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ARB Newsclips for January 5, 2016. 

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

AIR POLLUTION

Statoil to conduct CCS feasibility studies in North Sea fields.
The Norwegian government has asked oil and gas firm Statoil to
conduct new studies on carbon storage on the Norwegian
continental shelf, the firm said on Monday. Some 195 nations
agreed last month in Paris to limit rising temperatures. Carbon
capture and storage (CCS), which captures carbon dioxide…
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-statoil-ccs-idUSKBN0UI0YJ20160104


Beijing air quality improved in 2015 despite pollution alerts,
authorities say. Environmental authorities say the Chinese
capital’s air quality in 2015 was better than the year before
despite the city’s first two red alerts for pollution late in the
year. Environmental authorities in Beijing say the Chinese
capital’s air quality in 2015 was better…
http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/jan/05/beijing-air-quality-improved-in-2015-despite-pollution-alerts-authorities-say

http://www.csmonitor.com/Environment/2016/0105/Beijing-says-pollution-is-down-despite-red-alerts-or-maybe-because-of-them


CLIMATE CHANGE

The ethics of climate change: A primer. With a ratcheting up of
awareness culminating in the Paris climate change conference,
2015 may have been the year that the threat of climate change was
finally taken seriously. But a question remains: Who, if anyone,
is most deserving of blame, and who should be held responsible?
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/in-theory/wp/2016/01/05/the-ethics-of-climate-change-a-primer/


Climate change could dry up global power production, study warns.
ClimateHome: Heatwaves and droughts in a hotter planet to cripple
power stations within decades without adaptation measures,
researchers warn. Thousands of power plants around the world may
face severe reductions in their ability to generate electricity
by mid-century due to water shortages, according to new research.
http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/jan/05/climate-change-could-dry-up-global-power-production-study-warns


DROUGHT

Strong storm forecast for Northern California, with some burn
areas under flood watches. El Nino storms lined up in the
Pacific, promising to drench parts of the West for more than two
weeks and increasing fears of mudslides and flash floods in
regions stripped bare by wildfires. Stronger systems are
predicted starting Tuesday following light rain a day earlier.
http://www.startribune.com/el-nino-storms-slam-drought-parched-california/364212441/


Drought persists, but Sierra snowpack a 'Christmas gift'. Light
snow fell on the skiers clunking past shops and restaurants on
their way to the chairlifts here a few days after Christmas.
Inside the PlumpJack Sport boutique, ski goggles were selling
"like crazy," said manager Amy Ackerly. "It's been insane,"
Ackerly said as she sold a customer new earmuffs. "It's a
complete 180 from last year."
http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2016/01/05/stories/1060030093 

El Niño-driven rains keep coming, but drought persists. More rain
and snow will fall in California this week, on top of a
relatively wet December. But the ongoing precipitation isn't
predicted to wash away the state's lingering drought. Storms
boosted by the El Niño climate pattern hit both Northern and
Southern California yesterday, and rainfall should persist on and
off through next Monday…
http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2016/01/05/stories/1060030130 

DIESEL ACTIVITIES

FUELS

UPDATE 1-EU opens in-depth study of Drax power plant conversion.
The European Commission has opened an in-depth investigation to
assess whether Britain's plans to support the conversion of a
unit of the Drax power plant from coal to biomass were in line
with EU state aid rules.
http://af.reuters.com/article/energyOilNews/idAFL8N14P1Q020160105

http://washpost.bloomberg.com/Story?docId=1376-O0H6VX6S972C01-6RNF0EBSBUPQV1TN4K7PK0II21


Utility is installing screens to contain oily mist at leaking
well near Porter Ranch.  Southern California Gas Co. crews are
erecting mesh screens around the utility's leaking natural gas
injection well to prevent an oily mist from drifting off the site
and across the nearby community of Porter Ranch, company
officials confirmed on Monday.
http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-porter-ranch-20160105-story.html

More LNG shipments could help U.S. economy, but there's a catch –
report.  Significantly expanding U.S. natural gas exports would
be "marginally positive" for the domestic economy, according to a
new study commissioned by the Department of Energy that will
likely serve as a green light for continued export approvals. The
study looked at macroeconomic impacts of increasing foreign sales
of U.S. liquefied natural gas…
http://www.eenews.net/energywire/2016/01/05/stories/1060030099 

VEHICLE

Faraday Future unveils Batmobile-like electric concept car at
CES.  The wait is over. Faraday Future, the secretive
Chinese-backed Gardena automaker, finally unveiled its first
concept car at CES: a sleek, silver-and-black Batmobile-esque
electric vehicle called the FFZERO1. The 1,000-horsepower car was
revealed Monday night during a launch event attended by hundreds
of media.
http://www.latimes.com/business/technology/la-fi-tn-faraday-future-ces-20160104-story.html


States reach for ambitious goals, but industry is skeptical. The
so-called ZEV Alliance announced a most ambitious goal late last
year: eliminate the sale of traditionally fueled passenger cars
by 2050. Comprising California, Connecticut, Maryland,
Massachusetts, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Germany,
Norway… http://www.eenews.net/stories/1060030069 

VW RECALL

Volkswagen Faces Billions of Dollars in Penalties. The U.S.
Justice Department sued Volkswagen AG for installing illegal
devices meant to defeat emissions testing, and laid out claims
that could push penalties into the billions of dollars -- an
opening salvo in a legal battle that could be far more costly for
the German carmaker than had been expected.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-01-04/volkswagen-faces-billions-of-dollars-in-penalties-from-u-s-suit
http://www.sacbee.com/news/business/article52950670.html 
http://www.scpr.org/news/2016/01/04/56646/us-files-lawsuit-against-volkswagen-over-emissions/

http://www.eenews.net/stories/1060030113  

Volkswagen Seeks Extra Time to Provide Emissions Data. Request
comes as car maker failed to meet an end-of-year deadline set by
the European Commission. Volkswagen AG asked the European
Commission for more time to provide full data on carbon dioxide
emissions from its cars, after it failed to meet an end-of-year
deadline that had been set by the European Union executive…
http://www.wsj.com/articles/volkswagen-seeks-extra-time-to-provide-emissions-data-1452005526

Justice Department, EPA Sue VW Over Diesel Cheating, Billions In
Penalties Possible. The U.S. government has now sued Volkswagen
over its diesel-emissions cheating. At the request of the
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the U.S. Department of
Justice filed a civil suit against Volkswagen in a Federal court
in Detroit Monday.
http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1101686_justice-department-epa-sue-vw-over-diesel-cheating-billions-in-penalties-possible
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/justice-358277-ocprint-volkswagen-executives.html
 

GREEN ENERGY

Wind power startup nabs $200 million for projects on homes,
farms. United Wind Inc., which has carved out a niche leasing
wind turbines to farms and rural homes, has clinched $200 million
in funding from Toronto-based Forum Equity Partners - the
largest-ever single investment in small wind projects.
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-unitedwind-funding-idUSKBN0UJ14520160105?feedType=RSS&feedName=environmentNews


Russia could make 100% shift to green energy – study. When it
comes to cutting greenhouse gas emissions, Russia should reach
for renewable energy and not nuclear power or carbon capture and
storage, according to a new report by researchers at a Finnish
university. In fact, the Lappeenranta University of Technology
study released last week argues that the world's fourth largest
greenhouse gas emitter…
http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2016/01/05/stories/1060030098 

MISCELLANEOUS

OPINIONS

China's electric car lesson. Two years ago, I sat across a table
from a high-level Chinese official discussing the country's then
embarrassing foray into electric cars. China had promised to sell
500,000 such cars by 2011 and lead the world's transition away
from oil. Instead, that year it sold exactly 2,338. “What would
you do?” he asked. Surprised by his candor, I gave my two cents:
Study successful policies in California.
http://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-0105-tilleman-china-electric-vehicles-20160105-story.html


The Conservative Case for Solar Subsidies. TO many skeptics,
particularly on the right, the spectacular failure of the
solar-panel manufacturer Solyndra in 2011, after receiving a $535
million loan guarantee from the Department of Energy,
demonstrated the industry’s shaky future and the danger of
government efforts to subsidize it to success.
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/05/opinion/the-conservative-case-for-solar-subsidies.html?_r=0


BLOGS

South Africa's Developing Solar Energy Landscape. Until a few
years ago solar panels were a rare sight in South Africa, largely
limited to the roofs of a few affluent households. This is
changing rapidly, driven by three factors: the worldwide drive
towards renewable energy, a highly strained local electricity
supply, and a steady drop in solar panel prices.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/the-conversation-africa/south-africas-developing_b_8914752.html




California is in a drought emergency.
Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips.