Today's Climate

Warning Over 'Clean' Power Plans (BBC News)

New gas and coal-fired power stations should not be approved without guarantees carbon capture technology will work, UK government advisers have said.

Northeastern States Push Toward Low-Carbon Fuel Standard (Green Inc.)

Representatives of 11 Northeastern states have signed an agreement to pursue a low-carbon fuel standard patterned on California's law to reduce CO2 emissions from motor and home-heating fuels.

Coal-Ash Spill May Strip TVA of 'Deference' From U.S., States (Bloomberg)

The deluge of ash from a coal-fired power plant that buried 300 acres of eastern Tennessee is sparking new state and federal scrutiny of America's coal ash storage sites and of the TVA, the nation's largest public power company.

Bush to Protect Vast New Pacific Tracts (New York Times)

Pres. Bush will designate some 195,280 square miles of American-controlled Pacific Ocean islands, reefs, surface waters and sea floor as marine national monuments, limiting fishing, mining, oil exploration and other commercial activity, White House officials have said.

Energy Firm Not Giving Up on South Georgia Coal Plant (Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

Despite a legal battle with The Sierra Club and the loss of its joint venture partner Dynegy, New York-based energy company LS Power has said it's moving ahead with its plans to build a coal-fired power plant in Georgia.

US Agricultural Carbon Credit Market Evolving (AP)

The main US market for greenhouse gas credits, the Chicago Climate Exchange, will soon impose new rules designed to bolster the credibility of the carbon credits it sells.

Toshiba Muscles into Solar-Energy Business (CNET News)

Toshiba, a company best known for making laptops and consumer electronics, has announced that it will enter the solar-photovoltaics business, with the aim of building utility-scale solar power plants.

Japan Aims to Create Jobs Through Green Technology (Bloomberg)

Japan plans to create "millions" of jobs by promoting energy-saving products and other clean energy technologies, Environment Minister Tetsuo Saito has told reporters. 

Toyota to Shut Factories for 11 Days (New York Times) 

Toyota Motor will idle its plants in Japan for 11 days in February and March to reduce output in the face of steeply declining global vehicle sales, the company has announced.

Tennessee: Early Warnings on Coal Ash Pond Leaks (Chattanooga Times Free Press)

The Tennessee Valley Authority knew for the past decade of leaks at the fly ash retention pond that ruptured two weeks ago, TVA and state inspection reports have revealed.

Judge: Duke Energy Misled Jurors about Witness (Chicago Tribune)

Lawyers for Duke Energy misled jurors about a witness who testified during a trial over whether the utility broke federal clean air laws at power plants in Indiana and Ohio, a federal judge has ruled.

Sempra Solar Energy Project Makes Advances in Costs (Los Angeles Times)

California-based Sempra Generation has unveiled a new 10-MW solar farm in Nevada. An analyst claims the facility can produce power at a cost of 7.5 cents a kilowatt-hour -- less than the 9-cent benchmark for conventional electricity.

Japan Geothermal Projects Pick Up After 20 Years: Report (Reuters)

Several Japanese firms will kick off new projects to build geothermal power plans this year for the first time in nearly two decades, the Nikkei business daily has reported.

Canadian Oil-Sand Mines Stuck as Crude Price Plummets (The Times)

Canada's once-booming oil sands industry is cooling fast, as the plunging oil price undermines investment. More than $60 billion worth of projects in Alberta have already been delayed in the past three months.

EU Denounces Socialite’s Carbon Offset Project (The Sunday Times)

A carbon-offset project in Mozambique run by socialite Robin Birley has been accused by the European commission, its main donor, of making unsubstantiated claims about its environmental impact.

S. Africa to Start Wind Power Project: Official (AFP)

South Africa's state-run power utility Eskom plans to start operating wind turbines this year to boost the supply of electricity in advance of the 2010 World Cup, a company spokesman has said.

Obama Sketches Out Recovery Plan (CNNMoney)

President-elect Obama on Saturday offered the most detailed statement yet of his economic recovery package. It includes plans to double renewable energy production and make public buildings more energy efficient.

U.S. Forest Policy Is Set to Change, Aiding Developer (Washington Post)

The Bush administration appears poised to push through a change in US Forest Service agreements that would make it easier for mountain forests to be converted to housing subdivisions.

Big Solar Power Plant Planned for Northwest China (Reuters)

Two Chinese companies have announced plans to build a solar power plant in northwestern China that could one day be the largest photovoltaic solar project in the world.

Mass. Launches Effort to Protect Coast Residents (The Boston Globe)

Massachusetts has kicked off an innovative pilot program to defend the state's 78 coastal communities against rising sea levels and fiercer storms brought on by global warming.

Minn. Lawmakers Going to the Source of Dirty Car Emissions: Fuel (Minnesota Star Tribune)

The Minnesota State Legislature will consider a bill to implement a low carbon fuel standard that would force the petroleum industry to cut the carbon content of its fuels by 10% over 10 years.

Flat-Screen TVs to Face Energy-Efficiency Rules in California (Los Angeles Times)

California state regulators are getting ready to draft the nation's first rules requiring retailers to sell only the most energy-efficient LCD and plasma TV sets, starting in 2011.

Ford Sees Sharp Drop in U.S. Sales (Reuters)

Ford has said it expects industry-wide December US auto sales to drop by some 35% from a year earlier, with no sign of a turnaround in the first quarter of this year.

Iowa Council Releases Plan to Cut Greenhouse Gases (AP)

The Iowa Climate Change Advisory Council has released its final report that suggests ways to cut greenhouse gas emissions by as much as 90% by 2050.

Tests Show High Levels of Arsenic from Coal Ash Spill (Knoxville News Sentinel)

A coalition of environmental groups said yesterday that water quality tests near the spot where 1.1 billion gallons of coal fly ash spilled into Tennessee's Emory River have turned up levels of heavy metals up to 300 times higher than regulatory limits.

NASA Climate Expert Makes Personal Appeal to Obama (Guardian)

NASA climate scientist James Hansen has written a new year appeal to Barack and Michelle Obama, warning of the "profound disconnect" between public policy on climate change and the magnitude of the problem.

Czechs Take Presidency of Europe (Reuters)

The Czech Republic has assumed the rotating presidency of the EU. Member nations have expressed concerns over how well its president, Vaclav Klaus, could follow France’s tenure, in which Pres. Sarkozy tackled a wide array of issues, including climate change.

Coral Growth in Decline at Great Barrier Reef (MSNBC)

The rate at which corals absorb calcium from seawater to calcify their hard skeletons -- and thus grow -- has declined dramatically in the last 20 years. Signs point to climate change as the culprit, according to a study of samples from Australia's Great Barrier Reef.

Maryland Utilities to Add Conservation Fees (Baltimore Sun)

Maryland consumers will begin paying small monthly fees on electric bills this year to subsidize an ambitious energy-efficiency initiative, under plans approved by regulators this week.

Canada's Forests Now Contribute to Climate Change (Chicago Tribune)

Canada's 1.2 million square miles of forests, once seen as some of the world's most dependable carbon sinks, are now pumping out more climate-changing CO2 than they are sequestering.

Beijing's Ban on High-Emission Vehicles Begins (Ecoworldly)

On January 1, Beijing launched its ban of hundreds and thousands of vehicles with high emissions from the city center. One in ten cars and trucks in Beijing will be subject to the ban, accounting for 50% of the city's bad auto pollution. 

Bush May Be Giving Obama Breathing Room to Fight Global Warming (Los Angeles Times)

Recent moves by lame-duck officials, though frustrating to environmentalists, offer Obama time and political cover to deliberately craft rules on CO2 emissions, some energy lobbyists have said.

Tenn. Gov. Promises More Oversight of Ash Ponds (AP)

Tennessee's governor has promised greater oversight of coal ash retention ponds after viewing damage from a spill that released more than a billion gallons of ashy sludge.

Duke Energy's Solar Panel Plan Approved (Charlotte Observer)

The North Carolina State Utilities Commission has approved Duke Energy's $30 million plan to place solar panels at up to 425 sites to generate some 8 megawatts of electricity -- or enough to power 1,300 homes.

Environmentalists Challenge SC Coal Plant Permit (AP)

A coalition of green groups is challenging a state-issued air pollution permit for a coal-fired power plant in Florence County, South Carolina, lawyers for the Southern Environmental Law Center have said.

Electricity Study Embraces Energy Efficiency for Texas (Houston Chronicle)

Texas could reduce its peak electric usage by more than 23% in the next 7 years if utilities would invest more in efficiency programs, according to a study released by the Public Utility Commission.

Report: Toyota Developing Solar Powered Car (AP)

Toyota is secretly developing a vehicle that will be powered solely by solar energy, although it will be years before it will be available on the market, the Nikkei business daily has reported.

Acciona Energy Connects Massive 46-MW Solar Plant to Grid in Portugal (Pv-tech.org)

What is being called the largest solar power plant of its kind was connected to the grid last week by Acciona Energy in the Alentejo region of Portugal.

Climate Change Forcing Penguins North? (Inter Press Service)

Warm ocean currents may have confused some 2,500 penguins from Argentina's Patagonia region that washed up -- dead and alive -- on Brazil's northern coast.

Poison Shrub Oil Powers New Zealand Airline Flight (Reuters)

An Air New Zealand Boeing 747 flew for two hours on Dec. 30 with one of its four engines powered by a 50-50 mixture of jet fuel and jatropha oil, the airline has said. 

Calif. Sues Federal Government over Changes in Endangered Species Act (Los Angeles Times)

California has filed a lawsuit against the federal government, charging that a recent rule change by the Bush administration illegally gutted provisions of the Endangered Species Act, essentially quashing the role of science in decisions made by federal agencies.

Developer Sues TVA for $165 Million in Tennessee Sludge Spill (CNN)

A real estate developer has filed a $165 million lawsuit against TVA, the nation's largest public utility, claiming damages from a massive coal sludge spill that dumped more than a billion gallons of waste into central Tennessee.

2009 To Be One of Warmest Years on Record (Reuters)

The average global temperature for 2009 is expected to be more than 0.4 degrees celsius above the long-term average. This would make it one of the top-five warmest years on record, British climate scientists have said.

In San Francisco, 'Congestion Pricing' is Something They're Sneezing At (Los Angeles Times)

San Francisco is considering a congestion pricing scheme that would charge motorists $3 to drive into downtown during peak commute hours and another $3 to leave. The reaction has ranged from lukewarm to downright hostile.

Feds Approve Gas Drilling Plan for Montana (AP)

The Bush administration has approved a plan that could allow more than 18,000 natural gas wells to be drilled on 1.5 million acres of federal land in Montana's remote Powder River Basin over the next two decades.

More Polar Bears Going Hungry (New Scientist)

Warmer temperatures and earlier melting of sea ice in the Arctic are affecting hunting opportunities and causing polar bears to go hungry. The number of undernourished bears has tripled in a 20-year period, according to new research.

Wind Turbine of the Future Installed on Historic Oilfield (Environment News Service)

The installation of a six kilowatt wind turbine on a historic oil field in Wyoming showcases a new type of smaller wind turbine that is growing in popularity for home, farm or business use.

High Level of Arsenic Found at TVA Spill Site (The Tennessean)

A high level of arsenic has been found in a waterway next to TVA's Kingston coal plant where a dike break last week released a billion gallons of polluting coal ash sludge.

Insurers' Natural Disaster Losses Rise in 2008 (AP)

Insurers' losses from natural disasters rose by about 50% in 2008, with Caribbean hurricanes Ike and Gustav powering the increase and climate change increasingly a factor, a leading reinsurer has said.

Kirk Kerkorian Sells Remaining Ford Shares (Los Angeles Times)

A spokeswoman for Tracinda Corp., Billionaire Kirk Kerkorian's investment company, has confirmed that it has dumped its remaining stock holdings in struggling Ford Motor Co.

Record Number of Californians Installing Solar Panels in December (Environmental Leader)

The number of Californians installing solar panels hit their highest level ever in December, thanks to state subsidies and rebates.

BLM Increases Acreage for Geothermal Development (Sustainable Business)

The US Bureau of Land Management has leased another 146,339 acres of land for geothermal power development, adding to the 244,000 acres already leased for this purpose in the past 18 months. The most recent tracts are in Utah, Oregon and Idaho.

Wyoming to Continue Work on Carbon Storage Bills (AP)

Early this year, the Wyoming State Legislature year passed some of the nation's first pieces of legislation regulating carbon capture and sequestration. Now three new such carbon bills await legislators in the session that begins next month.

The Year in Smart Grid (Greentech Media)

Smart grid technologies got a lot more venture capital interest in 2008, and major players like IBM and GE have been upping their efforts as well.