In a speech given in London in February, Ben van Beurden, CEO of Shell, called on the energy industry to be "less aloof, more assertive" in the debate about climate change. Van Beurden stressed that "the world's energy needs will underpin the use of fossil fuels for decades to come" and called for "realism and practicality". In a speech given in Paris in March, John Ashton, independent speaker, former UK Special Representative for Climate Change … [Read more...]
Archives for April 2015
GlobalData: Russia’s oil production will continue to grow despite low oil prices
Russian oil production has grown by 1 million barrels per day (bpd) over the last decade to a post-Soviet record of 10.6 million bpd in 2014. In the next five years the factors that were behind this production surge will remain in place, regardless of oil prices, says Anna Belova, GlobalData's Upstream Analyst covering the Former Soviet Union. The Russian oil and gas industry is “relatively self-sufficient”, Belova adds. … [Read more...]
The carbon capture conundrum: is CCS a climate saver? Or a dangerous distraction?
With fossil fuels expected to provide the bulk of the world’s primary energy needs for the foreseeable future – despite the rapid rise of renewables – carbon capture and storage (CCS) is seen by many as an essential technology if we are to keep global warming within the 2°C limit that scientists recommend. "For many industrial processes, it's the only thing we have." … [Read more...]
How to use social media: a quick guide for utility companies
In the competitive energy world of today, it is becoming increasingly important for energy companies to analyse what is being said about them on social media. With the help of “social data intelligence”, companies can monitor social media like Twitter as well as discussion forums, and respond to customer concerns quickly. Social media analytics firm Talkwalker, based in Luxembourg, supplies software social data intelligence software, published a … [Read more...]
viEUws VIDEO: Brussels Briefing on Energy – All you need to know for April & May 2015
In this Brussels Briefing on Energy for viEUws.eu, Hughes Belin provides an overview of the latest EU energy policy developments, including the Gazprom investigation and various developments in South East Europe. … [Read more...]
Quo Vadis RWE? A power giant’s struggle with the Energiewende
The German government has proposed new regulations for penalising the country’s most inefficient coal and lignite power plants. This would particularly hit the troubled power giant RWE. What future is there for RWE in a low-carbon economy? Can it engineer its own energy transition? A lot will depend on whether the German government is willing – and even more so: able – to push through its climate legislation at the expense of the existing power … [Read more...]
The exciting changes taking place in Scotland’s energy system
Scotland, despite having some of the EU’s largest fossil fuel reserves, is moving rapidly to an energy system based predominantly on renewable energy, notes energy expert Allan Hoffman, a former senior official at the U.S. Department of Energy, who lives in Scotland part of the time. Renewables are already the biggest single source of electricity – and “there is no reason requiring conventional fossil and nuclear generation in Scotland” in the … [Read more...]
EU investigation Gazprom comes at the wrong time
The timing of the EU's investigation of Gazprom further exacerbates tensions with Russia, notes Friedbert PflĂĽger, Director of the European Centre for Energy and Resource Security (EUCERS), King’s College London. PflĂĽger warns that if the EU and Russia continue to be on a collision course, both sides will lose. … [Read more...]
Adriaan – ‘Energy for One World’ – Kamp (ex-Shell): “Strategy of oil companies is doomed to failure”
Oil companies like Shell have unique skills that make them ideally placed to help build the energy world of the future. Yet they seem unable to look beyond their own interests, says Adriaan Kamp, former Shell manager and founder of Oslo-based consultancy Energy For One World. “Like the banks, they can’t change their ways. They are still making too much money with oil and gas.” According to Kamp, the growth strategy of the oil companies is still … [Read more...]
EU takes on Gazprom: “abusing dominant position, charging unfair prices”
The European Commission has accused Gazprom of imposing unfair gas prices in five EU member states – Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Bulgaria and Poland – through abuse of its dominant market position. This constitutes a breach of EU anti-trust rules. … [Read more...]
The Great Grid Special: where is Europe going with its grids?
The EU has adopted a 10% electricity interconnection target that all member states have to meet by 2020. However, experts question this one-size-fits-all approach. They do agree that new investment in power grids is crucial - but not which type should get priority: interconnection, transmission, distribution, "smart" or even microgrid. A new French report shows that most investment is actually going to gas grids where it may be less … [Read more...]
New clean energy investment falls in first quarter 2015
New investment in the global clean energy sector totalled $61.0 billion in Q1 15, a 14% decrease on Q4 14 ($71.3 billion) and a 5% decrease on the corresponding quarter in 2014 ($64.4 billion). … [Read more...]
French government study: 95% renewable power mix cheaper than nuclear and gas
A new French government study shows that the cost to the French consumer of a 100% renewable scenario is more or less equal to a scenario close to today’s, with only 40% renewables. It is yet another instance of leading energy experts asserting that a 100% renewable future is possible, writes Terje Osmundsen, Senior Vice-President of Norwegian independent solar power producer Scatec Solar. … [Read more...]
Top 12 media myths on oil prices
The upstream oil and gas industry is not a black hole, writes Dan Doyle, president of Reliance Well Services, a hydraulic fracturing company based in Pennsylvania. “There's no mystery wrapped in an enigma here.” Doyle “sets the record straight” on 12 “media myths” about oil and gas prices. Well, 11 really. … [Read more...]
Interview André Merlin: “Europe needs regional System Operators like in the US”
Developing electricity interconnectors should be a shared competence of the EU and individual Member States, with costs shared out at least across regions, says AndrĂ© Merlin, President of Medgrid, a consortium looking to facilitate the exchange of electricity across the Mediterranean, in an interview with Energy Post. Merlin, former Chairman of both RTE, the French transmission system operator (TSO) and ERDF, the main French distribution system … [Read more...]