What's New List Serve Post Display

ARB Newsclips for December 6, 2013. 

This is a service of the California Air Resources Board’s Office
of Communications.  You may need to sign in or register with
individual websites to view some of the following news articles.

CAP-AND-TRADE

Quebec sells over 2.7 mln carbon-emission permits at C$10.75 a
tonne. Permits to emit greenhouse gases in Quebec sold for
C$10.75 per tonne, the minimum bid price, at the Canadian
province's first auction. Nineteen companies participated in the
auction on Wednesday, according to a statement from the Quebec
government on Friday. Auction participants bought 1.025 million
permits for the right to emit a tonne of carbon
dioxide-equivalent in 2013, out of 2.97 million permits offered.
Posted.
http://uk.reuters.com/article/2013/12/06/quebec-carbon-market-idUKL2N0JL17420131206


Major companies plan for U.S. carbon emissions fee, report says.
Major U.S. companies, from Wal-Mart and Google Inc. to Shell and
ExxonMobil, are including future charges for carbon emissions in
their strategic plans, according to a report released on
Thursday. The non-profit Climate Disclosure Project, which
discloses the greenhouse gas emissions of the world's biggest
corporations, found that 29 major companies that operate or are
headquartered in the United States, factor in an "internal carbon
price" of up to $60 per ton of emissions in their business
strategies. Posted.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/12/05/usa-energy-carbon-idUSL2N0JK0V220131205

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/05/business/energy-environment/large-companies-prepared-to-pay-price-on-carbon.html?_r=0


AIR POLLUTION

United States to help China crack down on vehicle emissions. The
United States will help China implement stricter emission
standards for vehicles in a bid to help the world's biggest
carbon emitter tackle rampant air pollution, the White House
announced on Thursday. The announcement was one of several made
at the conclusion of Vice President Joe Biden's visit to China on
Thursday…PosteD.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/12/05/us-united-states-to-help-china-crack-dow-idUSBRE9B40ZW20131205

http://www.washingtonpost.com/cars/us-partners-with-china-to-put-auto-emissions-in-check/2013/12/06/9950be44-5e93-11e3-8d24-31c016b976b2_story.html


Flights delayed as air pollution hits record in Shanghai.
Hundreds of flights were delayed or cancelled on Friday in
China's commercial hub of Shanghai as record levels of air
pollution shrouded the city in smog, prompting authorities to
issue the highest level of health warning. The incident is
especially embarrassing at a time when China seeks to build
Shanghai into a global business hub on par with the likes of
London, New York and Hong Kong by 2020. Posted.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/12/06/us-china-pollution-idUSBRE9B508X20131206
http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304096104579241760912685556
 BY SUBSCRIPTION

Smog at extremely hazardous levels in Shanghai. Shanghai
authorities ordered schoolchildren indoors and halted all
construction Friday as China's financial hub suffered one of its
worst bouts of air pollution, bringing visibility down to a few
dozen meters, delaying flights and obscuring the city's
spectacular skyline. The financial district was shrouded in a
yellow haze, and noticeably fewer people walked the city's
streets. Posted.
http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Smog-at-extremely-hazardous-levels-in-Shanghai-5040332.php


CLIMATE CHANGE

Big Oil Anticipates 10-Fold Surge in Carbon Emission Cost.
International oil producers are girding for carbon emission costs
that may surge to almost 10 times the current prices in Europe,
the world’s largest greenhouse gas market, as governments around
the world step up efforts to curb climate change. Exxon Mobil
Corp. (XOM), the biggest energy company by market value, is
basing plans for future capital investments on the assumption
that it will have to pay $60 a metric ton for carbon emissions.
Posted.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-12-05/big-oil-braces-for-10-fold-surge-in-carbon-emission-costs.html


Utility customers reap 'climate dividend'. Come the new year,
utility customers will be receiving a "climate dividend" from
California's cap-and-trade system for reducing greenhouse gas
emissions, under state rules finalized Thursday. California is
rolling out the nation's first economy-wide approach for
controlling pollution by capping total greenhouse gas emissions
and issuing pollution permits that can be bought and sold.
Posted.
http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2013/dec/06/climate-dividends-coming/
 

Global warming hasn't stopped but looks different due to climate
variability – study. Climate change deniers and the news media
have made much of the global warming "pause" in recent years. But
recently published research adds more credence to climate
scientists' claim that patterns of natural climate variability
explain why global mean surface temperatures increased at a
slower rate beginning in the early 2000s. Posted.
http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059991387/print BY
SUBSCRIPTION ONLY

Texas greenhouse gas proposal falls short, enviros say.
Regulators here who are writing rules for greenhouse gas
permitting need to do more to measure those emissions and ensure
that industries use the best technology to reduce them,
environmental groups said at a public hearing. The Texas
Commission on Environmental Quality has proposed rules that would
allow the state to take over from U.S. EPA issuing permits for
facilities that emit greenhouse gases, ending a long-running
dispute between the two regulators. Posted.
http://www.eenews.net/energywire/stories/1059991391/print BY
SUBSCRIPTION ONLY

DIESEL EMISSIONS

Truckers pepper state air quality staffers during Redding
meeting. Anger, fear, frustration and skepticism rang through an
emotionally charged Redding City Council Chambers Thursday, as
truckers and industry supporters warned state air officials new
diesel emission standards will crush an already frail economy. 
The public forum was scheduled to go from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., but
California Air Resources Board staff members were still fielding
questions more than an hour past the scheduled ending. Posted.
http://www.chicoer.com/news/ci_24667453/truckers-pepper-state-air-quality-staffers-during-redding
 

FUELS

Ethanol Increases Fourth Time This Week on Signs of Higher Use.
Ethanol increased a fourth time this week on record low
stockpiles and signs of higher demand.  Futures jumped as much as
7.2 percent two days after an Energy Information Administration
report showed gasoline consumption and ethanol blending above
year-earlier levels. Stockpiles along the U.S. East Coast, which
includes New York Harbor, fell to 4.76 million barrels last week,
data from the Energy Department’s statistical arm showed. Posted.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2013-12-06/ethanol-increases-fourth-time-this-week-on-signs-of-higher-use.html


Groups call for federal regulations to curb methane leaks. Ninety
health, environmental and sportsmen’s groups asked the federal
government Thursday to clamp down on the release of methane gas
by the petrochemical industry, asserting that the United States
cannot reach its goal for reducing heat-trapping emissions
without addressing the issue. Led by the Clean Air Task
Force…Posted.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/groups-demand-regulations-to-cut-methane-leak/2013/12/04/eba5b128-5d3e-11e3-95c2-13623eb2b0e1_story.html


Gulf gets more restoration projects from BP fund. Restoring the
oil-stained Gulf of Mexico coastline is critical to the Obama
administration's fight against climate change, U.S. Interior
Secretary Sally Jewell said Friday. Jewell was at a national park
outside New Orleans to announce the latest round of projects to
help the Gulf Coast recover from the 2010 BP oil spill. Posted.
http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Gulf-gets-more-restoration-projects-from-BP-fund-5040400.php

http://www.sacbee.com/2013/12/06/5976375/gulf-gets-more-restoration-projects.html


Riding the Fracking Wave All the Way to China. The race is on to
make America the Saudi Arabia of natural gas, but not everyone is
in love with the idea of the U.S. becoming a major exporter of
the increasingly abundant energy source. Flush with new
production thanks to the fracking revolution, the natural gas
industry is hoping to send some of its supplies overseas, and
bring back some cash back to America's shores in the process.
Posted.
http://www.nationaljournal.com/new-energy-paradigm/riding-the-fracking-wave-all-the-way-to-china-20131205


New Study Suggests Much Larger Methane Emissions from Oklahoma
and Neighbors. A new study of atmospheric methane in the United
States suggests much higher levels than previously thought. The
new data raises questions about the impact of natural gas
production in Oklahoma and neighboring states, where emission
estimates have more than doubled. Each year, the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency issues a report that tracks the
country’s greenhouse gas emissions. In the 2013 update released
in April, the EPA dramatically lowered its estimate of methane
from natural gas production. Posted.
http://stateimpact.npr.org/oklahoma/2013/12/05/new-study-suggests-much-larger-methane-emissions-from-oklahoma-and-neighbors/


VEHICLES

SolarCity to offer Tesla-made batteries to business customers.
SolarCity Corp (SCTY.O) on Wednesday said it will begin offering
Tesla Motors Inc-made batteries with its commercial solar
systems, allowing businesses to cut what they pay to their local
utility by using stored electricity. The batteries made by Tesla
(TSLA.O), which can also provide backup power during blackouts,
are available to business owners who put up new solar
installations…Posted. 
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/12/05/us-solarcity-batteries-idUSBRE9B404E20131205

http://www.mercurynews.com/business/ci_24660729/solarcity-turns-tesla-batteries-soak-up-solar-power

http://www.bizjournals.com/sanjose/news/2013/12/05/tesla-batteries-go-from-cars-to-roofs.html?ana=RSS&s=article_search

http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059991406/print BY
SUBSCRIPTION ONLY

HIGH-SPEED RAIL

High-speed rail officials say plan is on schedule. Critics and
many political observers might see California's bullet train
project as nearly dead, but state officials made clear Thursday
that the train is still heading down the rails at full speed.
Under siege following court rulings, Dan Richard, the chairman of
the state's High-Speed Rail Authority, said the state still plans
to break ground as early as next month on the largest public
works project in California history. Posted.
http://www.fresnobee.com/2013/12/05/3649154/feds-deny-early-approval-of-ca.html

http://www.mercurynews.com/california-high-speed-rail/ci_24662778/high-speed-rail-authority-try-again-get-bond?source=rss

http://www.news10.net/news/california/article/264936/430/Bullet-train-leaders-bullish-even-after-2013s-roadblocks


GREEN ENERGY

Renewable fuel backers try to change EPA's mind at hearing.
Supporters of the renewable fuels industry turned out en masse on
Thursday, desperate for the U.S. government to change course
after last month announcing a plan to lower the amount of
biofuels that must be added to the fuel supply in 2014. About 300
people attended a public meeting held by the Environmental
Protection Agency on the Renewable Fuel Standard, proposed
changes which have become one of the most divisive policy issues
of the year. Posted.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/12/06/us-usa-biofuels-idUSBRE9B414P20131206


Obama orders agencies to increase renewable energy use. President
Obama has ordered federal agencies to more than double their
renewable energy use over the next seven years, part of his
ongoing attempt to find ways to cut carbon emissions without
cooperation from Congress. In a presidential memorandum released
Thursday, Obama challenged agencies to get 20% of their energy
from renewable sources by fiscal year 2020. Posted.
http://www.latimes.com/nation/politics/politicsnow/la-pn-obama-renewable-energy-use-20131205,0,3896287.story#ixzz2miNStq00

http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Obama-to-tell-feds-to-boost-renewable-electricity-5035982.php
http://www.sacbee.com/2013/12/05/5972211/obama-to-feds-boost-renewable.html
 

GVSU incubator develops renewable energy device. Grand Valley
State University's Michigan Alternative and Renewable Energy
Center has launched a number of upstart businesses, but
breakthrough products have been few and far between. Energy
Partners LLC founder and GVSU professor emeritus Jim Wolter
thinks he and partner Ed Brandel have come upon an energy storage
device that could be a game changer, according to The Muskegon
Chronicle (http://bit.ly/1bSf1qz ). Solar 24 combines a large
solar energy panel with a battery pack…Posted.
http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/GVSU-incubator-develops-renewable-energy-device-5040399.php


NY seeks $30M in proposals for renewable energy. New York state
is seeking proposals for $30 million worth of commercial
renewable energy projects in New York City and the Hudson Valley.
The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority is
looking for proposals for solar and renewable biogas systems
larger than 200 kilowatts by Dec. 30. Posted.
http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/NY-seeks-30M-in-proposals-for-renewable-energy-5040344.php


For wind power, US extends permit for eagle deaths. The Obama
administration said Friday it will allow some companies to kill
or injure bald and golden eagles for up to 30 years without
penalty, an effort to spur development and investment in green
energy while balancing its environmental consequences. The
change, requested by the wind energy industry, will provide legal
protection for the lifespan of wind farms and other projects for
which companies obtain a permit…Posted.
http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/For-wind-power-US-extends-permit-for-eagle-deaths-5041341.php
http://www.sacbee.com/2013/12/06/5976535/for-wind-power-us-extends-permit.html

http://www.csmonitor.com/Environment/Latest-News-Wires/2013/1206/Eagle-deaths-US-to-let-wind-energy-kill-eagles


Eco-friendly LEED rating system faces attacks. An eco-friendly
building rating system that has powered a green arms race across
the nation now faces a challenge from policymakers and an upstart
rival. LEED, the longstanding king of green construction and
renovation projects, has become a de facto brand in cities such
as Portland, Ore., where sustainable growth has been the rage for
years. Posted.
http://www.mercurynews.com/business/ci_24664415/eco-friendly-leed-rating-system-faces-attacks


Reservoir emissions: a quiet threat to expanding hydropower.
Hydropower is a frequent target for criticism. Regardless of your
views on global warming, turning a serene stretch of river into
an artificial lake humming with electrical equipment can make you
unpopular, and the announcement of any new hydropower project is
often swiftly followed by outcries over habitat disruption and
community displacement, among other concerns. But hydropower's
clean energy bona fides are rarely questioned. Posted.
http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059991386/print BY
SUBSCRIPTION ONLY

Federal, Calif. regulators lead efforts to ramp up energy storage
– panel. Federal regulators are moving steadily to reduce
barriers to grid-scale energy storage, while states -- with
California far in the lead -- pursue their own incentive
programs, a panel of experts said yesterday. Much of the state
and federal effort has focused on assigning storage the same
benefits enjoyed by conventional renewables under many state and
federal laws. Posted.
http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059991409/print BY
SUBSCRIPTION ONLY

MISCELLANEOUS

Palo Alto releases results of first-ever transportation study.
One-fifth of Palo Alto households have switched to alternative
fuel vehicles and more than 50 percent own four or more bicycles,
according to the results of the city's first-ever transportation
survey. Intended to shed light on travel patterns within Palo
Alto, the survey was circulated online and in hardcopy format
from March 11 to May 5. Of the 3,707 responses the city received,
77 percent were from residents. Posted.
http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_24667647/palo-alto-releases-results-first-ever-transportation-study?source=rss


Bike sharing takes its place among major mass transit systems.
Transportation alternatives to cars are taking off around the
globe, according to a new series of reports. Bicycle sharing is
the newest mode to hit prime time. According to a new report by
the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP),
there are now more than 600 bike-share systems with a total of
more than 600,000 bikes worldwide. "Bike share has reached a
tipping point where it's no longer this crazy idea that a few
cities are trying out. Posted.
http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059991404/print BY
SUBSCRIPTION ONLY

OPINIONS

COLUMN-U.S. EPA must set realistic emissions limits for coal:
Kemp. President Barack Obama has directed the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) to finalize regulations on the amount of
carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted by existing coal-fired power plants
by June 2015, as part of the White House Climate Action Plan. The
EPA has already published draft regulations that would limit
greenhouse emissions from new coal plants to no more than 1,000
lbs. of carbon dioxide per megawatt-hour of electricity generated
(lbs/MWh). Posted.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/12/05/usa-coal-idUSL5N0JK2LZ20131205


Manhattan Moment: Biofuel mandates help special interests at
consumers' expense. This month, the Environmental Protection
Agency announced a reduction in 2014 biofuel mandates from 18
billion gallons to 15 billion gallons. This decision was made
because gasoline consumption has fallen, and fuel mixes made with
more than 10 percent biofuels can damage car engines. But there
is more to the story. Since 2005, the Renewable Fuel Standard has
required fuel sold in the United States to contain biofuels, of
which corn-based ethanol is the most common. Posted.
http://washingtonexaminer.com/manhattan-moment-its-time-to-end-biofuel-mandates/article/2540276
 

Letters: Powering California. Re "Clean energy could choke the
grid," Dec. 3 The Times ignores the fact that extreme weather,
not renewables, poses the biggest threat to the nation's energy
grid. Regardless of the energy source, the grid requires smart
management and investment. Predicting mechanical problems at the
many aging power plants can be tricky. Imagine asking a mechanic
to foresee every problem with a 40-year-old car. Posted.
http://www.latimes.com/opinion/la-le-1206-friday-renewable-energy-grid-20131206,0,5363622.story#ixzz2mipLtlCQ

BLOGS

Oil giant Total joins forces with Bay Area biofuel firm. The
French oil giant reported Thursday a new joint venture with
Amyris to make and market renewable diesel and jet fuel. Total is
already the largest shareholder in Amyris, an Emeryville firm
that tweaks the genes of microorganisms — mostly yeast — to turn
plant sugars into useful chemicals. Posted.
http://blog.sfgate.com/energy/2013/12/05/oil-giant-total-joins-forces-with-bay-area-biofuel-firm/


How California's Renewable Energy Actually Performed in 2013. As
we close in on the end of the year, it's customary to look back
and assess the past. And when it comes to renewable energy in
California, the year drawing to a close has been an epochal one.
In 2013, California saw abundant installations of a number of
different kinds of renewable power plants, from gigantic wind
turbines to modest rooftop solar arrays, and lots of changes in
the laws that regulate how we generate and use renewable energy.
Posted.
http://www.kcet.org/news/rewire/the-grid/how-californias-renewable-energy-actually-performed-in-2013.html


Pricing Carbon Emissions? Bring It On, Say Some Large Companies.
It seems many large companies are willing to pay a price for
their emissions. A new report by environmental data company CDP
found that at least 29 companies--including the five major oil
companies, Walmart, and American Electric Power--are now
incorporating a price on carbon emissions into the their
financial plans, according to The New York Times. Posted.
http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1088942_pricing-carbon-emissions-bring-it-on-say-some-large-companies


Energy Subsidies Fan The Flames But All Sectors Share In The
Federal Pie. The production tax credit given to the wind energy
industry may run out of gas and not get renewed before year-end.
But the subsidy is now fanning the flames on all government
largess and specifically which industries are the most worthy of
getting the added incentives. Just how taxpayer money gets doled
out is mired in so much intricacy that is difficult to follow.
Posted.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/kensilverstein/2013/12/06/energy-subsidies-fan-the-flames-but-all-sectors-share-in-the-federal-pie/


Natural Gas Building Spree Cancels Out Emissions We Save From
Leaving Coal Behind: Report. Companies are so excited about cheap
natural gas that they're on an expansion spree, which might undo
some of the good we've done by switching to the cleaner fuel from
coal, a new report says. The low cost of natural gas is largely
seen as a net positive for climate change, as burning gas
generates lower levels of emissions than burning coal. Posted.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/12/05/natural-gas-emissions_n_4392093.html


The Climate Post: Report Warns of Sudden Climate Change Impacts.
Hard-to-predict sudden changes to Earth's environment are more
worrisome than larger but more gradual impacts of climate change,
according a panel of scientists advising the federal government.
A 200-page report released Tuesday by the National Academy of
Sciences repeatedly warns of potential climate "tipping points"
beyond which "major and rapid changes occur." And some of these
changes--happening in years instead of centuries--have already
begun. Posted.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tim-profeta/the-climate-post-report-w_b_4397948.html