Energy and Environment News Roundup – 8.20.13
A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.
OIL
China oil imports to overtake US by 2017 (via Reuters)
GREEN BUSINESS
India passes world’s first corporate responsibility law (via GreenBiz)
Green buildings could be half US construction and worth $248 billion by 2016 (via CleanTechnica)
Redirect, don’t divest: New guides for climate change investment (via GreenBiz)
NATURAL GAS/FRACKING
War over fracking comes to the English countryside (via Time)
Marcellus Shale gas production numbers surge (via StateImpact Pennsylvania)
Ohio fracking operations triggered 100 earthquakes in a year (via New Scientist)
Wyoming GOP lawmakers press for exemption from proposed fracking rule (via The Hill)
New York governor won’t join Obama to tour fracking hotbed sites (via Houston Chronicle/AP)
RENEWABLES
Germany breaks monthly solar generation record, ~6.5 times more than US best (via CleanTechnica)
Wind supplied 47% of South Australia’s energy last week (via Renew Economy)
India plans “green energy corridor” to boost renewables capacity (via RTCC)
The solar industry’s new dirty secret (via Mother Jones)
A solar system is installed in the US every four minutes (via Greentech Media)
In Texas, oil is big but solar is cheap (via Climate Progress)
Arizona solar tariffs to replace net metering could create tax headaches (via Greentech Media)
Geothermal and solar put Oregon Tech on all-renewables course (via EarthTechling)
EMISSIONS
Researchers find Europe’s forests moving toward carbon sink saturation point (via Phys.org)
EPA’s pending CO2 rules will need flexibility to deal with uneven state actions (via ClimateWire)
Greens press EPA to revoke “outdated” emissions exemption (via The Hill)
GAO to review how administration developed “social cost” of carbon (via The Hill)
Economics and politics in California: Cap and trade and trade exposure (via Energy Collective)
Researchers study how to accurately measure a city’s greenhouse gas emissions (via Phys.org)
KEYSTONE XL/TAR SANDS
Nebraska trial could delay Keystone XL pipeline (via Washington Post)
Keystone XL foes to build barn in pipeline’s path (via Journal-Star/AP)
Proposal for Enbridge pipeline route surprises Minnesota landowners (via Duluth New Tribune)
ENERGY POLICY
Electric utilities must evolve or die: Are they up to the task? (via Energy Collective)
With proposed rail expansion, Northwest confronts its clean image (via New York Times)
Capacity markets for Texas electricity: the real story (via Houston Chronicle)
NUCLEAR
Fukushima springs another leak in battle with radiated water (via Houston Chronicle)
Troubled Nebraska nuclear plant making slow progress toward restarting (via Houston Chronicle/AP)
A nuclear reactor competitive with natural gas? (via MIT Technology Review)
ENVIRONMENT
China, US, Qatar singled out on “Earth Overshoot Day” (via Phys.org)
More than half of India’s rivers too polluted to drink (via Bloomberg)
Indian farmers cope with climate change and falling water tables (via National Geographic)
To help the environment, watch sports at your neighborhood bar (via Think Progress)
US military moves toward lead-free ammunition (via Sustainable Business)
COAL
Ohio environmental regulator: Coal industry forced his resignation (via Houston Chronicle/AP)
TRANSPORTATION
Tesla Model S gets highest safety-test score ever awarded by NHTSA (via Green Car Reports)
POLITICS
Are climate deniers the new birthers in Obama’s playbook? (via Greenwire)
Democrats will soon have a big-fat fight over fracking (via Grist)
Coal foe named to FERC is latest Obama pick drawing ire (via Bloomberg)
OPINION
Population plus climate: Why coastal cities will face increased risks from floods (via Time)
How a leaderless climate change movement can survive (via Mother Jones)
Harold Hamm on oil, climate change, and his divorce (via National Journal)
Earth’s environmental account moves into the red (via BusinessGreen)
Ethanol mandates creating an economic car-wreck (via Washington Post)