With elections in May, the balance of opinion in Parliament is a climate policy risk factor on the minds of many in Brussels. The national draft 10-year energy plans, just in to the Commission, project widespread growth in costlier renewables. But populists who see climate as a globalist rather than nationalist-first agenda may prove hard to bring on side with an expensive and disruptive transition. The public will be influenced by climate … [Read more...]
Utilities are starting to invest in big batteries instead of building new power plants
There has been a dramatic drop in battery costs in recent years. Jeremiah Johnson and Joseph F. DeCarolis, of North Carolina State University, say if this continues grid-scale batteries could supplant the usual solutions to peak electricity demand: gas power plants and transmission lines. Inevitably, this will depend on the future price of gas, and the changing policy environment. But one thing is for sure: utilities don’t want to invest in peak … [Read more...]
Investing in gas: the effect of carbon taxes, gas prices, and the growth of renewables
Schalk Cloete presents his latest article looking at what affects the profitability of an investment in a specific power sector. After reviewing onshore wind, nuclear and solar, he now looks at gas. His analysis of coal is to come. The major variables are increasing CO2 prices, and natural gas pricing. He adds that the growth of wind and solar should benefit load-following gas power plants: they are plugging the intermittency gap when electricity … [Read more...]
Does the U.S. really need new gas infrastructure?
Gas prices within the U.S. vary considerably, largely due to poor local gas infrastructure: Boston’s gas prices can be triple New York’s, and Los Angeles’ over 50% higher than San Francisco’s. Should the U.S. spend billions upgrading that infrastructure? Not if money spent on assets that may one day be stranded is money wasted. Andrew Campbell, Executive Director of the Energy Institute at Haas at the University of California, says the best … [Read more...]
Can nuclear compete for a bigger role in the transition?
With plans to phase out coal-fired generators in most of Europe, nuclear is trying to compete with gas to become the most viable baseload power source to accompany renewables on the path to net-zero emissions. Both technologies have their advantages. Gas is competitively priced while nuclear generates power with almost no emissions. Right now, gas's cost advantage is evidently great enough to tip the balance. If nuclear advocates are to … [Read more...]
Ukrainian Gas E&P Forum in London
Ukrainian Gas E&P Forum, is taking place on 29th January at the Geological Society in Piccadilly, London and is organised by Strategy Council. The event enjoys the official support and involvement of the National Investment Council under the President of Ukraine, the Association of Gas Producers of Ukraine, UkraineInvest and the Embassy of Ukraine in the UK. Last month the Ukrainian government announced that it is conducting international … [Read more...]
UK nuclear plans are in tatters. But current incentives help gas, not wind and solar, step into the gap
The scrapping of plans for a new nuclear power station in Cumbria and the suspension of work on another in Anglesey have put the brakes on the UK’s nuclear future. But the government appears more keen to fill the gap with gas rather than renewables. David Toke of Aderdeen University criticises the current incentives and regulations and makes the case for wind and solar. … [Read more...]
A grassroots fightback against Trump and U.S. Oil & Gas is underway
As the 116th Congress commences, in the wake of dire reports from climate scientists, the debate over U.S. climate policies has taken a welcome turn towards bold solutions. Capitol Hill is alive once again with policy proposals that edge towards the scale required to address the crisis we’re in. A new study by Kelly Trout of Oil Change International, along with 17 partner organisations, makes it clear that managing a rapid and equitable decline … [Read more...]
Britain has shifted 30% of its electricity away from fossil fuels in just nine years
Britain’s extraordinary energy transition is in part down to increased energy efficiency: put simply, less electricity was needed, whatever the source. But coal is still essential during spikes in demand. Given coal generation is due to be phased out by 2025, the country will need to find alternative power sources to cope during extreme weather events. And that overall decline in electricity demand is sure to be reversed as more vehicles and … [Read more...]
Ukrainian Gas E&P Forum in London
Last month the Ukrainian government announced that it is conducting international hydrocarbon licencing rounds through concession auctions and PSA tenders. 30 onshore oil & gas blocks are being put up for sale via online auctions. The first round of 10 blocks, covering 1, 120 square miles in 6 regions, was announced last month and the auctions will take place on 6th March; Production Sharing Agreements for 12 onshore blocks, covering … [Read more...]
Renewables losing market share in Africa
Alarming new data shows that coal, liquid fuels and gas are strengthening their grip on Africa’s power sector. Investments in renewables are too slow to keep pace with demand growth. With the ink still drying on Katowice's COP24 agreement, Terje Osmundsen's latest blog post makes for urgent reading... … [Read more...]
Opposition to Nord Stream 2 ignores market fundamentals [Energy Post Weekly]
![Opposition to Nord Stream 2 ignores market fundamentals [Energy Post Weekly]](https://energypost.eu/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/nord-stream-opposition-150x99.jpg)
Criticism of the Nord Stream 2 project routinely misses the bigger picture of EU’s lower carbon targets, Groningen’s impending switch-off and Russia’s own dependence on natural gas exports to Europe. … [Read more...]
Khashoggi and Skripal: wake-up calls for European energy policy
The apparent brutal murder of Jamal Khashoggi in Turkey by the Saudi Arabian regime and the equally brazen attempted murder of Sergei Skripal in England should serve as wake-up calls for European energy policymakers, writes Karel Beckman, editor-in-chief of Energy Post. These misdeeds demonstrate the aggressive nature of the Saudi and Russia regimes and underline the necessity for Europe to reduce its reliance on oil and gas much more rapidly … [Read more...]
Russia’s evolving gas relationship with the European Union
Europe has long had a touchy relationship with Russia, with Europe’s dependence on Russian gas being a potentially major source of concern. But away from the rhetoric, the dependence is growing, and the question is how to diffuse tensions. Keeping Ukraine in the picture could be a key move, argues Marco Siddi, senior research fellow with the European Union Research Programme. Courtesy of the Finnish Institute of International Affairs. … [Read more...]
3 ways in which gas is thinking of the future
While natural gas’s role in tomorrow’s electricity systems is being debated in Europe, the gas industry is busy dealing with growth in emerging energy markets. That doesn’t mean it’s all business as usual, though. Gas sector infrastructure providers such as the Spanish firm Sener are gearing up for fuel that is more liquid, mobile and, perhaps one day, renewable. … [Read more...]
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