Energy and Environment News Roundup – 10.16.12

ENERGY POLICY 

Mexico, UK lead globe in energy security (via Houston Chronicle)

Italy aims to cut energy import bill by 14 billion Euros per year (via Reuters)

TRANSPORTATION 

How China builds so much high-speed rail, so quickly (via Washington Post)

A123 files for bankruptcy (via Forbes)

Redesigned Tata Nano to arrive in US for less than $10k price tag (via Autoblog)

AeroVironment EV charger goes portable (via New York Times)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

Energy efficiency subsidy could cut UK power demand 40 percent (via BusinessGreen)

RENEWABLES 

Report: 180 solar panel makers will disappear by 2015 (via Forbes)

How nanowires could double the power of solar panels (via MIT Technology Review)

Denmark hits 200 megawatt solar capacity goal 8 years ahead of schedule (via Inhabitat)

Iraq plans to invest up to $1.6 billion in 400MW of solar and wind energy (via Reuters)

First Solar says industry in Australia trails US by four years (via Bloomberg)

Community choice aggregation: giving consumers access to clean energy (via Climate Progress)

Churches send jolt of energy to Michigan renewables plan (via Climate Central)

The sun could be setting on Arizona renewable energy credits (via AOL Energy)

Pittsburgh residents can now choose to buy wind and solar for less than standard rate (via Renew Grid)

EMISSIONS

EU to unveil carbon allowance backloading details on November 14 (via BusinessGreen)

Australian carbon trading scheme commences: all emissions are not local (via Triple Pundit)

Carbon capture outlook grows bleaker by the day (via EarthTechling)

Power plant smokestack scrubbers ‘increase water contamination’ (via Environmental Leader)

KEYSTONE XL

Keystone XL pipeline opponents turn to civil disobedience (via Washington Post)

Restraining orders issued for Keystone XL protesters (via Longview News-Journal)

CLIMATE

Poll: belief in global warming rising in both parties (via The Hill)

September tied for hottest on record (via The Hill)

US corn belt shifts north with climate change (via Bloomberg)

49 of top 50 US employers are concerned about battling climate change (via Triple Pundit)

Scientists adopt tiny Washington island as global warming bellwether (via New York Times)

Global warming is ‘causing more hurricanes’ (via The Independent)

GRID

Kansas City utility tries out nano-battery cell energy storage system (via Renew Grid)

GREEN BUSINESS

UK sustainable investment nears 11 billion Euro milestone (via BusinessGreen)

Walmart directs its buyers to pick more sustainable products (via Sustainable Business)

ENVIRONMENT

Recent droughts could be new normal, may lead to massive tree death (via Phys.org)

South Africa’s $40 billion water gap threatens economy (via Bloomberg)

NATURAL GAS

UK sees new shale gas resource estimate by end of 2012 (via Reuters)

POLITICS

Koch Industries warns 45,000 employees of ‘consequences’ if they don’t vote for Republicans (via Climate Progress)

Koch Industries defends election letter to employees as ‘not unusual’ (via The Hill)

OPINION

What would it mean to treat climate change like a security threat? (via Grist)

US coal industry would be in decline even without Obama’s policies (via Washington Post)

What is the future of King Coal in China? (via WRI Insights)

OTHER NEWS

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