BlackRockâs decision to divest from coal, as the world's largest asset manager with a long shareholder history of voting against climate action, sends a powerful signal. By mid-2020 BlackRockâs $1.8tn of actively managed funds will divest from any firm generating more than 25% of revenue from thermal coal. Further reviews of sectors heavily reliant on thermal coal will also take place. Tim Buckley, Tom Sanzillo and Melissa Brown at IEEFA welcome … [Read more...]
The Clean Hydrogen revolution: how, by whom, when?
Hydrogen rivals oil and gas for storage and hard-to-decarbonise sectors (industry, heavy and long distance transport). But it isnât all carbon free. âGreyâ hydrogen â the cheapest at âŹ1.50/kilo - is made from gas. âBlueâ hydrogen depends on the fortunes of carbon capture technology. âGreenâ hydrogen is CO2 free, but needs further cost reductions in the green electricity used in the electrolysis process. NoĂ© van Hulst, at the Netherlandâs Ministry … [Read more...]
IEEFA Germany: RWEâs coal phaseout compensation demands defy market prices
How much should the coal producers be compensated for Germanyâs phaseout? RWE wants âŹ1.2bn per GW at least, basing its maths on an EU-approved scheme from 2015. But Gerard Wynn, writing for IEEFA, says too much has changed since then, not least the Paris Agreement and the actual market price for coal assets. By his calculations, the true price should be under âŹ100m per GW down to near zero. Vattenfall and Engie have already taken such a hit. … [Read more...]
Opposition to Nord Stream 2 ignores market fundamentals [Energy Post Weekly]
Criticism of the Nord Stream 2 project routinely misses the bigger picture of EUâs lower carbon targets, Groningenâs impending switch-off and Russiaâs own dependence on natural gas exports to Europe. … [Read more...]
