FIT program, new 8.5MW array (via Solar Industry Magazine)

After setback, Cincinnati pushes forward on PACE financing (via Midwest Energy News)

KEYSTONE XL/TAR SANDS 

State Department inspector general is probing Keystone pipeline review (via The Hill)

GRID 

PJM capacity auction attracts record amount of new generation (via PR Newswire)

NATURAL GAS 

The unintended consequences of exporting natural gas (via Time)

New York governor says he’ll make fracking decision before 2014 election (via StateImpact Pennsylvania)

ENVIRONMENT 

US urges water conservation as Colorado River hit by drought (via Los Angeles Times)

BLM approves major project that critics say threatens California condors (via Greenwire)

Judge about-faces, defers to EPA on curbing lead ammo (via Greenwire)

POLITICS 

Chill political breeze stills Australian renewables (via Reuters)

Where’s President Obama’s climate change agenda? (via Politico)

New DOE Secretary a shift away from Chu (via The Hill)

OPINION 

Trenberth: global warming is here to stay, whichever way you look at it (via Climate Progress)

Rethinking the global warming debate (via National Journal)

Moniz: “This is crucial decade” to develop renewables (via Houston Chronicle)

Is a high renewables future really possible? (via Renew Economy)