Energy Roundup: Republicans Push Nuclear, Coal Lifting Emissions, Iraqi Oil and More

(MoneyWatch)  Republicans to unveil competing energy bill -- House Republicans have brewed up an energy plan to compete with Democratic offerings that center around renewable energy. Nuclear power is the centerpiece; the party envisions 100 new nukes over the next 20 years. Increased oil and gas drilling is also a component. While the plan appears to be laughably late, the GOP is trying to give party members who oppose the Waxman-Markey bill some talking points. [Source: New York Times]

Wind dying, blame global warming? -- Wind strength in the gusty Midwestern states appears to be dying down, a problem that an atmospheric researcher at Iowa State University blames on global warming. Measurement stations near the Great Lakes show the most change, which could stem from a reduction in the amount of ice that forms on the lakes each year. [Source: Associated Press]

Coal pushes up carbon dioxide emissions -- China, India and Russia are behind a bump in CO2 emissions due to their rapid buildout of coal-fired generation, according to a new study by BP. Coal use in the three countries climbed by about eight percent each, in contrast to falling use in more developed nations. Coal burning has also outstripped oil as a source of CO2. [Source: Bloomberg]

Iraq sets oil bid dates for end of month -- Iraqi oil minister Hussain al-Shahristani's spokesman says that the government will award oil and gas field contracts toward the end of this month, in a bid to shore up declining production and bring more revenue to the struggling state. Exxon Mobil, Royal Dutch Shell and others are involved in the bidding. [Source: Wall Street Journal]

Cash for clunkers to spur vehicle efficiency -- The House has also approved a cash-for-clunkers program that will pay Americans up to $4,500 to turn in old gas guzzlers in favor of new, high efficiency cars, a $4 billion scheme intended to boost auto sales. Environmentalists are unimpressed with the actual requirements, which aren't strong enough to help with, for one, the upcoming glut of electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles predicted by J.D. Power and Associates. [Source: Grist, Earth2Tech]

European opposition to global warming rising -- Following Czech president Vaclav Klaus's rejection of climate change science, the British National Party's Nick Griffin, who just won a seat in the European parliament, is also speaking out, calling the issue a "means of taxing and controlling us." Griffin suggests that peak oil is more important. [Source: The Guardian]