Former US Secretary of Energy Steven Chu has joined the board of carbon capture firm Inventys. The announcement is a coup for Vancouver-based Inventys, which sees big market opportunities in the US, specifically in the enhanced oil recovery space. Operators in mature oil formations, such as Texas’ Permian Basin, often use EOR – which can… Keep reading →
Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz has weighed in on the question of whether the US should loosen export restrictions on domestically produced crude oil, suggesting that the export regime may be “outdated” at a Platts event on 12 December. So it was only a matter of time before someone in congress objected, loudly, to an Obama… Keep reading →
A look at customer ratings of SolarCity, Verengo Solar, Vivint Solar, REC Solar and Sungevity The solar industry term “customer acquisition” is a euphemism for “convincing people to spend money.” The top solar installers have tens of thousands of potential customers who have expressed interest in solar. But turning those leads into purchases can be… Keep reading →
Rising oil output in the US has already begun to alter the traditional price relationship between US and international crudes, and continued production growth could lead to a domestic glut of certain grades, adding to pressure to lift restrictions on crude exports. The stunning turnaround in the US’ oil fortunes has made plenty of headlines,… Keep reading →
MidAmerican Energy Holdings, a unit of Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway, has agreed to buy nearly 450 2.3-megawatt wind turbines – with an estimated collective value of over $1 billion – from Siemens. “MidAmerican is expanding in wind as costs fall.” [Bloomberg] China’s move to tackle air pollution could push major Australian coal mining operations from… Keep reading →
By sitting around and watching opportunities pass by Warren Buffet, the legendary investor who has been at the helm of Berkshire Hathaway and made a fortune for himself and his shareholders, was once asked how to make a million. His answer: Buy an airline for a billion and watch your investment shrink to a million.… Keep reading →
US natural gas prices fell sharply in 2008, from more than $10 per thousand cubic feet in July to less than $6/mcf at year-end, and have since fallen much further. The average US natural gas wellhead price fell from $7.97/mcf in 2008 to $3.67/mcf the following year, and to just $2.66/mcf in 2012, after an… Keep reading →
The US power sector is just beginning to understand the extent of the challenge it faces in replacing a retiring workforce, and to take steps to address it. But even if utilities manage to fill vacant positions, it remains to be seen how smoothly they can integrate a new generation of workers, and how long… Keep reading →
The U.S. residential solar segment witnessed record growth in Q3 2013 with 31,000 individual installations. On December 10, 2013, GTM Research and the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) released a report analyzing U.S. solar market performance across 28 states and the District of Columbia during Q3 2013. According to the report, Q3 2013 represents the… Keep reading →
The U.S. is not the clear, go-to nation for energy manufacturing. But it’s no longer the nation that businesses automatically leave when it comes time to scale up innovations to commercial production, said Gene Sperling, Director of the National Economic Council, and it’s critical that the U.S. seize the opportunity that presents. Speaking to the… Keep reading →
