The fastest-growing oil region in the U.S. is fueling not only the second American shale revolution—it's fueling a subculture of drug and alcohol abuse among oil field workers, writes Tsvetana Paraskova of Oilprice.com. Courtesy Oilprice.com. … [Read more...]
Archives for July 2018
OPEC? NOPEC! What makes Putin’s vision of a Russian-US oil alliance a pipedream
U.S. president Trump, who wants the U.S. to become a dominant oil and gas supplier to the world, regards Russia as “competitor”, though he sees that as “a compliment”. Russian president Putin has said he would like to “work together” with the U.S. to forge an OPEC-like alliance. Anna Mikulska, a fellow at the Baker Institute’s Center for Energy Studies and at the University of Pennsylvania's Kleinman Center for Energy Policy, explains why such an … [Read more...]
Interview Sytse Zuidema, CEO EV charging leader NewMotion: “Charging at home and office will become the norm”
Over the next five years the European mobility market – as well as the electricity market – will undergo a transformation, says Sytse Zuidema, CEO of NewMotion, Europe’s largest EV charging company, acquired last year by Shell. The Amsterdam-based company is already developing products that anticipate on the coming digitalization of the energy value chain, such as a highly advanced vehicle-to-grid (V2G) charger and apps that tell people at the … [Read more...]
EU wants new climate policy to be “populism-proof” [EPW]
No new targets, gas is in, jobs and growth are key: the EU is designing a new climate and energy strategy for the coming decades that must reflect a new EU identity post-Brexit – and must drive economic opportunity to ensure it is “populism-proof”. … [Read more...]
No plans to phase out coal in Romania, despite diverse energy mix
Coal accounts for about a quarter of energy produced in Romania, which is a net electricity exporter. Compared to countries like Poland where coal dependency is much higher, discussions about a coal phaseout could be more advanced. Why aren’t they? asks Claudia Ciobanu. Article courtesy of Just Transition. … [Read more...]
The carbon floor price – a hammer in need of a toolbox
Carbon pricing is often regarded as the Holy Grail of climate policy. But according to Richard Cowart, Principal at the Regulatory Assistance Project (RAP), carbon prices cannot be a stand-alone solution. They have limited reach and – especially in electricity -- can be expensive for consumers. Nor are high carbon floor prices a magical solution: they don’t reduce the surplus of allowances and may not even reduce emissions. According to Cowart, … [Read more...]
The Electric Power Struggle
The world is undergoing a dramatic electricity transition, and the global struggle for power over this transformed electric system is set to profoundly shape our future, argues Walt Patterson, Associate Fellow in the Energy, Environment and Resource Department of Chatham House in London. According to Patterson, politics, not economics, will determine the outcome of this struggle. Article courtesy Hoffmann Centre for Sustainable Resource Economy. … [Read more...]
Energy Community sets stage for clean energy transition in South-East Europe
While the European Union has been busy with the new Clean Energy Package and discussing full decarbonisation by 2050, some important developments are also taking place in its closest neighborhood - in South-East Europe, where the Energy Community Treaty operates. Journalist and energy expert Oleg Savitsky attended the  Energy Community Sustainability Forum in June and explains how policymakers are trying to transform the energy markets of the … [Read more...]
Frack Germany? Greens sound the alarm as the frackers strike back
Though many environmentalists cheered two summers ago when Germany’s Bundestag seemingly banned fracking, natural gas production across the country has not stopped. L. Michael Buchsbaum explains how companies are pushing for shale gas fracking, despite its impacts on people’s health and the environment. Courtesy Energy Transition. … [Read more...]
Can Saudi Arabia prevent the next oil shock?
As the oil price is inching up, and geopolitical storm clouds are gathering, market watchers increasingly wonder: can Saudi Arabia prevent the next oil price spike? And is it willing to do so? In this article, Cyril Widdershoven explains why counting on Saudi Arabia’s spare capacity could be foolish. In an accompanying article, Nick Cunningham argues that even if Saudi Arabia manages to ratchet up production, it would mean that virtually all … [Read more...]
The Saudis won’t prevent the next oil shock
As the oil price is inching up, and geopolitical storm clouds are gathering, market watchers increasingly wonder: can Saudi Arabia prevent the next oil price spike? And is it willing to do so? In this article, Nick Cunningham argues that even if Saudi Arabia manages to ratchet up production, it would mean that virtually all spare capacity go out of the market, setting the market up for further price rises. In an accompanying article, Cyril … [Read more...]