Who would have thought even just a few years ago that one could use a smart phone to check the ‘status’ of electricity availability in the area in real-time. No worries, I am not talking about the US or Germany. Though it’s possible those countries could face power supply issues in certain regions if decommissioning… Keep reading →
The US Strategic Petroleum Reserve was established at a time when US refining configuration and oil production profile looked very different. Given new realities, Energy Secretary Moniz is calling for system modifications. “The Government Accountability Office warned in 2006 that in an emergency, refineries configured to use heavy crude would not be able to efficiently… Keep reading →
The leaders of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (known as the BRICS) recently met to launch a newly-created international fund called the New Development Bank (NDB). The BRICS represent roughly a fifth of the world economy and 40 percent of the global population. The NDB will have an initial capital pool of $50… Keep reading →
It is no news that across the African continent infrastructure investment and thus development has lagged behind. According to estimates by Jean Claude Gandur, founder of Addax Energy, Africa has been investing 4 per cent of its GDP in infrastructure, compared to China’s 14 per cent. Nevertheless, a recent report by the World Economic Forum,… Keep reading →
![Cutting Ribbon at POWER-GEN Africa[5]](https://sites.breakingmedia.com/uploads/sites/2/2014/04/Cutting-Ribbon-at-POWER-GEN-Africa5-1024x652.jpg)
When President Obama visited Africa last summer and announced the Power Africa initiative — an effort to double access to power in sub-Saharan Africa — he was clear about the imperative behind the initiative. “In our global economy, our fortunes are linked like never before,” the President said. “So more growth and opportunity in Africa can mean… Keep reading →
Berkshire Hathaway energy unit MidAmerican Power Holdings has agreed to buy wind turbines with an estimated value of more than $1bln from Siemens. IFM Investors has agreed to invest $1.3 billion in equity funding for the proposed three-train Freeport LNG natural gas liquefaction and export plant in Texas, sourced from a consortium of project finance ledners. The funding in question… Keep reading →
In the United States, coal is facing hard times. The welcome, though unexpected expansion of unconventional natural gas resources and production in North America has made natural gas the economically attractive fuel choice for new electricity generating power plants and, in many cases, has replaced older existing coal fired plants. From 2003 to 2013 coal’s… Keep reading →
With the 2014 FIFA World Cup less than a year away, Brazil is rapidly preparing its power grid to support the millions of visitors that will travel to the country for the event. Many of the transmission and distribution infrastructure challenges that Brazil is currently addressing were similar to the issues South Africa confronted during… Keep reading →
Electric car manufacturer Tesla has announced plans to dramatically expand its electric vehicle charging network – the company claims that within six months, it will connect most major metropolitan areas in the US and southern Canada. [Forbes] In somewhat related but perhaps slightly less dramatic news, the US Navy has unveiled its first solar-powered EV… Keep reading →
