Energy and Environment News Roundup – 7.26.12

This post was originally published on Marcacci Communications, a clean energy public relations company, which provides a daily roundup of energy and climate news and opinion. Inclusion of articles does not mean endorsement. Client relationships are disclosed where applicable.

CLEAN TECH 

Grid-scale energy storage in China to become a $500M market by 2016 (via Greentech Media)

North Korea wants to open rare earth treasure trove (via Live Science)

Vanadium and energy: rare earth metal market outlook (via AOL Energy)

NATURAL GAS/FRACKING 

Natural gas prices surge 70% (via CNN Money)

How many shale wells per inspector? In some states, answer is elusive (via EnergyWire)

University of Texas will review natgas study after conflict questions raised (via Dot Earth)

Paul Allen’s fund backs natural gas to chemicals tech (via Earth2Tech)

Marcellus production doubles: now more than 10% of US gas production & 25% of all shale gas (via Facts of the Day)

EPA finds remaining water safe in famous fracking town (via Reuters)

CLIMATE/EMISSIONS 

Melting glaciers may worsen northwest China’s water woes (via Yale e360)

Loss of Arctic sea ice is “70% man-made” (via The Guardian)

How Aussies are adapting to the carbon tax (via GreenBiz)

EU Commission presents plan to boost carbon market (via Reuters)

Australia’s opposition confirms plans to repeal carbon tax (via Recharge)

EPA delays final cooling water rule by nearly a year (via Environmental Leader)

RENEWABLES 

Is utility-scale solar a reality in Chile? (via Greentech Media)

Offshore wind power industry to take off in China’s Fujian province (via Renewable Energy World)

Brazil to invest heavily in wind power (via Earth Techling)

South Pacific island of Tokelau to become world’s first solar-powered nation (via Inhabitat)

Wind turbine orders drop by 30% in early 2012, analyst says (via Recharge)

Oil lobby sues EPA for biofuels requirement (via The Hill)

US ethanol output falls to two-year low (via Reuters)

US Navy veterans urge Congress to fund green fleet program (via BusinessGreen)

Solar seniors help realize California, US renewable energy goals (via Triple Pundit)

Construction begins on Pennsylvania’s largest solar farm (via EnviroPolitics Blog)

NUCLEAR 

TVA considering fuel made from nuclear weapons to power plants (via Chattanooga Times Free Press)

SOLAR TRADE WAR 

Europe is next battleground in solar trade war (via Greenwire)

China’s solar companies warn of trade war with EU (via Reuters)

COAL 

Which countries produce the most coal? (via Greenbang)

GRID 

Hopes high for European supergrid, but plans slow to a crawl (via ClimateWire)

Rise in weather extremes leaves parts of US grid bucking (via New York Times)

Power outages often spur questions around burying power lines (via US EIA)

OIL 

Time ticking on Shell’s offshore Arctic drilling (via Reuters)

Shell may trim back 2012 Alaskan drilling for inspections, ice (via Bloomberg)

TAR SANDS/KEYSTONE XL 

New pipeline safety regulations won’t apply to Keystone XL (via InsideClimate News)

Canada’s squabble over moving oil and sharing royalties (via New York Times)

ENVIRONMENT 

How can we prevent another Dust Bowl? (via New York Times)

Which foods will cost more because of the drought? (via Mother Jones)

Food inflation may rise to 4% in 2013 after drought (via Bloomberg)

California envisions fix to water distribution (via New York Times)

TRANSPORTATION 

EV myths and realities – green as the grid (via Greentech Media)

Researchers suggest subsidies and policies targeting plug-ins with small battery packs would produce more benefits at lower cost (via Green Car Congress)

Tesla hits accelerator despite Q2 revenue miss (via Forbes)

OPINION 

Obama could make climate progress internationally even if he’s hobbled at home (via Grist)

Why was the government’s top alternative energy conference canceled? (via InsideClimate News)

The dawn of the great California energy crash (via Peak Prosperity)

Is green marketing a luxury for good economic times? (via GreenBiz)

Former Rep. Ingliss says subsidy phaseout, carbon tax the future of conservative energy narrative (via E&E TV)

OTHER NEWS

An additional roundup of energy and climate news is posted at Climate Progress