The oil production targets agreed to in Iraq’s service contracts with international oil companies in 2009 were unrealistic from the start for technical and political reasons, and it now appears output thresholds at several of the country’s largest fields will be scaled back. [Wall Street Journal]

A small bankrupt energy company is seeking to force New York Governor Cuomo’s hand with regard to a decision on fracking. “A little-known bankrupt energy company plans to sue the governor and his Department of Environmental Protection if the state doesn’t shortly reveal when it will conclude its long-overdue review of the fracking process, according to a letter sent to Albany leaders on Monday.” [NY Post]

Hitachi may have come up with an energy storage breakthrough to help integrate greater volumes of renewable energy into the US power grid. The technology uses 1 megawatt lithium-ion batteries that can be installed on high voltage power transmission lines. “California is requiring its utilities, including Edison International and PG&E Corp., to have at least 1.3 gigawatts of storage capacity by 2020, and suppliers such as Hitachi are looking to capitalize on this new requirement.” [San Francisco Chronicle]